Society of Authors ‘urges’ Creative Scotland and Scottish government to reconsider funding closure

The Society of Authors (SoA) is “urging” Creative Scotland and the Scottish government to reconsider the closure of the Open Fund for Individuals. 

The decision to close the funding, revealed earlier this month – due to ‘uncertainty’ from the Scottish government around the available budget for the 2024/25 financial year – led to outcry from booksellers and authors. 

The SoA said it comes as “a huge blow to authors and to the creative sector in a time of crisis; work must be done to protect this source of funding”. 

The authors’ collective posted a statement on its website that reads: “The Open Fund is one of Creative Scotland’s key funding programmes, and one of the few remaining resources for artists, including authors, to seek direct funding to complete projects. Its budget was reinstated in October 2023, having been cut earlier that year, when the first minister at the time, Humza Yousaf, pledged an additional £100m for the arts sector by 2028 – a promise widely celebrated in the industry but which is yet to be materialised.” 

The decision “has caused alarm and perplexity as literary and cultural organisations were not consulted about the decision,” according to the SoA. 

The news comes at a time when many writers are particularly affected by the cost of living and fewer opportunities. “The Society of Authors is very concerned about the impact this decision will have on authors for whom earning a living has never been harder. In 2022, ALCS reported that the median earning for writers was £7,000 – just over a third of the living wage,” the organisation said.

“Grants for work in progress are a vital lifeline for authors in these difficult times, with the cost of living soaring and with generative artificial intelligence [AI] already harming livelihoods.” Last week the society wrote to tech firms demanding they seek agreement from authors before using their work in the development of AI systems, as a number of publishers recently confirmed working with or discussion partnerships with AI firms.

“After over a decade of cuts, our creative industries and our cultural capital are at stake and we must ensure that funds for creators remain in place to protect these.” 

Subsequently the SoA said it “urges “Creative Scotland and the Scottish government to reconsider this decision” and “is working closely with partners at the Scottish Trades Union Congress to get clarity from Scottish government and Creative Scotland representatives over this closure, and over their future funding plans for the sector”. 

Authors Mary Paulson-Ellis and Helen Sedgwick gave the following statement on behalf of the SoA: “We are deeply concerned by the announcement earlier this week of the sudden closure of the Open Fund for Individuals, and are shocked that this has happened without consultation with authors and their representatives, and without any forewarning.  

“Creative Scotland and the Scottish government must demonstrate their commitment to supporting the arts and ensuring they are accessible to everyone by reinstating the fund, so that authors are not deprived of this vital lifeline.” 

Sedgwick was one of the first authors to condemn the decision when it was first announced, along with fellow writers Jenni Fagan, Daisy Lafarge and the owner of the Edinburgh Bookshop Marie Moser.  

The fund will continue receiving applications until 2pm on 30th August. 

When the news of the closure was announced, Iain Munro, chief executive of Creative Scotland, said: “The level of uncertainty regarding the provision of grant-in-aid budgets from the Scottish government is creating critical problems for the ongoing support we can provide to Scotland’s culture sector. This decision to close the Open Fund for Individuals is not one we would have wanted to take but is unavoidable without the funding from the Scottish government being available.

“Like everyone working in Scotland’s culture and creative sector, we understand the extreme pressures on public finances, but want to see longer-term budget certainty from the Scottish government, including the additional £100m announced in October 2023, details of which have yet to emerge.”

A Scottish government spokesperson told The Bookseller earlier this month: “The Scottish government already provides significant funding to Creative Scotland each year and will continue to do so.

“We have increased arts culture funding this year, as the first step to achieving our commitment to invest at least £100 million more annually in culture and the arts by 2028/29.

“The Scottish Budget continues to face significant challenges. We are considering the implications of the actions announced by the Chancellor on 29th July for our public finances, and the next steps required by the Scottish government.”