Paolo Nutini, Biffy Clyro, Franz Ferdinand and other stars warn of ‘cultural catastrophe’

Some of Scotland’s best-known music acts including Paolo Nutini, Biffy Clyro and Franz Ferdinand have warned the Scottish Government that the country is facing a “cultural catastrophe” due to cuts in arts funding.

Around 170 Scottish artists have signed an open letter to First Minister John Swinney urging him to rethink cuts to cultural funding amid a “rapidly unfolding” crisis.

The letter comes in response to the closure of key funding programmes for artists due to uncertainty over financial support from the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said the lack of funding has sparked “the worst crisis that Scotland’s music and wider arts sector has ever faced”.

Amid the “rapidly unfolding” crisis, the SMIA has now launched an open letter urging the government to take immediate action.

With over 170 signatures confirmed including Paolo Nutini, Biffy Clyro, The Proclaimers, Young Fathers, Karine Polwart, the association is calling on more artists and industry professionals across Scotland and the wider UK to sign.

The campaign has been launched for 48 hours and will close on Friday at 2pm before being sent to First Minster John Swinney.

The letter urges the government to confirm the previously committed cultural investment of £10.7m for this financial year, allowing Creative Scotland to re-open the Open Fund for Individuals and open applications for the Access to Music Making and Strengthening Youth Music Funds.

It also asks the government to ensure the planned £25m increase in cultural funding for 2025 is secured by the start of the new financial year.

Additionally, it asks the government to expedite the distribution of as much of the pledged £100 million annual cultural funding increase by 2028-29 as early as possible.

“Culture funding must be deemed essential,” the letter states, as it warns of the far-reaching impacts on the entire music ecosystem.

“Without the ability to secure funding, many artists and industry freelancers will be unable to sustain creative activities. This will lead to critical job losses and sector skills vanishing, damaging Scotland’s music industry irrevocably, along with the Scottish economy.”

Alex Kapranos, Franz Ferdinand, said: “This is a disappointingly short sighted cut which will cost exponentially more than what is saved in the short term financially.

“The arts are how a nation knows who they are. Without them we have an identity as two dimensional as the bottom line of a balanced account.”

Stina Tweeddale, Honeyblood, who was a previous recipient of the Creative Scotland funding said their career would not have been the same without the funding. said:

They added: “I implore the Scottish Government to reconsider this move, as there is no doubt that a lack of this support will have a colossal impact on the arts sector. We are more than just entertainment.”

The letter warns that without immediate action, many freelancers will be forced to leave the sector, “exacerbating inequalities and limiting opportunities for those from less privileged backgrounds.”

The association says this will not only harm Scotland’s cultural output but will also lead to “critical job losses and sector skills vanishing,” ultimately weakening the Scottish economy and its music industry irreparably.

The letter further highlights the “disparity between the Scottish Government’s stated goals and the current situation,” noting that while a pledge of an additional £100m in cultural funding annually by 2028-29 has been made, “this does not address the immediate crisis. The sector cannot wait years for the investment it desperately needs now.”

Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and creative director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), said: “This is a cultural emergency of unprecedented scale, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

“We are facing the loss of vital jobs, creative careers and our diverse cultural identity. The time to act is now.

“We need every voice to unite and demand that the Scottish Government fulfils its commitments.

“Our sector’s survival – and Scotland’s cultural future – depends on it. Culture funding must be deemed essential.”

Culture secretary Angus Robertson said: “I understand the concerns of many people within the artistic community, and I want to reassure those individuals that the Scottish Government is listening very carefully to the representations they are making.

“We are dealing with very significant challenges in the public finances, which are exacerbated by the UK Government’s recent announcements.

“We are investing significantly already in cultural activities, with over £55m of investment in Creative Scotland this financial year.

“The government will set out in due course what further steps we can take to address the challenges that we facing and to make sure that we address the issues that have been drawn to our attention by the artistic community.”