Trade unions, including WGGB, have joined forces to demand a halt to the sale of the former Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Glasgow.
A joint letter to Creative Scotland’s board signed by STUC, WGGB, Musicians’ Union, BECTU, the Scottish Artists Union, Equity, the National Union of Journalists, the Scottish Society of Playwrights and the Society of Authors also called for a public consultation and for Creative Scotland to engage with arts workers and communities over the future of the building.
It was handed into Creative Scotland’s Edinburgh office on 20 August and also sent to Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan.
As reported in The Herald, the joint letter demands that the “next stage” for Creative Scotland over the future of the building should be a clear commitment to keep it in “public or community ownership” and says that trust in Creative Scotland is at an “all-time low” over the handling of the building since it closed in January when the CCA was put into liquidation by its board.
The joint union letter criticised the decision to put the former CCA building up for sale and the way it was carried out, stating, “The decision to begin that process without prior consultation came as a shock to former workers, artists, tenants and the wider cultural community – people whose work and interests Creative Scotland exists to support.
“We understand that the submission period ended on August 12 and that Creative Scotland intends to move quickly to the next stage. Yet no account has been given of what that stage will involve, who will assess the proposals, what criteria will be applied or how fundamentally different proposals will be compared.
“Despite sustained public concern and repeated calls for transparency, those most affected still have no formal role in the process.
“We now call on the board of Creative Scotland to suspend the process before any proposal is assessed and open a public consultation, which must help determine how the building’s cultural and public value will be protected.
“Former CCA workers, trade unions, artists, tenants and local cultural and community organisations must be formally involved throughout the next phase, which must begin from a commitment to keep the building in public or community ownership while securing a sustainable long-term operator.
“Finding an operator does not require the sale of the building. Creative Scotland must properly consider continued public ownership with a worker-led, community-led or not-for-profit operator, a secure long-term lease, transfer to another public body, community ownership, and joint worker, community and public sector models.
“We also call for Creative Scotland to show leadership by working actively with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders to make these options viable.
“This should include identifying financial, technical and organisational support and exploring affordable long-term leasing, public transfer, community ownership and shared governance arrangements. Respect for the sector requires every reasonable effort to secure the building’s cultural future in public or community ownership.”
Members in Scotland who would like to find out more or get involved in the campaign should contact [email protected].
Photo (above) of central Glasgow: Shutterstock.com/Claudia8C