Announcement
Recently, Creative Scotland announced the closure of the Open Fund for Individuals. This fund allowed individuals to apply for funding to support arts projects. However, the Scottish Government was unable to confirm the release of £6.6 million in funding for the current financial year, 2024-25.
The Open Fund for Individuals is not just a financial resource – it is essential to the continuation of independent artistic creation in Scotland, supporting the livelihoods of countless artists. Without it, many artists are left without the means to continue their work.
This risks sending a message to the world: Scottish arts are closed for business.
Risks include:
- Sector health and well-being.
- Drain of talent away from Scotland.
- Cultural and economic damage.
- Scotland’s absence from international stages.
- Community engagement and wealth-building at risk.
At Solar Bear, we stand united with the arts community and freelance artists. We have also joined over 100 Scottish organisations in an open letter to the Scottish Government, outlining our concerns. We hope that a solution is found soon.
Full letter here – Open Letter – Closure of Open Fund for Individuals 21_08_2024 (1)[88]