{"id":5950,"date":"2013-06-07T17:47:14","date_gmt":"2013-06-07T17:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ihbconline.co.uk\/newsachive\/?p=5950"},"modified":"2013-06-07T17:47:14","modified_gmt":"2013-06-07T17:47:14","slug":"scotlands-cabinet-secretary-on-independent-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=5950","title":{"rendered":"Scotland\u2019s Cabinet Secretary on \u2018independent culture\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Delivering the annual David Talbot Rice Memorial Lecture at the University of Edinburgh Scotland\u2019s Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said that \u2018the UK Government is wrong to measure the value of culture simply in economic terms\u2019, as she set out the two futures facing Scotland and its cultural community<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Scottish Government writes<\/span>:<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Outlining her strong vision for the future of culture and heritage in Scotland, Ms Hyslop said there is \u2018clear blue water\u2019 between Scotland\u2019s approach &#8211; which focuses on the intrinsic value of culture and heritage, and that set out by the UK Government\u2019s culture secretary Maria Miller last month \u2013 which is now focussed on economic gains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Ms Hyslop stressed that Scotland would continue to be distinctly different and would see a flourishing of cultural confidence with independence.<\/p>\n<p>She said: \u2018The contrast between our attitude to artists and culture and that demonstrated by the UK Government is fundamental and profound. It reflects a choice of two futures. For me, culture\u2019s economic value is not its primary purpose but a secondary benefit.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Our culture and heritage sectors make an invaluable contribution to our economic life, but in Scotland we will not measure the worth of our culture and heritage solely in pounds and pence. I don\u2019t agree with the UK Government\u2019s approach. That is not the future I choose.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u2018This government does not look at our cultural life and our heritage as if they are merely products that can be bought and sold. If there was ever a way to suck the vitality out of a sector of society that should energise, invigorate, inspire and move \u2013 it is to make a perfunctory nod to generic social benefits and then, in the next breath, reduce it to nothing more than a commodity.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I cannot and Scotland will not subject the cultural sector to this kind of reductive thinking. It is our role to create the conditions for cultural and creative excellence to flourish. This is a prerequisite for all the other benefits that culture can deliver for our quality of life, our well-being and then for our economy.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Key messages &amp; extracts provided by Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) include<\/span>:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 Culture and heritage have a value in themselves<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 The sector should not have to make an economic or social case to justify public support for its work<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 The Government\u2019s role is to create the right conditions for cultural and creative excellence to flourish<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 Reference to the Historic Environment Strategy \u2013 which will reflect the value of the historic environment in its own right<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 Reference to new Architecture Policy \u2013 to match HE Strategy and ensure architectural legacy<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 Recognition of role of local authorities, third and private sectors \u2013 importance of collaborative and partnership working and sharing best practice to protect and support cultural, creative and heritage services<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 \u2018Historic Scotland is working with local government and many other partners to ensure that historic environment plays a key role in making and maintaining high quality places \u2013 through advice, proportionate regulation, and financial initiatives.\u2019<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 \u2018Culture and heritage are fundamental to our quality of life. A vibrant heritage is central in shaping our sense of place and making our communities attractive places to live, work, invest and visit. Culture and heritage are a powerful force for renewal and regeneration. They underpin our journey towards better health and safer, more resilient communities, individual well-being and enriched lives.\u2019<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 \u2018Scotland\u2019s traditional buildings make an enormous contribution to our economy and our national identity. Our historic environment supports 60,000 jobs and contributes \u00a32.3 billion to our economy. The maintenance sector overall accounts for just over a third of construction turnover.\u2019<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00b7 \u2018It is our job to support the cultural and heritage sector to build strength and resilience and to work with our partners across local authorities, the public, private and third sectors to make sure that this happens;\u2019<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">For BEFS see<\/span>: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.befs.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">www.befs.co.uk\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Scottish Government News<\/span>:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.scotland.gov.uk\/News\/Releases\/2013\/06\/Culture-Heritage05062013\" target=\"_blank\">LINK<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Scottish Government Speeches<\/span>: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.scotland.gov.uk\/News\/Speeches\/Culture-Heritage05062013\" target=\"_blank\">LINK\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Delivering the annual David Talbot Rice Memorial Lecture at the University of Edinburgh Scotland\u2019s Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said that \u2018the UK Government is wrong to measure the value of culture simply in economic terms\u2019, as she set out the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=5950\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sector-newsblog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5950"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5951,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5950\/revisions\/5951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}