Almost every show we’ve ever made has at some point been supported by the Open Fund, and we’re furious and terrified about the closure of the Open Fund for Individuals and how it will impact artists in Scotland now and for a long time to come.
The stepping stones that each successful funding application provided allowed us to develop our skills and practice, and to decide how we wanted to work together as a company. It allowed us the space and time to even make the decision to be a company. We’re devastated for all of the artists that won’t have the chance to access funding to take those first steps in their practice, and the experienced artists who find themselves suddenly shut out from the only consistent funding stream available to freelancers. We’re nervous about what else is to come if the Scottish Government don’t deliver on their promises – this missing £6.6m is still nowhere near enough to ensure the survival of an industry that might look like it’s recovered from the pandemic but is still barely getting by.
Scotland (and the rest of the world) will be poorer for the shows, books, music and countless other arts activities that won’t be made because of the decisions of The Scottish Government and Creative Scotland.
We’re a small company of three people with no regular funding and we don’t have space or money to offer to other artists, but what we do have is experience navigating almost every Creative Scotland funding stream in our work as a company and as individual freelancers. If you’re considering forming a company to continue to access funding in the immediate future, if you’re making a first application to the Open Fund for Organisations or just applying for any sort of grant to make circus, devised theatre or work for young audiences get in touch and we can proofread, give feedback, share our previous successful applications or chat about how to set up as a company.
Get in touch via email here, and head here to sign the Campaign for the Arts petition to urge the government to deliver on their funding pledges.
With love,
Kim, Pete & Ellie x