Section One
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scotland's diverse and vibrant cultural life, with its international reputation, is a defining feature of a successful and confident nation. It is a vital ingredient in our success, here and abroad.
1.2 In January 2006, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Patricia Ferguson MSP, announced the Scottish Executive's new cultural policy, Scotland's Culture. Its principal aims are:
- Nationally, to support talent and excellence in culture, to help it to develop and to encourage more people to enjoy our world class cultural national collections and national performing companies. And, to utilise the positive impact culture can have in every area of Government.
- Locally, to encourage more people to enjoy cultural activities by asking local authorities to develop cultural 'entitlements' for their area, in consultation with local people and to ask local authorities to undertake cultural planning, feeding into Community Planning. Also, to support local museums and libraries.
1.3 The Minister also announced an increase in the Scottish Executive's spending on culture of £20 million from financial year 2007-2008, an increase of over ten percent.
Progress
1.4 During 2006, the Executive's investment, and that of its partners, has expanded cultural opportunities:
- The National Theatre of Scotland put on its first season of productions in 44 locations, playing to over 64,000 people;
- A new scheme was announced to provide support for collections of national importance held in Scotland's non-national museums and galleries, making sure that these important collections are identified, cared for and promoted to a wider audience;
- The Youth Music Initiative was extended to 2008, with an overall budget of £37.5 million, ensuring that every child and young person has the opportunity to develop their musical talent;
- Plans for a celebration of Highland culture in 2007 were supported by funding from the Executive; and,
- 28 private companies participated in the Executive's art sponsorship awards, bringing a total of £830,000 in new money.
Developing the new 'cultural infrastructure'
1.5 Alongside these new initiatives and investments, we have been working to introduce the new structures for cultural policy proposed in Scotland's Culture. We have been working to develop detailed proposals for the new national cultural development body, Creative Scotland.
1.6 The National Collections (National Galleries of Scotland, National Museums of Scotland, National Library of Scotland, the National Archives of Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland) have been improving the ways they work together to attract more visitors.
1.7Scotland's Culture announced that the National Performing Companies would in future be funded directly by the Executive, where they met agreed criteria for 'national' status. The Executive has been working with the Companies and others to agree those criteria.
1.8 The Executive has also been working closely with representatives of local government and others to consider how the new 'local cultural entitlements' and cultural planning can be developed, delivered and monitored. There is more detail about this in section 2. Part of this work has involved agreeing guidance that local authorities can use. An initial draft of the guidance is published alongside this consultation document. As well as the guidance, the Executive will provide support for a programme of 'pathfinder' projects to investigate and demonstrate how cultural entitlements and planning can be successful in bringing more people into contact with cultural opportunities.
The draft Bill
1.9 Legislation is needed to achieve some of the proposals in Scotland's Culture. The draft Culture (Scotland) Bill makes the changes needed.
They are:
- A reform of the law about local provision of culture, which will be used to encourage local authorities to develop 'local cultural entitlements' as part of cultural planning;
- The establishment of a new public body, Creative Scotland, to be Scotland's national cultural development body; and
- Changes to the governing legislation of the National Collections, updating their functions and making it easier for them to work together.
The parts of Scotland's Culture not covered by the draft Bill either do not need legislation for their implementation or are covered by existing legislation.
1.10 The draft Bill also proposes changes to the law in relation to dealing in 'tainted' cultural objects like parts of foreign monuments that have been stolen.
1.11 It will also remedy an anomaly in local authorities' powers to broadcast, as well as publish, information about their functions.