Indyref left national orchestra short of cash

The orchestra’s chief executive told the culture committee that London-based trusts had been reluctant to provide investment ahead of the September 2014 vote.

Roy McEwan made the comments as MSPs questioned Scotland’s national arts companies on their finances.

While the companies receive core public funding from the Scottish Government, they also seek additional finance through sponsorship deals, patrons, trusts and foundations.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra receives financial support from almost 60 trusts and foundations for a wide range of projects.

Asked about its success in seeking funding from outside Scotland, Mr McEwan said: “In the run-up to the referendum – I don’t know whether it was a real fear – or an opportunity taken by a large number of major trusts based in London to not invest in Scotland because they felt that they needed to be sure as to whether they were investing in the UK or not long-term. So, that’s been a problem.”

He added: “Trusts and foundations themselves have suffered themselves through their own investments losing value.”

The companies, including Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, agreed that attracting additional financial support was a challenge in the face of squeezed government budgets.

In a written submission to the committee, the National Theatre of Scotland also warned about the impact of reduced budgets within the education sector.

It said: “The increasing lack of arts education as local authorities in Scotland look to reduce expenditure on ‘non-essential’ items is  storing up an issue for the future; in this future, Scotland will have bred a generation of  citizens who are much less able to partake of the well-being effects, health benefits, intellectual advantage and sheer joy of the arts since they will not have had the opportunity of exposure to culture as  children.”

Chris Hampson, artistic director of Scottish Ballet, said: “The challenges ahead from a financial perspective surround contracting income and uncertainty.

“As core funding is tightened, Scottish Ballet and many comparative organisations are seeking alternative sources of funding, all from a limited set of potential funders.”