The Valley of Ignorance

  While there are and have been various initiatives by individual producers, as a freelancer, I feel very strongly that to effect a better future, or anything resembling one, we need to make a continuous and collective public and political case for the performing arts as a public good.  I do not believe we can do that unless we think, talk and act collectively as soon as is humanly possible. My immediate recommendation then, is for a future focussed "commission" to be created and supported by the Scottish Government, in cooperation with the Federation of Scottish Theatre as our currently best placed industry wide organisation and with Creative Scotland as well as representation from the “national” performing companies. This commission must start, I think, with an honest confession that the system was already broken.  The model of the old Scottish Arts Council has been eroding in esteem and actuality for fifteen years or more. Lottery funding has more or less entirely take