Culture sector support needs survey

Key points

Scottish Government launched an online survey on the 13th of January 2025 for three weeks. The aim of this survey was to gather views from individuals and organisations (working, or with an interest in the culture sector) on their support experiences and needs. The survey contained a mixture of 32 closed and open-ended questions and this report is based on the findings. The following key points summarise the findings. Please see the main report for the full range of question responses.

Respondent profile

• There were 754 responses to this survey. Four hundred and ninety-nine responded as ‘an individual’ (66%) and 255 responded as ‘an organisation’ (34%).^[1] Where relevant, the analysis has been broken down to show any differences between these two respondent types.
• When reading this report it is important to note that the results cannot be taken to reflect the views of the entire sector, and there may be some parts of the sector that are under or over represented. It is also likely that there was a greater response from people who held strong views on the subject area.

Public, private and third sector funding^[2]

Public sector sources of funding

• Most respondents have received some public sector funding. For the majority (51%) this was from Creative Scotland (including Screen Scotland). Other sources included Local Authority funding (33%), Scottish Government (29%) and public funding from other sources not listed in the survey (30%).
• Respondents were given the opportunity to add further detail about their experiences of public sector funding. Many respondents focused on the challenges. Key concerns included a time-consuming and complex application process, and the unpredictable and inconsistent nature of public funding that can make long-term planning difficult. Despite these issues, public funding is considered essential, with some stating it had a transformative impact on their careers. For many organisations, public funding was seen as having a broader impact, helping to build confidence among other funders, donors, and audiences.

Private sources of funding

• For those who have received private funding, the most common options were from philanthropic sources - charitable trusts (36%), individual donors (31%) and commercial income (30%). Organisations were more likely than individual respondents to have received private sector funding.

Third sector sources of funding

• Almost one-third (32%) of respondents have not received third sector funding but would like to in the future. This was higher for individuals (37%) than organisations (23%).

Respondent experiences applying for public sector funding

• Most respondents (63%) reported facing difficulties applying for public sector funding (15% have not faced difficulties). However, 19% of respondents said this question was not applicable because they had not applied for public funding, with a higher proportion of these respondents being ‘individuals’ rather than organisations.
• Looking at why respondents have faced difficulties, over three-quarters (76%) stated there is a general lack of funding. Other options that were ranked highly included that the funding application is time-consuming and off putting (62%) and that the respondents have previously applied for funding, but they were unsuccessful (46%).
• When asked to provide further detail on these perceived difficulties, many respondents focused on the complexity of the application process, which was described as being particularly challenging for individuals and small organisations with limited resources. Comments were also made in relation to structural barriers in public funding opportunities. These included perceptions around limited support for certain sectors and projects, geographic disparities and challenges respondents have faced due to restrictions on funding following Brexit.
• For those who have not applied for public sector funding, some described relying on self-sustaining income, sponsorships, or private donors. For others, they described not engaging with the funding process due to insufficient information, perceived bias within the funding system, and the complexity of the application process.

Current experiences of public sector support

• Respondents were asked to select who their current and main provider of public sector support is. The majority (50%) stated Creative Scotland. Eleven percent of respondents said Local Authorities were their current and main provider of support. The percentage of respondents who noted Scottish Government, UK Government, Enterprise agencies or EventScotland was less than ten percent of respondents.
• Twenty percent of respondents identified a current and main source of public support that was not listed in the survey. These respondents identified a range of providers, including public and government bodies, lottery and trust-based funding, arts, culture, and business support organisations, international support, and various forms of indirect and self-funding.
• Most respondents (64%) reported receiving financial support only from these organisations. A smaller proportion (12%) receive financial and business advice / support and financial and HR advice (three percent).
• Respondents were given a list of statements and asked to rate their experiences with their current and main provider of public sector support. Across all respondents the two options that received the highest level of agreement were ‘they provide clear guidance’ (55%) and ‘they fund projects which support a wide variety of individuals’ (54%). The option that respondents were most likely to disagree with (39%) is ‘their funds have evolved and developed to meet the changing needs of the sector’.^[3]
• The statements with the highest agreement (strongly agree and agree) were broadly similar for both individuals and organisations. Although the percentage of respondents who ‘strongly agreed / agreed’ was higher for organisations compared to individuals. There were some variations depending on who the respondent’s current and main provider of public sector support is.^[4]

Current and future support needs

• Respondents were asked about their potential support needs (other than direct financial support). The options that received the highest level of agreement were: ‘representation of culture sector interests’ (81%) followed by ‘support influencing policy on behalf of culture sector’ (80%) and ‘sponsorship of groups, events or creative spaces’ (79%).
• There were variations between individual respondents and organisations. For individuals, the most useful support was sponsorship of groups, events or creative spaces (81% agreed), followed by support with applying for grants (77% agreed).
• Across all organisations, the support that was selected as being most useful was representation of culture sector interests (91% agreed), followed by support influencing policy on behalf of culture sector (88% agreed). However, there were variations depending on the size of the organisation (number of paid staff members) and annual turnover.^[5]
• Just under two-thirds of respondents (65%) agreed that they would find ‘information and advice / support’ useful. When asked to expand on specific areas these included: funding, business support, sustainability, equalities, fair work, international, networking and collaboration, training and mentoring, data and digital, and communication and engagement. Respondents emphasised that case studies and best practice examples, online databases, and templates are useful.
• Respondents were asked to describe the one area of support or services that they find most helpful and needs to be retained. The main areas were: funding and financial support, guidance and feedback, networking and advocacy, resources and tools and access to specialists.
• Further comments on this question highlight the way that these areas of support are interconnected. Funding is reported as being critical, while consistent guidance and feedback, particularly on funding applications or from sector peers equips people with the knowledge, confidence and skills that are required to obtain funding.

Future support

• Moving onto future needs, the survey asked respondents what forms of support they or their organisation might benefit from in the next 12-24 months. The top three areas, from a list of options, were: collaborating with others (59%), researching new opportunities (38%) and developing a marketing strategy (37%). Options that were perceived to be less beneficial included attracting repayable / loan finance (six percent) and starting up a new business venture (10%).
• In the main, organisations were more likely than individuals to want support with all the options presented to them in this survey.

Gaps in support

• To get a sense of the where the main issues are, respondents were asked what they think their biggest support gap is. Over half of the respondents answered this question and there was a major focus on funding across a range of issues. For example, the perceived gap between the demand for public funding and its availability, coupled with challenges like inconsistent or a lack of long-term funding, limited support for essential operational costs, and the perception around the need for more opportunities for emerging professionals, independent artists, creative practitioners and small organisations.
• Other (non-financial) gaps in support included a lack of opportunities to showcase, work and network with partners, peers and colleagues across the sector. Some respondents from sectors such as video games, comedy, play translations, illustrators, publishing companies and small organisations who work solely with volunteers also felt they needed more tailored support.
• It was felt that different systems and applications could be put in place. A tailored funding framework was suggested, which recognises the unique needs of different art forms and sub-sectors.
• A final question in the survey asked respondents if they have any additional comments. It was raised (among other things) that there should be recognition of the funding ‘ecosystem’ during the review process of Creative Scotland and any wider consideration of how the culture sector is supported going forward. This means looking across the whole system, including, for example, the related elements of public consumption, access and engagement with culture, alongside the treatment and working conditions of those employed within the culture sector.