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Our Common Future | Our Society

Culture

The Scottish Greens believe that the cultural sector and creative industries can be the backbone of a wellbeing economy, as we recover from the pandemic and build towards a zero carbon future.

For this to become a reality we must stabilise our cultural sector and support its creative thinkers, makers, artists and practitioners. Investment now will lead to long-term benefits for our communities, our economy and our climate.

Green Impact

Scottish Green achievements in the last 5 years include:

  • Funding for local culture services, saving projects like the community youth orchestra Big Noise Raploch
  • Funding changes to BBC editorial guidelines on the platforming of dark-money think tanks and corporate front groups
  • Support for the fossil free culture movement

PROPER INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE AND PLACES THAT MAKE CULTURE

Cultural stimulation increases wellbeing and enriches lives, yet the sector is constantly underfunded and underappreciated. Brexit, the loss of EU funding, and the lack of jobs due to the pandemic has put tremendous pressure on the sector. The Scottish Greens will invest in Scotland’s culture.

We will:

  • Increase investment in culture, and ensure all regions benefit from this by supporting local authorities to develop resourced Cultural Plans in collaboration with local residents, artists and industries.
  • Prioritise the protection of libraries and cultural hubs to promote digital inclusion and skills development.
  • Contribute to the revival of our town centres by supporting the repurposing of commercial properties into low carbon artists’ spaces such as studios, venues, cinemas, workshops and production facilities.
  • Amend the Scottish Government Sustainable Procurement Strategy to allow artists, creative freelancers and microbusinesses equal access to procurement opportunities.

PUT CULTURE AT THE HEART OF A GREEN RECOVERY

Artists and the wider cultural sector have a key role to play in our transition to a zero-carbon wellbeing economy.

We will:

  • Extend the Scottish Government’s Culture Collective scheme, which supports creative practitioners and communities to work together in adapting to the impacts of the pandemic, while providing vital employment for freelance artists.
  • Develop an ‘embedded artists’ scheme that places artists and creative thinkers in local and national government, utilising their unique ways of thinking and working to imagine and co-design new spaces and systems for communities, economies and participatory democracy.
  • Encourage collaborative working between the health and cultural sectors, involving arts organisations in the delivery of health and wellbeing in all Health and Social Care Partnership areas, and support initiatives such as A Sense of Belonging in Edinburgh, which promotes positive mental health and wellbeing through participation in the arts.
  • Require those in receipt of public funding to demonstrate alignment with national carbon reduction targets.

SUPPORT A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE CULTURAL SECTOR

The Scottish Greens will support diversity and inclusivity within our cultural sector.

We will:

NURTURE OUR GROWING SCOTTISH SCREEN SECTOR

The growing Scottish screen sector is a valuable cultural asset that should utilise and benefit talent and communities in Scotland.

We will:

THE SCOTTISH GREENS WILL ALSO

Support the mobility of Scottish artists

Tackle disinformation

Revive local media

Protect the rights and revenue of artists

Value arts education

Support Scottish language diversity

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