TWO board members have resigned from Creative Scotland as the controversy over funding decisions grows.
Ruth Wishart and Maggie Kinloch made the decision to stand down as the arts body admitted it would hold crisis talks to “take stock” of the backlash.
The pair resigned from the board with immediate effect.
It comes after around 20 companies were told last week they would lose out on a share of £99 million regular funding over the next three years.
READ MORE: Creative Scotland to ‘take stock’ after backlash to funding cuts
Writing on her blog, Wishart said it was dispiriting to find Creative Scotland “a family at war with many of those it seeks to serve”.
She wrote: “Creative Scotland was given a settlement [by the Scottish Government] better than any of us had hoped for. I guess, like many people, the board felt confident that the decisions would reflect all that.
“It’s not possible to go into the discussions at the relevant board meeting, not least since, whilst you serve on a board, you are bound by the equivalent of collective cabinet responsibility. That is a perfectly sound principle. It also, however, causes you to reflect as to whether you can continue to back what you believe to be a flawed decision.
“The board is due to meet again tomorrow to examine again the executive’s conclusions on regular funding. Hopefully a solution to the current difficulties can be sought and shaped.”
Ben Thomson, the interim chair of Creative Scotland said: “Ruth Wishart and Maggie Kinloch have made significant contributions to the work of Creative Scotland and to arts and culture in Scotland more broadly and the board would like to thank them.”
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