Creative Scotland seeks return of sex film Rein funding: Public money shouldn't be spent on such explicit material – Scotsman comment

Creative Scotland is now asking for its money back after awarding nearly £85,000 to a film with ‘non-simulated’ sex scenes

Leonie Rae Gasson was awarded £84,555 from Creative Scotland for a multi-screen film installation. They now want the money back (Picture: Pixabay/Tracy Smith)

Of all the questionable funding decisions from government agencies, it certainly took the biscuit. Creative Scotland's decision to provide £84,555 to what turned out to be an explicit sex project was almost laughable, had it not been so serious.

The funding was being given to the filmmakers behind a multi-screen installation called ‘Rein’. However it emerged actors were being recruited to participate in “non-simulated” – or real – and hardcore “sex scenes”; performers with “experience of sex work, particularly in porn contexts” were sought for what was described as a “magical, erotic journey through the Scottish countryside”.

After the concerns emerged at the weekend, Creative Scotland said there had been "a significant change to the nature of the work presented in the original application". Thankfully the agency is now seeking the return of the money it has handed over to date.

Questions still remain, however, over how the award was made in the first place – and what due diligence was applied. When dealing with more than £80,000 of public money in a cost-of-living crisis, it is important they are answered.

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