Western Isles arts centre warns of 'immediate and profound' consequences amid looming council cuts

An Lanntair in Stornoway, which has been running for 40 years, said services provided by it and others arts organisations in the area were at risk if Comhairle nan Eilean Siar proposals go through.

The live venue, which also hosts Lewis’ only cinema, said the cuts would “inevitably” force An Lanntair to increase prices, warning the financial impact “will be felt widely and deeply” across island life.

Chief executive Sean Paul O’Hare said key community projects and programming both in live events and film, would have to be cut.

The council is currently consulting on its Budget plans, which propose to sever arts funding. This decision follows the local authority’s withdrawal of core arts funding two years ago, which was replaced by a short-term, temporary scheme intended to bridge the gap.

The temporary arrangement, which gave An Lanntair £47,500 a year in funding, is also now coming to an end, with the result a removal of all secured local authority annual investment in the islands’ arts sector.

Mr O’Hare said: “Culture is not a luxury for the few — it is a foundation for community life in the Western Isles. It supports wellbeing, education, language, youth development, our local economy, and the very sense of who we are. This is not simply an arts issue– it is a community issue.

“We will do our utmost to safeguard An Lanntair’s 34 jobs, which make a substantial economic contribution to Stornoway and the wider islands. We urgently need a sustainable, long-term solution, and that conversation must now involve everyone who cares about the future of arts and culture on these islands.”

He added: “We appeal to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s elected members to recognise the value of culture and arts on these islands and make decisions that generate support for our Creative Industries by securing the future of local arts and cultural organisations for generations to come.”

An Lannhair received multi-year funding worth a total of £1.7 million from Creative Scotland last year. However, Mr O’Hare said the funding had been dependent on outreach work carried out by the venue with rural communities and vulnerable groups, which would have to be cut without local authority funding. He is due to meet with Creative Scotland officials on Tuesday.

He said: “We can’t make this stretch, we can’t take a £47,500 hit and expect nothing to happen, something has to give. Our current Creative Scotland support is based on also having council support and the community work we’re doing, so we will be asking how this will impact our funding.”

David Green, chair of An Lanntair, said the loss of council support would take An Lanntair’s financial position back to 2023 levels, “effectively cancelling out” the increase in Creative Scotland funding.

He said: “The consequences of this withdrawal would be immediate and profound, both for the organisation and for the wider community. We understand these are difficult times for the Comhairle in relation to public finances.

“However, without this core funding, An Lanntair will face a significant reduction in programming across all art forms, and a major curtailment of community and education projects delivered across the islands. These programmes support vulnerable adults, children and young people - work that plays a vital role in wellbeing, inclusion, language, culture, and community cohesion.”

An Lannhair has urged members of the public to take part in the council’s budget consultation, which closes on Friday, to highlight the lack of financial support for arts and cultural organisations.

A council meeting will decide whether to approve the budget on 25 February.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has been contacted for comment.