Latest news with #EdinburghInternationalFestival
Glasgow Times
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
It is not my job to dictate what you can create, says Swinney on eve of festival
He addressed invited guests at the headquarters of the Edinburgh International Festival as the capital's festival season is set to begin. Mr Swinney told the audience on Thursday he would be a protector of freedom of speech in his time in the top job. 'I also know that freedom of expressing is under greater and greater attack, both at home and abroad,' he said. 'I want to ensure that Scotland, the birthplace of the Enlightenment, remains a country of robust debate and inquiry. John Swinney spoke at the Edinburgh International Festival Hub (Jane Barlow/PA) 'I firmly believe that art and culture must be able to challenge us, to ask us tough questions, and to force us to look at things from different perspectives. 'And, yes, it must, at times, be allowed to shock and offend us, but it can also heal us. 'Let me be absolutely clear – as First Minister, I will always protect freedom of speech in our country. 'It's not the First Minister's job to tell you what to create, nor would I ever seek to do so.' Mr Swinney added that his and his Government's role is to assist artists in any way they can. The First Minister went on to make a plea to the crowd and to wider society – with a particular nod to tech firms – to look at how the arts can be better supported financially as the Government looks to boost funding to £100 million annually in the coming years. The First Minister attended an event on the eve of the start of Edinburgh's festival season (Jane Barlow/PA) 'I'm asking that from crowdfunding to patronage, to philanthropy to local authority support and much more, we all ask ourselves how can we do more to support the arts from the grassroots up?' he said. 'How can we better support emerging artists that don't necessarily fit the current mould? 'And how, in particular, can Scotland's emerging businesses in new sectors become the new generation of patrons of the arts and culture in Scotland? 'How do we incentivise a new guard of custodians and investors in Scotland's creative economy?' Speaking to journalists after his speech, Mr Swinney said he is open to discussions about new legislation to support the cultural sector. He said there is a sense that local authorities 'might not have a particularly explicit statutory duty to support artistic and cultural activity', suggesting this area 'might need to be strengthened'.
South Wales Guardian
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
It is not my job to dictate what you can create, says Swinney on eve of festival
He addressed invited guests at the headquarters of the Edinburgh International Festival as the capital's festival season is set to begin. Mr Swinney told the audience on Thursday he would be a protector of freedom of speech in his time in the top job. 'I also know that freedom of expressing is under greater and greater attack, both at home and abroad,' he said. 'I want to ensure that Scotland, the birthplace of the Enlightenment, remains a country of robust debate and inquiry. 'I firmly believe that art and culture must be able to challenge us, to ask us tough questions, and to force us to look at things from different perspectives. 'And, yes, it must, at times, be allowed to shock and offend us, but it can also heal us. 'Let me be absolutely clear – as First Minister, I will always protect freedom of speech in our country. 'It's not the First Minister's job to tell you what to create, nor would I ever seek to do so.' Mr Swinney added that his and his Government's role is to assist artists in any way they can. The First Minister went on to make a plea to the crowd and to wider society – with a particular nod to tech firms – to look at how the arts can be better supported financially as the Government looks to boost funding to £100 million annually in the coming years. 'I'm asking that from crowdfunding to patronage, to philanthropy to local authority support and much more, we all ask ourselves how can we do more to support the arts from the grassroots up?' he said. 'How can we better support emerging artists that don't necessarily fit the current mould? 'And how, in particular, can Scotland's emerging businesses in new sectors become the new generation of patrons of the arts and culture in Scotland? 'How do we incentivise a new guard of custodians and investors in Scotland's creative economy?' Speaking to journalists after his speech, Mr Swinney said he is open to discussions about new legislation to support the cultural sector. He said there is a sense that local authorities 'might not have a particularly explicit statutory duty to support artistic and cultural activity', suggesting this area 'might need to be strengthened'.
Powys County Times
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
It is not my job to dictate what you can create, says Swinney on eve of festival
It is not for the First Minister to tell artists what to create, John Swinney has said. He addressed invited guests at the headquarters of the Edinburgh International Festival as the capital's festival season is set to begin. Mr Swinney told the audience on Thursday he would be a protector of freedom of speech in his time in the top job. 'I also know that freedom of expressing is under greater and greater attack, both at home and abroad,' he said. 'I want to ensure that Scotland, the birthplace of the Enlightenment, remains a country of robust debate and inquiry. 'I firmly believe that art and culture must be able to challenge us, to ask us tough questions, and to force us to look at things from different perspectives. 'And, yes, it must, at times, be allowed to shock and offend us, but it can also heal us. 'Let me be absolutely clear – as First Minister, I will always protect freedom of speech in our country. 'It's not the First Minister's job to tell you what to create, nor would I ever seek to do so.' Mr Swinney added that his and his Government's role is to assist artists in any way they can. The First Minister went on to make a plea to the crowd and to wider society – with a particular nod to tech firms – to look at how the arts can be better supported financially as the Government looks to boost funding to £100 million annually in the coming years. 'I'm asking that from crowdfunding to patronage, to philanthropy to local authority support and much more, we all ask ourselves how can we do more to support the arts from the grassroots up?' he said. 'How can we better support emerging artists that don't necessarily fit the current mould? 'And how, in particular, can Scotland's emerging businesses in new sectors become the new generation of patrons of the arts and culture in Scotland? 'How do we incentivise a new guard of custodians and investors in Scotland's creative economy?' Speaking to journalists after his speech, Mr Swinney said he is open to discussions about new legislation to support the cultural sector. He said there is a sense that local authorities 'might not have a particularly explicit statutory duty to support artistic and cultural activity', suggesting this area 'might need to be strengthened'.
Scotsman
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Scottish Government will consider creating culture legislation
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Scottish Government is open to creating legislation around culture, John Swinney has said, as he called on arts bodies to tell him "what more" he and his government could do to support the sector. The First Minister pledged a "long-term commitment" to arts funding, eight months after increasing arts and culture spending by £34 million in 2025-26, and a wider commitment to invest at least £100m more annually in arts and culture by 2028-29. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad First Minister John Swinney giving a speech at the Edinburgh International Festival Hub about the importance of culture. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire | PA His comments on Thursday came as he addressed arts sector leaders at an event held at the headquarters of the Edinburgh International Festival in Edinburgh. The First Minister said he wanted culture to be regarded as fundamental in Scottish society, citing links between the sector and improving social issues such as poverty. He told The Scotsman: 'We can demonstrate the importance of arts and culture to the wellbeing of our society and make that plain, because a signal from me as First Minister that that's vital to the achievement of the Government's programme will help different public funding organisations to reflect that in their own choices.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'The Government has strengthened its financial support. I recognise there have been tough times in the sector and we have remedied that. We have improved the situation and we have more to do, but I think we're making headway.' Mr Swinney said cultural legislation should be considered. He said: 'I'm very open to discussing the question and determining what legislative provision would help safeguard the foundations of the sector. There is a sense that local authorities might not have a particularly explicit statutory duty to support artistic and cultural activity. That is one that may have to be strengthened and there obviously might be implications for government as well, which we should be open to.' Speaking to the room of senior arts professionals, he said: "I hope this is seen as a statement of intent from my Government, that we are making a long-term commitment to supporting you." Mr Swinney said he 'takes seriously' concerns surrounding the affordability of performing at the Fringe amid rising costs. The funding announcement earlier this year also included an additional £4m for Scotland's festivals. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Swinney said: 'I recognise the practicalities of these issue and I want festivals to be inclusive of people of all backgrounds and all localities. The Government has put more funding in place to support festivals to allow them to allocate in ways that would support some of those objectives. I recognise the pressures. The Government has put in money and we would be happy to engage in any way we can.' Asked about Israeli comedians who had been forced to cancel their shows amid 'safety concerns' at their venue, as well as controversy over festivals' ongoing sponsorship by fund manager Baillie Gifford, Mr Swinney called for an 'atmosphere of tolerance'. Comedian Philip Simon said his show had been dropped by his venue Banshee Labyrinth, in the capital's Niddry Street, while Whistlebinkies cancelled a show by Rachel Creeger.
The National
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Scotland's screen industry feeling 'effects of success', says Swinney
JOHN Swinney has said Scotland's screen industry is feeling the 'effects of success', leading to congestion in accessing vital infrastructure, adding that the Scottish Government must 'make sure' more is done to provide opportunities. The First Minister had invited guests from across Scotland's creative industries to the headquarters of the Edinburgh International Festival as the capital's festival season is set to begin. Swinney addressed the audience, where he spoke about the 'immense value' Scotland's creative industries provide and highlighted that the country's screen industry has grown at a scale that 'simply wasn't possible' before the establishment of Screen Scotland. He added that Scotland becoming a hotbed for film and TV shows has led to an explosion in the number of home-grown productions along with new and expanded studios and infrastructure, while creating a 'wide range of skills and educational opportunities'. READ MORE: Labour's governing fiasco shows Scots the urgency of independence, says John Swinney However, a number of people working in a variety of roles in the screen industry have told The National previously that production companies are prioritising crews from London over people in Scotland. The National understands that studio space across Scotland is fully booked for the remainder of the year, but despite a boom in filming in Scotland, Scottish workers in the industry are not given the opportunities to be a part of it. Speaking to The National, Swinney said that the [[Scottish Government]] needs to 'make sure' that there is better access to screen infrastructure for Scots, adding that there needs to be more recognition of the 'economic benefits' the sector brings. He said: 'I suppose there's a point about essentially the effects of success that is leading to a congestion and access to screen infrastructure. 'Now what we've got to make sure is that we have enough capacity and it's available in a financially sustainable way to meet the needs of the screen industry in Scotland. 'It's an area where we've got Screen Scotland, who's done a superb job as you heard me saying in the in the auditorium, but, we've also got to look at what might need to be deployed through economic development support and advice through Scottish Enterprise and other organisations to make sure we've got all the capacity that we require. Swinnney added: 'Because if we've got incrementally a growing strength within our screen center we should be realising the economic benefits and advantages of that. 'Of course, our college and university community will be producing talented individuals who can play a part in that, and we've got to make sure that we've got enough capacity and opportunity for that to be the case.' Swinney added that his and his Government's role is to assist artists in any way they can. The First Minister went on to make a plea to those in the industry and to wider society to look at how the arts can be better supported financially as the Government looks to boost funding to £100 million annually in the coming years. 'I'm asking that from crowdfunding to patronage, to philanthropy to local authority support and much more, we all ask ourselves how can we do more to support the arts from the grassroots up?' he said. 'How can we better support emerging artists that don't necessarily fit the current mould? 'And how, in particular, can Scotland's emerging businesses in new sectors become the new generation of patrons of the arts and culture in Scotland? 'How do we incentivise a new guard of custodians and investors in Scotland's creative economy?' Speaking to journalists after his speech, Swinney said he is open to discussions about new legislation to support the cultural sector. He said there is a sense that local authorities 'might not have a particularly explicit statutory duty to support artistic and cultural activity', suggesting this area 'might need to be strengthened'. The First Minister also spoke about how he would be a protector of freedom of speech. 'I also know that freedom of expressing is under greater and greater attack, both at home and abroad,' he said. 'I want to ensure that Scotland, the birthplace of the Enlightenment, remains a country of robust debate and inquiry. 'I firmly believe that art and culture must be able to challenge us, to ask us tough questions, and to force us to look at things from different perspectives. READ MORE: Peers' bid to stop UK recognising Palestine as a state blasted as 'deplorable' 'And, yes, it must, at times, be allowed to shock and offend us, but it can also heal us. 'Let me be absolutely clear – as First Minister, I will always protect freedom of speech in our country. 'It's not the First Minister's job to tell you what to create, nor would I ever seek to do so.'
