Proposals to overhaul arts funding rejected
by TIM CORNWELL for the Scotsman

But pressed yesterday on the demand for extra funding, Ms Ferguson said she questioned the arithmetic in the document. "I've certainly been impressed by the scale of the figures suggested - easy to do when you don't have to make tough, sometimes unpopular decisions about prioritising government spending," said Ms Ferguson.

published: September 23, 2005

Cultural body was ‘irrelevant waste of money’
by PHIL MILLER for the Scotland Herald

Duncan McGhie, who left his post at the national companies in December 2004, has also suggested that Scottish Opera should look to funding from England if the Scottish Executive continues its current "unsustainable" levels of funding.

published: September 27, 2005

Curtain rises on a new arts era
by PHIL MILLER for the Scotland Herald

"The future looks exciting for us. In a sense, it is a relief the national companies have been taken from us, as 90% of our work is not concerned with them and they dominate the coverage."

published: January 20, 2006

Executive's £1.7m deal to bail out struggling arts groups
by RAYMOND HAINEY for the Scotsman
published: December 4, 2006

TWO national performing arts companies will be bailed out by the Scottish Executive in a £1.7 million deal to clear their debts.

...

The move comes as the Executive is set to take direct control of funding for the companies.

Executive to bail out arts groups
by PHIL MILLER for the Scotland Herald
published: December 4, 2006

A Scottish Ballet spokeswoman also confirmed the company's "historical, but stable" deficit of £300,000 would be paid off by executive money before the transfer of funding powers from the SAC.