Leaders from across Scotland’s arts and heritage sector were invited to give evidence to MSPs on 29 September, as part of Holyrood’s scrutiny ahead of the Scottish Government’s 2027–28 Budget.
The committee
The Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee met in Committee Room 6 at 9:30am. Pre-budget scrutiny lets committees set out funding priorities and concerns before the government publishes its spending plans.
Who was invited
The published witnesses were Liam Sinclair of the National Theatre of Scotland, Lucy Casot of Museums Galleries Scotland, Joseph Peach of Culture Counts, Fiona Campbell of the Traditional Music & Song Association of Scotland, Veronique Lapeyre of the Scottish Contemporary Arts Network, Kenny McGlashan of the Federation of Scottish Theatre, and Alasdair Nicolson of the St Magnus International Festival.
The range covers theatre, museums and galleries, traditional music, contemporary visual art and festivals, reflecting how widely public culture funding is spread.
Other business
The committee also planned to discuss the evidence in private, prepare for the Conveners Group meeting with the First Minister, and consider appointing a standing legal adviser. A clerk’s note and a Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) briefing were published as background papers.
What happens next
The agenda shows who was invited and what was planned. It does not record what witnesses said, or what the Budget will contain. The official report of the meeting and the committee’s later findings will show how the evidence feeds into its recommendations.
