Wasps is gravely concerned to hear the announcement made by Creative Scotland that the Open Fund for Individuals will close on 30th August due to the Scottish Government being unable to confirm the release of £6.6m in Grant-in-Aid budget in the current financial year.
We know that this will have come as a major shock to those who would have benefited either directly from the fund or through involvement in funded projects, coming at a time when the sector is already reckoning with a multitude of challenges. This decision will have a serious impact on countless artists, and their ability to continue making work that contributes to Scotland’s cultural landscape and the community’s wellbeing as a whole.
A closure of the Open Fund for Individuals will only add to the barriers most artists face, making it harder for them to sustain their livelihoods. It makes cultural activity less accessible, removing the opportunity for those who need support the most.
We know the positive impacts that artists, makers and the entire cultural sector deliver for people and places, for Scotland as a whole. Scotland’s culture matters, now more than ever, and at its foundation are individual artists for whom this announcement will be the last straw.
We urgently call on the Scottish Government to reconsider its position.
