Exclusive:Arts bosses demand support now as new SNP future funding pledge revealed

Culture secretary Angus Robertson told The Scotsman he would both increase funding and put the five companies - which include Scottish Ballet, the National Theatre of Scotland, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Scottish Opera - on the same footing as more than 200 arts organisations which were given multi-year funding through Creative Scotland a year ago.

The changes, which would be a major overhaul to how the companies are financed, would be formally announced in next year’s Scottish Budget for 2027-2028.

However, in a joint statement, the National Performing Companies warned the “immediate” financial challenge needed addressing and said the government still had time to act before this year’s Budget is implemented.

Previously the National Performing Companies have warned that they cannot continue producing at the same level on the current level of funding, which has essentially remained flat since 2013.

The national companies are funded directly by the government, outwith the funding scheme administered by Creative Scotland which allows all other arts venues and organisations to apply for support.

This month’s Scottish Budget did not deliver any uplift for the companies, leaving them with an “effective cut” to their finances.

Mr Robertson described the National Performing Companies as a “jewel in Scotland’s cultural firmament”.

He told The Scotsman: “I am very sympathetic both to the opportunities of increased funding to the National Performing Companies, but also on a multi-year basis.

“I have said this to the National Performing Companies before this current Budget round. I’m happy to repeat my continued support for the National Performing Companies but also working in partnership with them including how we can best support them, including additional funding.”

It is likely the government would look at carrying out economic impact studies similar to those previously conducted by Screen Scotland to look at the best model to maximise the impact of increase funding.

The companies have published a joint economic and social impact report, compiled by Biggar Economics, which claimed they jointly generate £23.3m in Gross Value Added (GVA) - a measure of the contribution of an organisation to the economy - and provided 510 jobs.

Mr Robertson said: “I’ve used the term ‘foundational change’ for our cultural arts sector and that is what we’ve begun to deliver with multi-year funding for a record number of cultural organisations and venues.

“It is literally game changing and I appreciate that Scotland’s National Performing Companies, who are a jewel in Scotland’s cultural firmament, should also be funded on a multi-year basis and should be able to reach their full potential.”

In the Budget, finance minister Shona Robison confirmed a £20 million increase in the culture budget this year.

For the past two years, the government has been working towards an annual increase in arts and culture funding with a target of £100m additional funds a year. This year’s increase took the annual culture budget rise to a total of £74m.

Mr Robertson added: “We’re in the process of delivering £100m of additional arts and culture funding and we are in the final phase of delivering multi-year funding, which is reaching hundreds of cultural organisations. That’s a very significant financial contribution and that takes us to £70 of the £100m.

A joint statement from the five National Performing Companies said: “After managing an effective standstill funding position over the last decade, the National Performing Companies firmly believe the Cabinet Secretary must address the immediate financial challenge we face.

“We have yet to receive any suggestion or commitment about a funding uplift or a multi-year settlement for the NPCs; and we remain baffled by the decision to single NPCs out for no uplift in the current Budget, while the majority of the culture sector received increases.

“It is clear from the reaction since the Budget announcement that we are not alone in feeling that way.”

The statement added: “Over the last few years, we have done everything asked of us as award-winning brand ambassadors for Scotland, including producing a report which showed that we collectively contribute over £60m GVA a year to the Scottish economy, support 1,280 jobs and 2,300 freelancers.

“There remains time for the Cabinet Secretary to address this before this Budget is approved by Parliament and we would urge him to focus on doing so."

To mark Burns Night, cultural figures in Scotland called for the introduction of a Culture Act in the next Scottish parliamentary term in a bid to unlock the “untapped potential” of the sector.

The letter was signed by more than 70 artists, musicians, authors and creatives , including Alan Cumming, Sir Ian Rankin and Edinburgh International Book Festival director Jenny Niven.