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23 Dec 2015

Scotland confirms cuts to culture budget

Scotland’s finance secretary, John Swinney, has announced significant cuts to the country’s cultural budget.

Overall, Scotland's culture budget has been cut 10.9 per cent, from £170.2m (US$253.1m, €232.2m) in 2015-16 to £151.6m (US$225.5m, €206.8m in 2016-17.

The cultural collections budget – which primarily funds Scotland’s museums and galleries – will be cut by 8.5 per cent from £85.9m (US$127.8m, €117.2m) for 2015-2016 to £78.6m (US$116.9m, €107.2m) for 2016-2017.

Swinney did confirm in the draft budget that funding for non-national museums, galleries and libraries would continue, with support totalling about £4m (US$6m, €5.5m) annually.

The cuts will put most pressure on local museums, with revenue spending for local councils also cut by 3.5 per cent. The move will also affect the five direct-funded national companies – Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and National Theatre of Scotland.

The total induced economic impact of museums and galleries in 2014 was an estimated £891m (US$1.2bn, €1.09bn). Scotland’s 460 museums and galleries attracted 27.65 million visits in 2014 and sustain over 3,500 tourism-related jobs.