Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding Portfolio

Creative Scotland has announced details of the 251 organisations receiving a share of the £200m total Multi-Year Funding Portfolio fund.

Theatres Trust welcomes the overall increase in the funding pot, which comes after a sustained high-profile campaign highlighting the importance of arts and culture for Scotland’s social and economic wellbeing.

We are particularly pleased to see several major theatres receiving a significant uplift in their funding, including Eden Court in Inverness, Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh and Pitlochry Festival Theatre.  Amongst the 141 organisations that are new to the Multi-Year Funding Portfolio are Ayr Gaiety Partnership, Summer Hall in Edinburgh, and Capital Theatres in Edinburgh, which rejoins the portfolio after losing its funding in 2018.

Brunton Theatres Trust, who operate The Brunton Theatre which is currently closed due the presence of ‘crumbling’ concrete RAAC and was recently added to our Theatres at Risk Register, also receives multi-year funding. This is a positive development, which will enable Brunton Theatres Trust to continue engaging with local communities while a decision is being made on the long-term future of its building.

Although this three-year settlement provides a degree of stability following a period of uncertainty while funding decisions were delayed, we recognise that some organisations will not have received the news they hoped for, whether their application was unsuccessful, or the amount awarded is not in line with rising costs. Theatres Trust offers a free advice service that includes business planning support and access to specialist consultants, and we would urge any theatres who have concerns to get in touch with us. 

Image credit: Ayr Gaiety, copyright Guy Hicks