Culture in Parliament - May 2023
Culture Counts monitors the Scottish and UK Parliament for discussions and questions about the Culture Sector. We’ve listed recent committee business and chamber questions in each house below.
The link attached to each item will take you to the Official Report, where you can read the Government response and further discussion around each item.
Holyrood:
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Jamie Greene (West Scotland)
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comments by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society chief executive that the festival faces an “existential threat”. (S6O-02133)
Scottish Connections Framework
Stephanie Callaghan (Uddingston and Bellshill)
To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish connections framework will help to address any demographic challenges. (S6O-02136)
Leith Theatre (Scottish Government Engagement)
Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith)
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it and its agencies have had with Leith theatre. (S6O-02137)
Historic Environment Scotland (Closed Sites)
Sue Webber (Lothian)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Historic Environment Scotland sites that remain closed. (S6O-02138)
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A members’ business debate on motion S6M-07369, in the name of Sharon Dowey, on the impact of long-term closures to historic sites managed by Historic Environment Scotland.
Read the transcript here
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The Scottish Parliament’s Culture Committee are currently conducting an enquiry on Culture in Communities, with the aims of better understanding:
* How do national and local layers of government, along with the third sector, complement each other to ensure that communities have opportunities to take part in cultural activities?
* How is unmet cultural need determined? And who decides this?
* What does good ‘place-based’ cultural policy look like in practice?
In recent weeks, the committee have met to take evidence from a number of stakeholders, considering these questions from different perspectives.
Links to the evidence sessions are included below:
27 April session
This session included evidence from: Brenna Hobson (National Theatre of Scotland), Alistair Mackie (Royal Scottish National Orchestra), Professor Andrew Miles (University of Manchester), Alex Reedijk (Scottish Opera), Gavin Reid (Scottish Chamber Orchestra), Steven Roth (Scottish Ballet), Professor David Stevenson (Queen Margaret University)
4 May session
This session included evidence from: Kresanna Aigner (Findhorn Bay Arts), Steve Byrne (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Arthur Cormack (Fèisean nan Gàidheal), Morvern Cunningham (Culture Collective), Murray Dawson (Station House Media Unit), Rachael Disbury (Alchemy Film and Arts), Robert Rae (Art 27 Scotland), Caitlin Skinner (Stellar Quines), Kathryn Welch (Culture Collective)
11 May session
This session heard evidence from: Sarah Latto (Volunteer Scotland), Jemma Neville (Creative Lives), Alison Reeves (Making Music)
18 May session
This session heard evidence from: Johanna Boyd (Planning Aid for Scotland), Ailsa Macfarlane (Built Environment Forum Scotland), Craig McLaren (Royal Town Planning Institute)
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Culture and the Arts (Cunninghame South)
Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South)
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting culture and the arts in the Cunninghame South constituency. (S6O-02232)
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is supporting the arts sector. (S6O-02233)
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On 23 May, the Scottish Parliament debated motion S6M-09107, in the name of Angus Robertson, on the Scottish connections framework.
The Framework is the Government’s strategy for engaging with Scotland’s diaspora. The debate contained a number of references relevant to Culture.
Westminster:
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BBC Local Radio: Proposed Cuts
Dame Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North)
What discussions she has had with the BBC on its proposed cuts to local radio services. (904659)
Musicians from Ukraine and Europe: UK Tours
Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton)
What steps she is taking to support musicians from Ukraine and Europe to tour in the UK. (904664)
Cost of Living: Cultural and Charitable Organisations
Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham)
What steps she is taking to support cultural and charitable organisations with increases in the cost of living. (904669)
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The Westminster Scottish Affairs Committee are conducting an enquiry into promoting Scotland abroad. On 15 May, the committee took evidence from:
Francesca Hegyi OBE (Chief Executive at Edinburgh International Festival), Shona McCarthy (Chief Executive at Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society), Major General Buster Howes CB OBE (Chief Executive at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo)