Joan McAlpine: Arts to gain from creative act of independence

Published on Tuesday 14 February 2012 12:40

Scotland stands to gain major cultural benefits from self-rule – and no one knows this better than the artists themselves, writes Joan McAlpine

Brian Monteith wrote in yesterday’s Scotsman that there is more to independence than number crunching, and we must never forget the cultural dimension. I could not agree more, though it’s probably the only common ground we share.

The overwhelming view of the public at large, and those in the creative sector, is that independence would benefit culture. There’s nothing wrong with a newspaper columnist pushing against the prevailing orthodoxy. But in arguing the opposite, Brian plays to a shrinking audience.

A Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times newspaper last week found that 64 per cent of those asked thought Scotland’s culture would benefit from independence, while only 9 per cent shared Brian’s view that it would have a negative effect. Perhaps this is because they also believe that joining the family of nations will boost our self-esteem, and a thousand flowers will bloom. Three times as many (59 per cent) say it would be good for Scottish confidence rather than bad (19 per cent).

Significantly, many of the most outspoken supporters of Scotland resuming its place in the family of nations are global players who know what success looks like – it comes from self-esteem and knowing who you are. A long list of prominent Scottish cultural figures – including Sean Connery, Gerald Butler, Mark Millar, Liz Lochhead, Alasdair Gray, Iain Banks, Peter Mullen, David Greig and Alison Kennedy – have made positive noises about the benefits independence would bring. And many also recognise the importance of diaspora in a globalised world. The concept of cultural identity is no longer confined to borders – and here Scotland is at a considerable advantage because of the millions of people around the world who have an affinity with us.

Some are pragmatic. The actor Brian Cox has worked in Ireland and saw how tax breaks effectively built a film industry. A Dundonian, he has admired the way his home city produces so many computer games artists, but sees how it is hard to grow and nurture these businesses without effective economic levers.

When fellow Scots actor Alan Cumming endorsed the SNP on his blog last year, he spoke of the party having the right spirit for Scotland. He said: “They really believe that the arts is a core component of what makes Scotland great.” He praised bringing the Victorian and Albert to Dundee (hardly reflective of a “little Scotlander” attitude) and the international touring commitments of the National Theatre of Scotland, the establishment of Creative Scotland, and the possibilities opened up by a Scottish Digital Network.

Significantly, of all the areas he mentions it is the one controlled by the UK government, broadcasting, where little progress has been made. Cumming himself returns to Scotland this July to perform in the National Theatre of Scotland’s re-imagining of MacBeth (there will always be a place for Shakespeare, here, as in America which declared independence some years ago).

Meanwhile there is the capital investment in the newly refurbished National Portrait Gallery and Museum of Scotland as well as the opening last year of the Burns Birthplace Museum at Alloway and the new transport museum on the banks of the Clyde by the superstar architect Zaha Hadid.

This is happening now, under devolution. Which brings us to Brian’s very strange assertion that the establishment of Holyrood itself has been damaging for the arts. This viewpoint is so left-field that he should perhaps consider using it as the basis of his own stand-up fringe show. Previous Holyrood administrations, who set up the Youth Music Initiative in schools, would take issue with that surely. As would those who established the National Theatre of Scotland.

Since devolution, audiences for the arts, including the Edinburgh Festival have soared. An Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund has already spent £6 million supporting the costs of new productions, events or exhibitions which involve Scottish-based participants. And before Brian jumps in with accusations of parochialism, let’s not forget it was the SNP government who helped save Titian’s masterpiece Diana and Callisto, for the UK at a cost of £12m – even though it meant handing the sum over to the Duke of Sutherland, a name that is not exactly the toast of the party conference.

Returning to broadcasting, it is hard to see how London control benefits us, as Brian suggests. I have recently been campaigning with some young Scots for the retention of the new music show Introducing in Scotland – our only opt-out from Radio One. Per head of population, more people in Scotland have signed the online petitions to save this show than supported the successful Save Six Music campaign across the UK. It plays unsigned bands and has kick-started the careers of artists such as Biffy Clyro, Calvin Harris and Frightened Rabbit. But for the new controller of Radio One in London, upsetting audiences and talent far away from home was an easier cut to make; loyalty to the union never crossed his mind.

We live in an interdependent world, in which cultural institutions span borders. But to shine, we need to participate as equals. One only has to think of the Venice Biennale art show, where Scotland has had is own pavilion in recent years, giving a prestigious international platform to our most challenging contemporary talent such as Karla Black, Martin Boyce and Jim Lambie. Does anyone really believe Scotland’s reputation as a vibrant centre for visual art would be enhanced without an independent platform in Venice? Now imagine what we could achieve if that model was the norm right across the creative sector, as it will be when Scotland votes yes. Independence is itself an act of collective creativity, an assertion of hope. Perhaps that’s why one of our greatest artists, Edwin Morgan, wanted it to be his legacy.

• Joan McAlpine is an SNP MSP for the south of Scotland

Comments

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16

annakucat

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:06 AM

Very good article.

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15

samcoldstream

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 09:07 PM

"The Daily Mail can report that 60 delegates, who are all members of Conservatives Abroad, from 18 different countries, were invited to a Tory conference in London. "Delegates, all ex-pat members of the Conservative Party, came from places as far apart as Cape Town, Krakow, Madrid, Mallorca, Sydney, Tel Aviv., and just across the Channel in Paris. Included, were four current Members of the House of Lords who reside abroad for tax reasons." (Source: The Daily Mail edition dated 18th May, 2011)

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14

florian albert

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:30 PM

A slightly more caustic view of the arts in contemporary Scotland is given here; At the premiere of a film by Peter Mullen - 'All night the talk is of projects and contracts, advances and collaboration.' At an authors' meeting for World Book Day , the talk is of - 'distributors, percentages, marketing strategies, the perfidy of agents.' A view of creative Scotland as - 'an enterprising generation of dodgers, divers, duckers and weavers.' 'The song has changes from nationalism to commercialism...... from "what are we ?" to "here we are - buy us."' The quotations are from an article, by Pat Kane, on the impact of devolution on our artists. If that is what devolution did to our artists, what would independence do to them ?

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13

Biscuit McVittie

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 05:24 PM

Come off it! Scotland produces some of the best p*ss artists in the world. After independence it will become a Mecca for this type of creativity.

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12

lebanon

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 04:26 PM

Joan McAlpine has long stopped being taken seriously as she merely writes propoganda - entirely acceptable in politics but easily seen for what it is.

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11

Kobi

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:49 PM

Alan Cumming is a disgusting human being.

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10

The Tin Man

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:08 AM

Oh dear. Joan McAlpine has gone from calling people traitors for questioning government policy, and getting public employees to call people misogynistic wife beaters for no reason, to becoming a fly by night reactionary (OK, that's entirely applicable to the first two golf club bigot items, as well). The article has nothing to do with the implications of political independence in Scotland, and everything to do with the UK.

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9

Logie88

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 09:36 AM

Yet more dreary propaganda from Her Master's Voice.

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8

Doug Daniel

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 08:55 AM

I had no idea Peter Mullen had spoken in favour of independence. I watched NEDS for the second time last weekend, and it's such a great film, a brilliant example of what Scottish cinema can achieve. It would be fantastic if we could use independence to properly build up our film industry so that seeing a Scottish film at a cinema becomes more than just a rare occurrence. We have such great talent here, yet it gets pulled down south, whereas you look across at Ireland and you see a film industry that positively flourishes. That list of pro-indy artists is quite impressive, and serves to remind us that, far from being parochial and inward-looking like unionists would like to categorise it as, independence is seen as a progressive, creative and exciting opportunity. I look forward to the explosion of creativity that will ensue immediately following a "yes" vote for independence, as a nation regains its confidence and regains its voice.

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7

I AM THE OPERATOR OF A POCKET CALCULATOR

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 08:35 AM

Now.....who's comments do I take sincerely.....

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6

I AM THE OPERATOR OF A POCKET CALCULATOR

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 08:24 AM

#1- Seeing as location and where people are from is a large feature of your posts, please remind people that your comments should also be taken in the light and bias of you being Englishman and Tory who lives in Scotland for the purposes of employment. Alan Cummings lives in America for the purposes of employment. What's so different , oh yes. He's commenting about his own country. Whereas your commenting on another country as a self styled colonial master type.

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5

elmuzzerino

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 06:04 AM

Nice positive article. I love positivity and the SNP gives it out in spades. Shame about the comments, you can always count on a glass half empty there eh? "Where does Alan Cumming live again"? who cares? there are a variety of personal and professional reasons why people live where they live. I an an expat Scot currently living in NZ, does that mean I don;t have any right to care about my homeland? my family? my culture? and probably the place where I'll retire?

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4

Ricardo88

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 01:00 AM

"Where does Alan cumming live again?" ____________________________________________________________Just guessing: a country that has a film industry?

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3

scottishfruitcake

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:33 AM

"There will always be a place for Shakespeare..."? Just a wee hint that we are not anti-England slipping in there, Joan?

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2

buzzer

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:25 AM

Where is he from? Oh aye Scotland

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