Hamilton star attacks John Swinney for 'devastating' arts funding betrayal after visit to festival show

A star of the blockbuster musical Hamilton has attacked First John Swinney after new culture cuts emerged days after he spoke of his support for "the power of the arts" at the actor's Edinburgh International Festival show.

Reuben Joseph, who played the lead role in Hamilton in London’s West End, warned there was a risk of closed-down theatres becoming the "new norm" in Scotland.

Reuben Joseph (centre) played the lead role of Alexander Hamilton in the blockbuster musical Hamilton in London's West End. | Supplied

Joseph, who has starred in the TV dramas Traces and Vigil, has demanded a rethink over the indefinite shutdown of Creati Scotland's main fund for individual artists after the news emerged while he was performing in the play The Outrun.

Reuben Joseph read out a message from the cast of The Outrun protesting against the Scottish Government’s new funding cuts. | Supplied

He spoke out after the cast of The Outrun staged a protest at the end of its final performance at the Church Hill Theatre. Joseph was among the actors and theatre makers who read out statements at the end of several Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe shows telling audiences of the “crushing impact” the new cuts would have on Scottish culture.

Mihaela Bodlovic/Edinburgh International Festival

The Helensburgh actor described confirmation of the open fund closure, which emerged during the last week of Edinburgh’s summer festivals season, as "a bit f****** bang out" and predicted it would have a "devastating" impact on freelance artists, writers, actors and musicians.

Actor Reuben Joseph

In a post on Instagram, Joseph highlighted how Mr Swinney had stood on the stage of the Church Hill Theatre and told the cast and crew of The Outrun how "important" he believed the arts were.

Amy Conachan, Dylan Wood, Reuben Joseph and Robert Florence starred in the National Theatre of Scotland show Orphans. Picture: Mihaela Bodlovic

Joseph, a graduate of Langside College in Glasgow, said the Scottish arts community was not prepared to "stand by" while the Government, which promised to "more than double" investment in culture less than a year ago, rolled out cuts.

Creative Scotland said the closure of its open fund for individuals was “unavoidable” after the Government refused to release £6.6 million, which the arts agency had previously allocated in its budget.

In a video posted on social media, days before the closure of the fund was announced, Mr Swinney described The Outrun, the stage adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s award-winning memoir of returning to Orkney to recover from alcohol addiction, as “the most breath-taking performance of creativity”.

He said the show was a reminder of "the power of the arts to bring people together and to bring expression to some of the challenges that we face in our society today".

In his Instagram post, Joseph said: “You can imagine the frustration when Creative Scotland announced that they are cutting the open funding for individuals due to the Government being unable to confirm the £6.6m that was promised to us.

“It’s a bit f****** bang out, I would say. Actually, a bit bang out is a vast f****** understatement as to what this is going to do for creatives and freelancers like myself in Scotland.

“Your music, your comedy shows, your dramas that you watch on TV ... look how many massive shows have been picked up directly at the Fringe. Those ideas stem from an individual. Art is made in collaboration, but it needs to start off in someone’s head.

"That is what that fund allowed for. It allowed for people to apply for money to develop their ideas as artists. For the Government to be unable to release these funds is going to be devastating for our industry. It’s not hyperbole

"This is not just a call to arms for this singular fund. We are being told that more cuts are coming to the arts sector. We cannot stand by and let that happen.”

A Government spokesperson said: "We have increased arts culture funding this year, as the first step to achieving our commitment to invest at least £100m more annually in culture and the arts by 2028/29.

“The Scottish Budget continues to face significant challenges. We are considering the implications of the actions announced by the Chancellor on July 29 for our public finances and the next steps required.”