Culture sector welcomes ‘lifeline’ £16m to help Covid recovery

Scottish Government Neil Gray announced the funding.

Money announced for the culture sector will see additional cash go to Edinburgh Festivals in their 75th year (Jane Barlow/PA)

A £16 million cash boost to help the culture sector after it was hit hard by coronavirus restrictions will “provide a lifeline for many”, Creative Scotland said.

The arts organisation welcomed the additional funding from the Scottish Government, announced after Omicron restrictions resulted in events being cancelled and venues shut down over the normally busy festive period.

While those have now ended, culture minister Neil Gray said the culture, heritage and creative industries had been amongst those “hardest hit by the pandemic”.

The additional cash will see Creative Scotland receive £12 million – with this to be split between a hardship fund to help freelancers, a recovery fund for cultural organisations and support for Edinburgh Festivals celebrating their 75th year.

More details of these funds will be announced in the coming days.

In addition, EventScotland will receive £2 million, increasing support for its national and international events programmes.

There will also be £2 million for the Museums Recovery Fund to support a wider range of venues.

Mr Gray said: “This further £16 million in support for the culture events, heritage and creative industries recognises how much we value these sectors which have been among those hit hardest by the pandemic.

“As we embark on our recovery, cultural activity has a pivotal role to play in reinvigorating our economy and communities as well as promoting individual well-being.

Culture minister Neil Gray said the Scottish Government was ‘working closely’ with the sector. (Fraser Bremner/Scottish Daily Mail/PA)

“Since the beginning of the pandemic the Government has announced more than £240 million for culture and events and we are continuing to work closely with these sectors as they rebuild audience confidence.”

Creative Scotland chief executive Iain Munro said: “This additional funding from the Scottish Government is very welcome and will provide a lifeline for many in the culture sector who have lost income as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

“We are working quickly to get this funding to those who need it most. Details of how creative freelancers and cultural organisations can apply for the funding will be communicated shortly.”

Paul Bush, VisitScotland’s director of events, said: “The additional £2 million in funding for Scotland’s events sector is welcome news as we continue to navigate through the impact of recent Covid-19 restrictions and look towards the future.

“It is vital that we continue to support the recovery of Scotland’s events sector by showcasing a wide-ranging event offering, whilst keeping Scotland top of mind and reinforcing its status and reputation as a world-class event destination.

“This additional funding will ensure we can continue to rebuild our vibrant events sector by developing a diverse portfolio of events that inspire both visitors and locals to attend, but which also deliver social and economic benefits to local communities across the country.”