20/08/2024
I used to be proud to consider myself a citizen of Scotland.
We now live in a country governed by a so called Scottish Nationalist Party that has no vision for the future and whose actions are turning our country into a cultural desert.
It is my duty to keep creating as best I can and I will be performing in St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh this afternoon.
Meantime, here's an open letter to Ben Macpherson, my MSP:
Ben Macpherson MSP,
[email protected]
20 August 2024
Dear Ben,
I’m writing to express my dismay at yesterday’s announcement at Creative Scotland’s decision to longer allow individual artists and performers to apply for funding for our artistic activity.
What makes this doubly damaging is that this decision has been taken in the context of every festival, every artistic event and every artistic venue having no confirmed funding beyond the end of the financial year in March 2025.
I should not have to point out to you that this makes in effect makes it impossible to continue functioning.
these decisions are being taken because the Scottish Government has failed, yet again, to come to any decisions with regard to arts funding.
So in effect your government is destroying the cultural sector in our country.
I hope I don’t need to convince you how destructive this is to our economic wellbeing and to our future as a country.
It is also disastrous for the cause of Scottish independence and for your party.
As a cultural worker, I was proud to put my talents and skills at the service of the creation of an independent Scotland.
I regret this. There is no point in lifting a finger for the cause of Scottish independence when the result, as now, is a pale and dysfunctional replica of an English government that has no commitment to our country’s cultural wellbeing.
I trust you share my concern at this disastrous state of affairs and will do your utmost to improve it.
Yours sincerely,
Jo Clifford
