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Policy

Arts, culture and heritage

From
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture
Directorate
Culture and External Affairs Directorate
Topic
Arts, culture and sport
Overview

Culture, creativity and a rich, diverse heritage sit at the heart of Scottish life and play a critical role in the economy, communities and almost everything we do. 

We are committed to supporting, developing and advocating Scotland's culture, heritage and creativity, and ensuring that culture reaches a wide audience at home and abroad. 

Actions

We are supporting arts, culture and heritage in Scotland by: 

  • providing  annual culture funding  to our national arts, culture and heritage organisations 

  • investing in cultural infrastructure to improve our arts and heritage resources 

  • working in partnership to nurture and support creative industries and talent as well as encouraging cultural access and engagement  

  • supporting the implementation of Our Past Our Future, the sector-led Historic Environment strategy for Scotland

Background

The culture and heritage budget helps to improve quality of life across Scotland's communities by enabling and encouraging people from all walks of life to express themselves creatively and to participate in and enjoy cultural events and opportunities. It also supports a wide range of government commitments relating to culture and heritage.  

The culture and heritage budget for 2025 to 2026 is £348.2 million which represents a total increase of £50 million since 2023 to 2024. This is halfway to delivering on our five-year commitment  to invest in culture and the arts so that it is at least £100 million more annually by 2028 to 2029. 

World Heritage Sites 

When the UK signed up to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, we promised to identify places in Scotland which could be World Heritage Sites, and to protect our national heritage. There are currently seven World Heritage Sites in Scotland made up of five cultural sites, one natural site, the Flow Country, and St. Kilda which is ‘mixed’ with both natural and cultural attributes: 

  • St Kilda 

  • Old and New Towns of Edinburgh 

  • Heart of Neolithic Orkney 

  • New Lanark 

  • Frontiers of the Roman Empire: the Antonine Wall 

  • The Forth Bridge 

  • The Flow Country 

Scottish Ministers must report to the UK Government on any issues for Scotland’s World Heritage Sites. Each site is managed by a group of local partners. This includes local authorities and either NatureScot or Historic Environment Scotland – both of which are sponsored by the Scottish Government. As the lead body for the historic environment in Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for advising Ministers on issues relating to the cultural World Heritage sites. 

Bills and legislation

The National Library of Scotland Act 2012 legislated for the creation of the National Library of Scotland and determined its functions. 

Section 36 of the Public Services Reform (2010) Act 2010 legislated for the creation of Creative Scotland and determined its functions. 

The Historic Environment Scotland Act 2014: 

  • legislated for the creation of Historic Environment Scotland 

  • changed the processes for the designation of sites and buildings and for scheduled monuments, listed buildings and conservation areas consent 

  • created new rights of appeal against certain Historic Environment Scotland decisions 

The Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011 is implemented by the National Records of Scotland to:

  • raise the profile of records management across the public sector

  • promote improvements in record keeping

Contact

Email: contactus@gov.scot

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