Bill to establish arts body published
14 Mar 08
Creative Scotland will replace Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen
A bill to amalgamate and replace the bodies supporting Scottish arts and culture has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament.
Creative Scotland's aims will be to promote understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the arts and culture, identify and support talent, and support activities that involve the application of creative skills to the development ofprodicts and processes.
The Creative Scotland Bill will also abolish the Scottish Arts Council, established by royal charter. Scottish Screen will be dissolved at the same time.
Culture Minister Linda Fabiani said: "Creative Scotland will have a vital role in promoting artistic excellence. It will help our artists, practitioners and creative businesses to rise to new levels of aspiration, ambition and achievement and it will be a ready source of advice and advocacy and a partner to support that aim."
At the same time the Scottish Government announced a two year extension of the New Arts Spponsorship Awards scheme, launched in 2006, to encourage new business sponsorship of the arts. Under the scheme an arts organisationreceiving eligible business sponsorship can apply for an additional grant on a pound for pound basis, with the business receiving additional sponsorship benefits.
The scheme has so far attractd over £1.1 million from business and a further £600,000 funding has been allocated to support the scheme.