Scottish Lib Dems: We must end big city bias in creative spend

Scottish Liberal Democrats have today revealed the disparities in arts spending across Scotland and urged the SNP Government to ensure that creative talent can flourish in every corner of the country.

Creative Scotland is the public body responsible for funding the creative industries in Scotland and distributing funding from the Scottish Government and the National Lottery.

A Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request sent to Creative Scotland found that in 2023/24:

• The City of Edinburgh received more than 25 times as much money per head as Midlothian and East Renfrewshire, and more than 20 times as much as Renfrewshire.  
• Glasgow alone had more projects funded than 29 local authorities combined, with 526.
• Despite being the third most populous local authority, Fife received funding of just £2.99 per head.
• The figures for Fife are in sharp contrast to Glasgow, which received £39.75 per head, and Edinburgh, which received £51.34 per head.
• North Lanarkshire also received just £5.37 of funding per head, despite being the fourth most populated area in the country, while South Lanarkshire, the fifth most populated area, received just £3.25.

Scottish Liberal Democrat culture spokesperson Neil Alexander said:

"Scotland is world-famous for our art, our music, our comedy and our cultural achievements but when you look at these figures, it’s understandable why some people might feel they are missing out if they happen to live outside of Scotland’s biggest cities.

“While we can expect some variation between different parts of the country, I am concerned by how sharp some of these differences are.

“Talent and skill should be nurtured everywhere, as should the jobs and economic benefits that they can bring.

“The ongoing review of Creative Scotland ought to look at this big city bias and how we can seize opportunities that exist in every corner of Scotland.”