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UK Government not to negotiate ongoing participation in cultural programme.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:

“Creative Europe has provided vital support to Scotland’s culture sector since its establishment in 2014 and has facilitated organisations to develop valuable relationships across Europe.

“The UK Government’s decision to exclude Creative Europe from the scope of future relationship negotiations with the EU is incomprehensible. There was no need to take the programme off the table, as it is entirely possible to participate as a non-EU state.

“The type of cultural exchange and collaboration Creative Europe facilitates and the cultural innovation the programme supports can only be achieved through its unique transnational framework. By deciding to end our participation in the programme the UK Government is erecting barriers to continued cultural exchange and sending the message that it is closing itself off to our nearest neighbours.

”I will urgently seek a meeting with the Secretary of State for Culture to make clear the Scottish Government’s concerns.”

Background

The UK Government’s decision can be found on page 23 of the document published here.

While it simply states that there are a limited number of programmes the UK Government has an interest in, the Scottish Government has received confirmation that it will not seek to negotiate ongoing participation in Creative Europe.