5. To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting culture and the arts in the Cunninghame South Constituency. (S6O-02232)

Our culture strategy sets out our ambitions for nurturing culture and creativity across all of Scotland’s communities. We support a range of initiatives and organisations in the Cunninghame South Constituency, including the Culture Collective programme, the youth music initiative and the Scottish Maritime Museum.

For example, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland is supported through the Culture Collective and is delivered by Creative Scotland. TRACS brings together artists and people in local communities; one area of its focus is Kilwinning, in North Ayrshire. TRACS has received £345,000 in total to support projects across nine communities.

Many barriers prevent our citizens—particularly families on lower incomes—from accessing arts and culture, whether it is lack of expendable time, distance from events or festivals or affordability. How can the Scottish Government ensure that public money that is invested in arts and culture is used for the benefit of all, whether those who are attending or performers and artists who are creating outwith the main cities?

Ruth Maguire raises an excellent point, and one that is central to the work that we are doing. Our major cultural programmes actively work to break down those sorts of barriers.

Our youth music initiative, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, operates across the country in rural and urban areas. It aims to tackle inequality and to engage young people who would not otherwise be able to participate in meaningful and high-quality music-making opportunities. Our Culture Collective programme, which has been funded by more than £10 million to date, has provided free, engaging, community-focused activity across the length and breadth of the country. Over the past two years, it has focused on access and participation. Later this year, we will publish a refresh of our culture strategy action plan, which will provide much more detail about our ambitions in that space.