National Partnership For Culture

25th June 2020

A new group formed to deliver Scotland's culture strategy is to meet for the first time.

The National Partnership for Culture (NPC) is made up of 14 experts from across Scotland's culture sector. The group will advise on challenges facing the culture sector from coronavirus (COVID-19) and will build on the recommendations recently set out to the First Minister by the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery.

The group is chaired by Joanna Baker CBE, a former Edinburgh International Festival Managing Director, who has more than 30 years experience of Scotland's cultural scene.

The main objectives of the Partnership will be to:

consider and advise how to promote the culture sector’s recovery in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst speaking out for the many ways culture can help to support society post-pandemic

provide advice and guidance on key strategic issues affecting culture in Scotland

champion A Culture Strategy for Scotland and make recommendations on delivering the Strategy’s vision, ambitions and aims

establish a Measuring Change Group to advise the Partnership on appropriate measures, data and research for decision-making on culture matters

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:"Culture is central to who we are as a nation, and while the remit of the National Partnership for Culture goes beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, it will play an integral part in our recovery.

"The recent report from the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery emphasised the importance of culture in delivering the action Scotland needs to recover from the impact of COVID-19.

"I look forward to the National Partnership for Culture building on that work by providing Ministers with strategic advice on harnessing the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship of our cultural sector to help create an enabled, inclusive society."

Ms Baker said:“Scotland’s cultural sector has always punched well above its weight in its contribution to the health, wealth and wellbeing of the people of Scotland. I look forward to working alongside a group of very talented colleagues as we work to advise Government on promoting the recovery of the culture sector and the many ways in which culture can help to support society through the aftermath of the pandemic and into the future."

A Culture Strategy for Scotland is published on the Scottish Government website. See https://www.gov.scot/publications/culture-strategy-scotland/

The document draws on themes raised by people across Scotland who took part in our national culture conversation which began in 2017 and led to a public consultation in 2018.

The partnership is independently chaired and its membership and participation aim to reflect Scotland’s many different cultures, languages and communities. It will play a key role in helping unlock opportunities by bringing together partners from across the culture sector; artists, creative producers, policy makers and academics, along with other sectors to identify opportunities for collaboration and partnership working.