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Arts body is first to hit target since new 50:50 by 2020 challenge was set.

Creative Scotland has become the first public body to meet the First Minister’s recent call for all boards in Scotland to achieve a 50:50 gender split by 2020.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop yesterday (Monday) announced the public arts body has achieved a gender balanced board with the appointment of four new members.

The appointments of Professor Maggie Kinloch, Erin Forster, Sheila Murray and David Brew follow a recruitment exercise by the Scottish Government that trialled new approaches aimed at continually improving gender balance on regulated public boards.

It follows First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s call at the end of June for companies, third sector organisations and public sector bodies to make a commitment that by 2020, 50 per cent of their board members will be women.

Creative Scotland yesterday became the latest public body in Scotland to achieve a gender balanced board, and the first public body to meet the target since the First Minister launched the Partnership for Change on June 25.

As well as 18 private companies and 45 third sector organisations, 81 public bodies have now signed up to meet the Partnership for Change commitment by 2020.

Announcing the four new appointments to Creative Scotland’s Board, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:

“I am very pleased to announce the appointments of Maggie, Erin, Sheila and David to the board of Creative Scotland. Each new board member has a rich and diverse mix of skills and experience to offer and I look forward to seeing the impact of their contribution across Scotland’s communities over the next four years.

“While all board appointments are of course made on merit, the Scottish Government is continually improving our processes to ensure vacancies are attractive and accessible to people from a wide range of backgrounds. We are continuously reviewing and improving the way we recruit to ensure that anyone with relevant skills and experience is given the opportunity to succeed.

“These appointments mean Creative Scotland now has a gender balanced board, setting an example to the rest of the organisation and to all employers that we must work harder to achieve gender equality in the workplace and ensure everyone in Scotland is able to meet their full potential.”

Fair Work Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham said:

“This Government is committed to making major and lasting progress towards true gender equality – towards shattering the glass ceiling for good and for all and promoting gender balance across Scotland’s workplaces.

“Our greatest resource is our people so we can’t afford to underuse the skills and talents of more than half of our population. We know that gender equality is good for the economy, for society and for Scotland as a whole, so it is great news that 90 per cent of Scotland’s public bodies have now signed up to meet the Partnership for Change commitment by 2020, along with 45 organisations in the third sector and 18 private companies.

“This will bring greater diversity of opinion, more open discussions, better debate and ultimately better informed decisions, that will no doubt have a positive impact on Scotland’s entire workforce.”

Notes To Editors

Currently women make up just 38 per cent of regulated public bodies’ boards and are less likely to enter senior management positions, and figures show men are paid on average nine per cent more than women for doing the same job. For more on the Partnership for Change, launched on June 25 by the First Minister, visit: http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Gender-equality-on-boards-by-2020-1a9a.aspx 

There are a number of bodies whose boards are gender balanced. The appointments announced yesterday make Creative Scotland the first board to achieve a 50:50 split since the First Minister called on June 25 for all boards in Scotland to be gender balanced by 2020. Other boards that have at least 50 per cent female members include Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Accountant in Bankruptcy, NHS Education for Scotland.

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland.

The four board appointments announced yesterday will be for four years, running from August 1, 2015 to July 31, 2019. The appointments are part time and members will receive no remuneration for a time commitment of one day per month. These appointments are to fill existing vacancies on Creative Scotland’s board which has 12 members. These appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees to declare any political activities within the last five years and for that information to be made public. None of the four new appointees have undertaken any political activity in the last five years.

Professor Maggie Kinloch 
Maggie is Deputy Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and a working theatre director. She serves on the Scottish Funding Council and the Board of the European League of Institutes of the Arts. She has a depth of experience in equality and diversity work and improving access to the arts and education. She has worked at a senior level in the arts and arts education since the 1980s and is well known across both sectors. A founding director of the National Theatre of Scotland, she has chaired or served on a range of arts organisation boards. She also has a wide knowledge of international arts education. As a member of the Scottish Funding Council, Maggie Kinloch receives £321 per day for an average of three days per month.

Erin Forster

Erin is an experienced risk and financial professional with seven years of internal audit experience within a large retail bank. She is currently employed by the Financial Conduct Authority, supporting the delivery of their conduct agenda of regulation. Erin graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Canada, where she studied graphic design. Prior to moving to Scotland in 2002, she started her working life as a website designer. Erin enjoys creating visual art in her spare time and attending cultural events. Erin does not currently hold any other public appointment.

Sheila Murray

Sheila’s international arts experience spans a 25-year former career with the British Council in a wide variety of management roles in London, Israel, Spain and Scotland. She was responsible for cultural relations and strategy formation and organising and promoting events and projects across the world in all art forms. She now works freelance and curated a conference for Creative Scotland on the arts in Africa and Edinburgh’s Macmillan Cancer Support annual exhibition. She has been a board member of the Traverse Theatre, the Fruitmarket Gallery and NVA Europe. Her background is in the visual arts and she holds a master’s degree in fine art. Sheila does not currently hold any other public appointment.

David Brew

David was a senior civil servant until he retired from the Scottish Government in 2011. From 2004-2006 he advised Scottish Ministers on cultural, language and broadcasting policy and sponsored the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen. He was appointed by Ofcom to the board of MG ALBA (the Gaelic media service) in May 2012 and chairs its audit committee. A former chief executive of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, David is a Governor of Robert Gordon University, a member of the Financial Reporting Council’s Disciplinary Case Management Committee and an adjudicating panel member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland. His interests include languages, music and film. As a member of MG ALBA, David receives £5037 per annum for an average of 2.5 days per month.

Head and shoulder photos of all four new board members are available.