Evidence from Anne Bonnar to Education, Culture and Lifelong Learning Committee

considering Stage 1 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill

Page 1

Evidence from Anne Bonnar to Education, Culture and Lifelong

Learning Committee considering Stage 1 of the Public Services
Reform (Scotland) Bill
1. Statement of Support and Overview

I believe that Creative Scotland, as described in the PSRB, has the potential to
provide for the creation of a 21st century cultural agency to contribute towards
the Scottish Government’s “core purpose to create a more successful Scotland
with opportunities for all through increasing sustainable economic growth”1 and
to deliver the Scottish Government’s stated objectives2:

“Scotland to be a truly creative nation..with a strong national identity which our

vibrant arts and culture help to reflect, shape and define...to encourage and
support artists, creative practitioners and enterprises, as well as to attract
increasing numbers of creative people to Scotland, and to build Scotland’s
cultural profile as part of a broader international reputation.. to ensure that the
work of Scotland’s artists and creative practitioners is accessible to as many
people as possible, and equally that the opportunity to participate in arts and
creative endeavours of all kinds is open to all”

These policy objectives, and the core purpose, differ in several respects from
those which governed the establishment of the Arts Council and Scottish Screen
and describe aspects of the changing context for cultural publicbodies. There
are also other significant changes to the world in which artistic and creative
experiences happen which are driven by changes in technology and
communications and economic, social and cultural trends.

Creative Scotland, as a single public agency for the arts and culture embracing
the creative industries, has the potential to deliver the policy objectives and to
improve local, national and international arts and creative experiences. It has
the potential to be a 21stcentury cultural body delivering for Scotland through
championing, supporting, brokering and investing in artists, creative enterprises
and creative experiences and participation.

The documentation describes the rationale, role and functions of Creative

Scotland and enshrines the arms length principle.

2. Positive Progress since June 2008

Last year, I was engaged by the Joint Board of Scottish Arts Council and Scottish
Screen as Transition Director for Creative Scotland, at a time when it was
proposed to establish the new body through the Creative Scotland Bill. The
subsequent decision to create a transition company, Creative Scotland 2009 Ltd
and to establish Creative Scotland as a public body through the Public Services
Reform (Scotland) Bill has enabled not only development and refinement, but
also appropriate time for consultation around the concept and operations of
Creative Scotland. The benefits of this approach are manifest in the detailed

1
Policy Memorandum 5
2
Policy Memorandum 127 - 131
Evidence from Anne Bonnar to Education, Culture and Lifelong Learning Committee
considering Stage 1 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
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memoranda and notes concerning the rationale, purpose, role, operations and
financial implications of Creative Scotland contained in the PSRB.

The documents make reference to the Creative Industries Partnership

Agreement3, the framework for a coordinated approach to supporting Scotland’s
creative industries, to which the primary public agencies have committed
(Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, COSLA and Creative
Scotland). This Partnership Agreement defines the complementary roles of the
agencies and encapsulates a consensus and clarity previously absent. The
articulation of CS’ role, “to provide research, intelligence and advocacy” and “
lead coordination of support to the creative industries” has facilitated a clearer
understanding of the likely resources required to operate Creative Scotland and
thereby the likely costs of establishing CS and merging the resources of SAC and
SS.

3. Why Creative Scotland should be concerned with the creative

industries and their role in the creative economy

Perhaps most importantly for Scotland’s creative economy, although less

important for the PSRB, the Agreement signals the recognition by all parties of
the vital importance of a coordinated approach to supporting Scotland’s creative
industries for the cultural and economic success of our nation. The evolving
concept of the creative economy is a global priority, as articulated by the United
Nations4, as also for the UK5, because it is one area of the economy where there
is sustained growth and where there is fierce global competition for markets.
Success is measured not only by direct economic return but also cultural
influence. The creative economy refers to the cycle of creation, production and
distribution of goods and services that use knowledge, creative and intellectual
capital as their primary productive resource.6 Arts, culture and creative
industries are major drivers of the creative economy and so are creative workers
and innovation embedded in other social and economic activities.7

The concepts of the creative economy and creative industries have given rise to
fears from some artists that there is too much emphasis on the economic
benefits of arts and culture and the important point is made8 that Creative
Scotland can (and should) support some arts and culture wholly for intrinsic,
cultural value.

The creative economy does not exist without talent and the creative content
generated by artists and creative practitioners. Art and creative products do not
exist without artists and creators. Creative experiences don’t happen without a
creative contract between participants or consumers and artists or creators. The

3
creative-scotland/partnership-report
4
Inter alia United Nations reports UNCTAD, 2004, 2008: Creative economy report
5
Creative Britain Report 2008
6
Inter alia United Nations reports UNCTAD, 2004, 2008: Creative economy report
7
NESTA Beyond the Creative Industries 2008
8
Policy memorandum 162
Evidence from Anne Bonnar to Education, Culture and Lifelong Learning Committee
considering Stage 1 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
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concepts of the creative industries and the creative economy in no way deny the
value of the artist but rather signpost the wider benefits of creative activity in
the 21st century . The concepts are also useful as descriptors of how arts and
creative experiences are fast evolving at a time of convergence in platforms.

We live in a digital age. Last week Ofcom9 published data illustrating the
progress towards the tipping point where consumers chose digital and
personalised experiences in their own homes as opposed to entertainment
broadcast or performed in venues. Nearly half of people will cut back on nights
out – which includes visits to theatres and concerts, one third will cut back on
music, books and DVDs, one fifth on newspapers and magazines rather than cut
back on internet and communications.

9
Ofcom Communications Market Report 2009
Evidence from Anne Bonnar to Education, Culture and Lifelong Learning Committee
considering Stage 1 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
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4. Creative Scotland as a 21st century cultural agency and the

amalgamation of Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen

Creative Scotland will be a national strategic public sector cultural intermediary.

Its crucial role is to mediate between ‘art’ – artists, creative practitioners and
enterprises , ‘audiences’ – participants and consumers - and their creative
experiences and ‘policy’ – the public policies and strategies set by the Scottish
and also UK Government , local government and Europe etc. Its antecedents are
the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen, both of which were created in
different times with a set of different circumstances.

Academics and policy makers internationally have articulated the need for a new
type of cultural intermediary agency fit for the 21st century.10 This is both
because of the fast changing world in which we operate and because of the
major changes to our cultural infrastructure since the Arts Council 11 was
established in 1943 “to develop accessibility to and greater knowledge,
understanding and practice of the fine arts”.
The speed and impact of change has accelerated with the global economic crisis
and climate change and is changing fast with the development of the internet.
The arts and cultural activities with which we were familiar when the Arts Council
and Scottish Screen were established can no longer be regarded as the only
creative industries worthy of support. The creative industries as a
sector includes interactive and digital media and this is where there is the
greatest potential for growth, innovation and cultural, social and economic
benefit. Digital media and internet communication has already inspired
innovative Iphone Apps, games, web drama and other open source art,
photography and music products, services and artefacts. The platforms
encourage personalised experiences and collaboration which are not dependent
on travelling to a city to an event at a particular time, which may be free and
which are close to carbon neutral. Interactive games is a sector where the UK
and Scotland in particular is a global leader and where public support can deliver
significant economic impact.
The rules of creative engagement have changed. The convergence of content
and technology changes the way we contribute to, and encounter, creative
experiences, creative products and creative processes.
• artist and creative practitioners not only work in historic forms like
theatre and painting but increasingly create in interactive and
digital environments
• participants in creative experiences now interact with the artist and
content to personalise their experiences
The internet has also revolutionised the way we can operate businesses and
public bodies – including the cultural agencies. Some of the costs associated with
running these agencies accrue from managing the complex administration
systems required pre today’s technological capabilities.

10
Inter alia Cultural Commission, New Flow Tim Joss
11
Arts Council of Great Britain: Records at the Victoria and Albert Museum
Evidence from Anne Bonnar to Education, Culture and Lifelong Learning Committee
considering Stage 1 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
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Scottish Screen

Since its formation, Scottish Screen has not had the level of resources identified
at the outset 12, and has had to respond to ever declining resources, being
dependent on (declining)lottery funds for its investment funds. The Irish Film
Board13, in comparison, which has an operating overhead similar to that of
Scottish Screen, has more than 10 times the investment funds in addition to the
tax incentives offered by Ireland (to both film and television productions) and
which results in a film industry of sufficient scale to make a significant economic
contribution. Creative Scotland offers an opportunity to promote and support
film in Scotland suitable for the 21st century.

Cultural infrastructure
The major investment made by the Scottish Arts Council and others over the last
30 years in organisations, building and in training cultural managers means that
we now enjoy a fairly mature cultural infrastructure with a high level of
experience and capability in our arts leaders and managers throughout Scotland.
This will enable Creative Scotland to focus on being a strategic agency and to
work in partnership with local authorities and arts organisations and to achieve
the efficiencies referred to in the documentation “to ensure that public funding
is targeted as directly as possible at artists, creative practitioners and
enterprises rather than at administrative systems and processes14.

International Role
The international objectives set for Creative Scotland by Scottish Government
are important and will require partnership working with British Council and others
to determine the role of Creative Scotland in practice.

5. Specific issues in the Bill drafting

The advocacy role is critical to the success of Creative Scotland . However, the
Bill as drafted in 28 (2) restricts the advice it may give Scottish Ministers to three
of its core functions only (1 a, b and c) and not all 6 of its functions. This seems
inconsistent with other aspects of the documentation including Policy
memorandum 143 .

Anne Bonnar 13 August 2009

12
Hydra Associates Scotland on Screen - The development of the film and television industry in
Scotland. Scottish Enterprise/Highlands & Islands Enterprise/Scottish Office 1996
13
Irish Film Board annual report and economic impact study 2008
14
Policy Memorandum 137