I am conscious that the Cabinet secretary has covered a lot of this ground already.

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the National Galleries, in light of reports that some of its flagship attractions may have to close. (S6O-04254)

I commend Alex Cole-Hamilton for his question, notwithstanding the fact that other colleagues have asked about that subject, too.

The Scottish Government is in regular dialogue with the National Galleries of Scotland as it is one of Scotland’s non-departmental public bodies. My officials are currently working with National Galleries of Scotland to understand the challenges that it is facing, despite it being set to receive £27.4 million in 2025-26, which is a 9 per cent increase since its 2024-25 allocation.

I welcome the decision by the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Green Party to support the budget. With its record increase in spending outside Covid, it is a solid foundation for further support for national and local cultural institutions, including our galleries.

I am grateful for that reply. One of the reasons why this topic has attracted so much attention in the chamber this afternoon is that National Galleries of Scotland plays host to some 130,000 individual works of art—which are priceless and irreplaceable—and, in large part, is custodian to our national heritage. In the past, it has been forced to shut from time to time, depending on the weather or due to spiralling energy costs. Now, it says that its doors could be forced to close permanently without investment in maintenance work to make it more energy efficient and in energy efficiency itself. What is the Cabinet secretary doing to work with other departments to ensure that institutions such as National Galleries of Scotland have what they need in terms of energy efficiency to weather the storms to come?

That is a very interesting question from Alex Cole-Hamilton about energy efficiency. It is not just about what we can learn here, in this country. While I was in Germany last summer, supporting Scotland in other circumstances, when the national team was on the sporting field, I met the galleries in Stuttgart, which are world leading when it comes to energy efficiency.

I agree with Alex Cole-Hamilton that we should be looking at what we can learn—whether from here or anywhere else—about how we can reduce the costs and overheads of our national galleries and other cultural institutions so that they can maintain a healthier financial balance sheet. My officials and I would be happy to discuss that with the National Galleries of Scotland.

Funding supports Creative Scotland to enable it to progress multiyear deals with performing arts organisations. However, there is still no equivalent for the museums and galleries sector. Therefore, museums and galleries continue to operate on a year-to-year basis. That adds to the uncertainty across the sector and in the local economies in which they operate. What are the Scottish Government’s intentions to rectify that situation?

No doubt, that will form part of Alexander Stewart’s submission to the review that is being undertaken of Creative Scotland and considerations for the wider creative sector. He identifies an important question. As we fund, and launch multi-annual funding for, so much of the creative arts sector, that raises knock-on questions about the way in which the rest of our cultural ecosystem is supported. That is one reason why the review is being undertaken.

We have all been asked to contribute to the review. Dame Sue Bruce has asked for submissions to be made, and I encourage Alexander Stewart to contribute. In looking at this issue closely, the member is definitely asking the right question, and I would be interested to read his submission. I commend taking part in the review to MSPs of all parties who have views on the culture and arts sector, so that we can chart the next stage in supporting and promoting Scotland’s culture and arts.