The Scottish Government Budget 2025-2026 was unveiled earlier this month with the inclusion of a much-needed increase in culture investment. 

The increase will be £34 million next year, a welcome change at a time when writers and organisations are facing existential threats to the sustainability of their work. 

The Scottish government’s promised increase in overall culture investment to £100m by 2028 will be vital for the arts in Scotland and it is important that the government now delivers on this proposal. 

As we move into 2025, the rights and opportunities of freelance authors are of special concern. We hope that, through the announced Creative Scotland review and implementation of the Fair Work Framework, the Scottish Government will make sure this investment reaches the creative workers who need it most.

Creative Scotland’s long-awaited decision on how the multi-year organisational funding is allocated will be a key signal of the impact this investment will have.

Mary Paulson-Ellis and Helen Sedgwick, on behalf of Society of Authors in Scotland committee, said:

‘We welcome this investment in the culture & arts budget in Scotland. Cuts in the arts have had an almost irreversible impact on our members’ ability to make a living from their work, so we are glad to see the Scottish finance secretary’s commitment to continued investment. We look forward to our ongoing work with the government and other creative Unions, to make sure the sector continues to grow and the that rights of authors are central to arts spending in Scotland.’