A creative Scotland? I
MICHAEL RUSSELL
replies as culture minister to Kenneth Roy's analysis of public appointments in the arts |
We're getting it right
I read with interest your 'Unelected Scotland' article. In reality an appreciation of the arts and a passion for their wellbeing and progress is inherent in many individuals across a whole range of backgrounds and interests and you can't stereotype who those people are or where they come from. I believe that, presently, we have some outstanding individuals on the boards of our arts bodies who work tirelessly in support of creativity and the public good and as minister for culture I am perpetually grateful to them.
In particular Ewan Brown has been an outstanding chair of the transition body for Creative Scotland and Richard Holloway an exceptional chair of the SAC and joint board. Ben Thomson, whom I recently appointed as chair of the National Galleries, has hit the ground running and is forming a dynamic partnership with his board and his director John Leighton. I could name more.
None the less there is room for greater diversity in public appointments, as you argue in your piece. So this government has been working closely with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland (OCPAS) to ensure that their equal opportunities strategy, 'Diversity Delivers', which was published last September is fully implemented. I am glad to say that we have already seen an increase in the quality and range of applicants and I welcome this progress as clearly a one-size-fits-all approach does not work.
In particular I have made it very clear since becoming culture minister that I want to see a greater diversity of membership in all cultural public bodies. And I have indicated regularly that in drawing up the person specifications for membership of the board of the new Creative Scotland, I will try to ensure that as wide a range of people as possible are attracted and will be included.
In particular – a point you didn't make but which is worth making – I want to see artists and creators themselves involved in running such bodies, and I hope they will be encouraged to apply.
[click here] for an alternative view by Rebecca Gordon Nesbitt |
