Creative Scotland has listened to the calls of the WGGB Scottish Branch and other unions and organisations in the creative industries in its announcement last week of a package of Covid-19 funding (read the full story).

This includes:

• £5 million to address the immediate financial hardship faced by creative freelancers; and
• £5 million to support artists to continue developing new creative work that will make a significant contribution to Scotland’s recovery from Covid-19, including £1.5 million for the Culture Collective programme to support organisations employing freelance artists to work in communities across Scotland.

Last month we called on the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland to allocate £15 million for freelancers and £5 million for freelance commissions (read the full story).

WGGB Scotland Chair Bill Armstrong said: “We look forward to receiving further details on the above package and will continue to push to ensure that all freelance writers in Scotland get the support they need.

“Thanks to WGGB members who got involved in this lobbying work, which shows what we can achieve when we work collectively.”

If you’d like to get involved in the WGGB Scotland Committee, please email: scotland@writersguild.org.uk

Photo of Scottish Parliament: Shutterstock.com/UlmusMedia