Equalities

We are please to announce two new open funds with the Equalities Department

Disability Arts Fund Aimed at both individuals and organisations, this fund is targeted at artists looking to develop work in any art form that is informed by their experience as a disabled person. Applications are welcomed to cover the costs of producing, commissioning and presenting work, including new work development. We will also welcome applications that create new partnerships. Deadline 5pm 20 October 2008

Cultural Diversity Fund The primary aim of the Cultural Diversity fund is to enable organisations to develop, support and sustain a more diverse infrastructure in the context of a growing multiracial society and a changing economic and social climate. We aim to support organisations to take a more inclusive approach to their work, either by way of new commission, collaboration and/or partnership as well as emergent black and minority ethnic (BME) artists and arts-led organisations towards achieving a full and permanent foothold in the arts environment. Deadline 5pm 20 October 2008

Aims 

The Scottish Arts Council recognises Scotland’s diversity and wishes to reflect this in everything we do and everything we fund. We are working to end unfair discrimination because of age, disability, gender, race, religion/belief, and sexual orientation.

As we move towards the formation of the new culture body for Scotland, Creative Scotland, we have made Equalities a priority policy area.  We intend to mainstream Equalities into all areas of our activities for the benefit of all those who take part in the arts and culture of Scotland, whether as employer, arts worker, professional artist, curator, producer, marketer, audience member, or as someone who participates in the arts. 

The Equalities department’s aims are:

• to facilitate access to the arts for everyone in Scotland – as artist, as arts worker and as audience member - aiming to overcome physical, intellectual, attitudinal, financial and cultural barriers to access to the arts.
• to visibly promote diversity in the arts – diversity meaning cultural diversity, but also disability, age, gender, religious belief and sexual orientation.
• to further develop the arts in health and wellbeing sector in Scotland, highlighting the benefits to individuals’ mental health and community wellbeing.
• to develop, support and sustain a more diverse infrastructure for the arts in Scotland through developing organisations’ capacity to deliver Equalities
• to provide leadership through best practice in our own organisation.

We will deliver our aims through a strategic programme of funding; working in partnership with key arts organisations and others to deliver arts programmes; offering training and career development opportunities; facilitating organisational development; and ensuring increased access.  This should lead to greater visibility and availability of diverse and vibrant high quality arts in Scotland.