REPORT FROM THE BOARD SUB-GROUP ON OPERATIONS AND CAPACITIES
1. Introduction
This sub-group was set up to review issues that have arisen in terms of Creative
Scotland’s operational methods. Its genesis pre-dated, but took on board, the concerns
raised by a number of Scotland’s artists in the well-publicised open letter.
It has also taken careful note of opinions expressed at two subsequent public events, and
those offered in meetings between Creative Scotland and representatives of various
sectors.
The members of the sub-group have spoken to a range of people across the artforms in
Scotland including artists, arts producers, arts organisations and production companies.
They have also spoken extensively to staff throughout Creative Scotland.
Inevitably, given the urgent need to resolve tensions and the short time frame, there will
be some groups and individuals to whom we have not been able to speak personally, and
we apologise to anyone who may have wanted to contribute their views and experiences
who has not been consulted.
Nevertheless we have conducted 76 individual interviews in addition to receiving written
submissions from a range of companies, professional and lobbying bodies, and umbrella
organisations who, together, represent a very large number of practitioners throughout
Scotland.
This gives us confidence that the breadth of material we have received and digested has
afforded an accurate portrait of the circumstances that have led to the current
unhappiness.
It is fair to say that most of the concerns from all quarters fall into the same or broadly
similar categories.
These issues have already been well rehearsed so, although we flag some of them up to
contextualise our recommendations, we are principally concerned to map out a future
which we hope will begin to restore confidence in the organisation, whilst fully
acknowledging the circumstances which have led to difficult relationships within Creative
Scotland and externally.
As David Greig pertinently observed at the Tramway World Café event, routes forward
now matter more than root causes.
2. Language and Tone
The language used by Creative Scotland has been the subject of criticism in many,
though not all, quarters for its lack of clarity, and because it is thought too commercial and
corporate in tone for an organisation set up to fund and celebrate artistic activity.
In the first instance, with the help of people from the artistic community, we are striving to
introduce language that is natural and accessible. This work is already well under way. In
the course of the exercise views have been sought and incorporated by our
communication team from 21 different arts organisations and individuals.
These will feed into the drive to make the application process more accessible given the
fact that individuals and small companies do not have the same level of administrative
resource as larger organisations.
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Clarity and simplicity must triumph over jargon and complexity since it is clear from some
of our evidence that the tone and design of the current material has actively discouraged
some applications.
Obviously, where public funds are being disbursed, there is a need for accountability, and
we certainly shouldn’t apologise for assuming that receiving funds and subsequent
success are not mutually exclusive goals.
Nevertheless the creative process has to be given the space to experiment, and we would
emphasise that Creative Scotland should not only advocate for the arts with government
and others, but celebrate the vital contribution they make to the quality of life in Scotland.
3. External relationships
Self evidently there has been a fracturing of relationships between some elements of
Creative Scotland and the communities it was set up to serve.
We were disappointed with the number of people who shared with us their fears that their
funding opportunities might be contingent on their not overtly voicing any criticism of the
organisation.
How many of these fears are well founded, and how many the product of a perception that
was allowed to grow, is difficult to determine. But either proposition is unhealthy.
Further, the widespread supposition that there was a disinclination to listen to concerns,
and the belief among many respondents that there was a lack of respect towards many
companies and practitioners, are not something we can or should ignore
It is important to acknowledge, however, that there are and remain very good and cordial
relationships between most of the Creative Scotland staff and the people with whom they
deal regularly and successfully.
Nevertheless, we recognise from this review that Creative Scotland needs to re-examine
its ways of building and nourishing relationships.
A free flowing, two way information channel will help morale and performance since good
policy is invariably a product of good open dialogue.
WE RECOMMEND THE RECENTLY PROPOSED CONSULTATIVE FORUMS BE SET
UP IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE AND MEET REGULARLY AS A SOURCE OF
GENUINE DEBATE AND CONSULTATION ABOUT THE ARTS IN SCOTLAND.
THESE MUST INCLUDE FORUMS SET UP AND FACILITATED BY THE ARTISTIC
COMMUNITY, OFFER A PLATFORM FOR EMERGENT AS WELL AS ESTABLISHED
TALENTS, AND BE FULLY RESPECTED BY CREATIVE SCOTLAND.
While not wishing to intrude on territory more properly reserved to the management team,
we think it would be useful if a record of these consultations were made available to the
board in order to help inform their strategic discussions.
4. Internal Relationships
Some of the hallmarks of a healthy organisation are respect for its staff, clear
communication of its objectives and practices, and a willingness to listen to advice and
feedback.
There was an almost universal belief among the staff that a gulf had opened between the
activities of some members of the senior management team and those of the rest of the
staff. This impacted on the ability of staff members to articulate the organisation’s goals
and led to their feeling undervalued and underutilised.
The existing vehicles for staff discussion and debate do not serve their purpose well.
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WE URGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW FORUM WITHIN THE ORGANISATION,
WHERE STAFF AT ALL LEVELS HAVE INPUT TO THE AGENDA AND THE
FREEDOM TO CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFULLY TO POLICY DISCUSSIONS.
Additionally, there has been a failure fully to utilise the expertise at the organisation’s
disposal. The ambition to disperse art form groups and encourage free movement of staff
across different sectors was not born of malign intent, but has caused unnecessary friction
and affected service delivery.
We encountered a range of examples where artists or organisations were having
applications assessed by staff whose particular knowledge and expertise lay in other
sectors. Inevitably this slowed up the process and led to mutual frustrations.
In some instances staff were discouraged from giving advice and assistance to applicants
as to the most appropriate funding stream, and the most effective way of framing their
submission. This could and did result in people bidding into the “wrong” pot, and
sometimes then missing deadlines for the “right” one.
Conversely staff were encouraged to direct people to inquiry helplines, the website, or
investment surgeries. The success of these devices was variable since they were
dependent on the staff member in question having sufficient knowledge of the artform
under discussion at the time, or the inquirer being able to navigate online sources of
advice.
WE RECOMMEND AS GOOD PRACTICE CREATIVE SCOTLAND STAFF BEING
MORE ABLE AND EMPOWERED TO DISCUSS APPLICATIONS IN ADVANCE OF
SUBMISSIONS, HELPING ARTISTS AND ORGANISATIONS TO IDENTIFY THE
PROGRAMME BEST TAILORED TO THEIR NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS.
WE FURTHER SUGGEST EXPLORING PRACTICAL MEANS OF INVOLVING
EXTERNAL PEER GROUP EXPERTISE AS PART OF THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS
AS A MATTER OF URGENCY.
ARTISTS SHOULD NOT BE PASSIVE RECIPIENTS OF FUNDING, BUT AN
IMPORTANT RESOURCE IN HELPING DETERMINE PRIORITIES.
This would be an acknowledgement that whilst enquiry lines and website information have
their place, they are rarely a substitute for well informed personal guidance. Utilising
external expertise in the various sectors is no more than enlightened self-interest that
strengthens the knowledge pool and nourishes partnerships.
It would also address a major and repeated concern around a lack of transparency as to
why and by whom some funding decisions are made.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND A SKILLS ANALYSIS THAT WILL IDENTIFY STRENGTHS,
AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND CORE INTERESTS WITH A VIEW TO STAFF BEING
DEPLOYED IN FUTURE WHERE THEIR KNOWLEDGE CAN HAVE MAXIMUM
IMPACT.
THIS EXERCISE WOULD ALSO ENABLE US TO IDENTIFY ANY GAPS IN SKILLS
AND RESOURCES.
It would not be a return to the art form silos formerly used by the Scottish Arts Council,
rather a drive to ensure that wherever possible members of teams dealt with areas where
they had a depth of knowledge, or would, as a matter of good practice, consult colleagues
with the necessary experience.
The fact of Creative Scotland emerging from two organisations with different cultures was
bound to involve some internal tensions and these have yet to be fully resolved. Bedding
down two self-standing organisations with disparate processes has also produced
challenges that, in some areas, we have failed to meet.
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A further difficulty has been a prospectus that embraced a very much wider remit than
either of the previous bodies. A very much smaller staff was pointed at a very much larger
canvas.
The lengthy delay in setting up an effective IT system and the limited capacity of a small
team to respond to a wide range and heavy load of contractual and legal demands, has
contributed to our inability to respond with sufficient dexterity to the new and greatly
increased level of expectation.
The accelerated pace at which the new organisation set off has contributed to this
problem, sometimes failing to allow adequate pause for thought or the road testing of new
initiatives.
The difficulties encountered over the FXO re-organisation have been a product of this, as
have unacceptable delays in responding to applications, submissions and requests for
information.
WE RECOMMEND SETTING OUT CLEAR TIMELINES THAT AFFORD BOTH
APPLICANTS AND STAFF ADEQUATE TIME FOR SUBMISSION AND ASSESSMENT
WITH REALISTIC, MUTUALLY AGREED DEADLINES AND RESPONSE TIMES.
In the immediate future we believe some of the pressures on staff would be eased by
Creative Scotland under promising and over delivering; concentrating on the art of the
possible following this period of turbulence.
We have no doubt that Creative Scotland contains the internal talent to make these
changes and the staff have demonstrated huge dedication within an enormously difficult
environment.
Giving them the space, resources and realistic goals around which to utilise their
considerable skill base will make for a happier and more productive organisation
5. Afterword
To end on a genuinely positive note, our group has encountered considerable
enthusiasm, commitment, and a genuine desire to resolve the current difficulties both
inside the organisation and within the wider arts community.
It’s also obvious to us that despite the current unrest, the arts in Scotland have rarely
been in better creative health.
Nate Silver, currently being celebrated as the man who correctly forecast the US election
result in every state, has said that the task of a successful forecaster is to separate out the
truth (the signal) from what distracts us from the truth (the noise).
We have tried very hard to recognise and interpret the signals and the truths they
illuminate.
If we can use these signals intelligently, and work together in a genuine partnership, it is
possible to forecast a much more harmonious future.
Ruth Wishart
December 2012
Sub Group members:
Ruth Wishart (chair)
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Peter Cabrelli
Sandra Gunn
May Miller
Fergus Muir
Gary West
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