No more taxpayers’ money will be spent on controversial arts projects such as ‘pornography’ funded by an SNP arts quango under plans unveiled by the Tories.
The Scottish Conservatives say they will ensure public money spent on the arts and ‘cultural endeavours’ is not ploughed into ‘niche’ initiatives or ones motivated by ‘radical ideologies’.
The party has vowed there will be no repetition of the scandal in 2024 when Creative Scotland committed £84,000 of funding to a film with hardcore pornographic content.
The Tories say they would ban public funding of projects with ‘inappropriate themes’, and ‘re-focus Creative Scotland’s mandate so that it supports projects with mass appeal’.
Murdo Fraser, culture spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, said: ‘It was outrageous that Creative Scotland handed taxpayers’ money to fund a pornographic movie – and we will act to ensure that a scandal of that sort is never repeated.
This SNP quango knew that the film would contain hardcore sexual scenes and only backed down after a huge public outcry.’
Director Leonie Rae Gasson was handed £84,000 to develop her 'erotic journey' movie
In their manifesto, the Tories say Creative Scotland is ‘in need of reform’.
Grants would also be ‘tied to guarantees that free speech is upheld in the institutions that receive them’.
Creative Scotland handed £84,555 to director Leonie Rae Gasson to develop a film project, described as a ‘fantastical’ art installation involving a mix of dancers, sex workers and performers taking the audience on an ‘erotic journey through a distinctly Scottish landscape’.
Ms Gasson had the funding approved after her application referenced ‘a sex scene with genital contact with three of the cast’ and ‘explicit sexual content’, adding that performers would have to be tested for STIs.
After a backlash over the decision, Creative Scotland bosses claimed there had been confusion about the ‘terminology’ used in the funding process.
A Creative Scotland spokesman said last night: ‘We are unable to comment on party manifestos during the pre‑election period.’
An SNP spokesman said: ‘If the SNP is re-elected, we will invest in Scottish culture by supporting our emerging artists with a minimum income guarantee, a Performing Arts Body for Traditional Music and a new Festival of Scotland programme.’