Perspectives - Continuing the Conversation
1 December 2009
As we approach the end of the first phase of the perspectives discussion I thought it would be useful to re-state the purpose of this conversation. It is about imagining a future national cultural landscape based around the four themes already identified and prioritised by Government. We wanted this particular discussion to address high level ambitions, ideas and innovations that will help to characterize Creative Scotland. Our commitment is to share both the ideas and issues raised through perspectives with the new Chairman, Board and CEO of Creative Scotland next year.
International
Exploring art and culture to reflect on Scotland's place in the world
16 November 2009
Time for Quality Film to Go Global
Quality film is at last stepping into the limelight. Online distribution is the key that will enable you and me to watch the films we enjoy – when and how we want. The Future is On Demand.
Film consumption and production are both at an all-time high, while advancements in digital media technology are opening up new distribution opportunities for the film industry. The dynamic nature of film and communications as socio political forces has made them central tools within the context of cultural politics as means of shaping national identity. A close scrutiny and understanding of the changes regarding conditions of distribution within the film industry is in light of this essential.
Participation
Ensuring that as many people as possible can participate in creative activities
29 October 2009
The Disinclined: Right Where We Want Them?
Arts participation is at times a woolly topic and theories on engaging people in the arts abound. Several years ago, Jerry Yoshitomi wrote about a still-utilized arts participation framework, published in 2001 by RAND, that divides people into three categories: currently participating, inclined to participate, and disinclined to participate.
Accessibility
How do we ensure that creative content and work are accessible to all?
19 October 2009
The 20th Century Has Gone
The 20th Century has gone, and now we live in the 21st Century, a digital century, but sometimes when we look around it feels like the same old world it always was. Cars, burning oil. Posters and adverts, neon and signage. Books made of paper. Some things change so slowly that the incremental differences go more or less unnoticed until we focus directly on them.
For content creators, artists, creatives, we often do more of what we used to do. It often works, why change it too much? But one change is determining whether the art is likely to spread and be recognised: is what we’re making today internet-native?
Creative Practitioner
Creating an environment which encourages and sustains artists of all kinds
5 October 2009
How to encourage and sustain professional artists?
If sustain implies increasing the population of artists by seeing to it that enough youngsters enter the arts and by preventing artists from leaving the profession, there is no need for any policy. The artists’ population is very good in sustaining itself. This is because the arts are still extremely attractive.
This is shown by the fact that artists are willing to work for very low incomes. (In the Netherlands almost half of the professional visual artists are poor in the sense that their overall income is at or below the level of social benefits. Moreover, 75% of artists can not make a living from their art work while 40% cannot cover their costs.)
