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To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns regarding Creative Scotland’s handling of the future of the former Centre for Contemporary Arts building in Glasgow. (S7O-00467)
Official Report · Chamber
Centre for Contemporary Arts Building (Actions of Creative Scotland)
General Question Time
This is the draft Official Report. The final version may differ.
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- Patrick Harvie Green 2
- Màiri McAllan SNP 2
The record
4 contributions
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The Government’s position is that the former CCA building should reopen and that it should do so as a cultural venue with a viable and sustainable future in Glasgow and Scotland’s cultural sector. On asking, Creative Scotland assured me that it is pursuing that outcome.
Following the 30 October deadline, Creative Scotland is assessing detailed proposals that it has received to operate the building. Its board is due to consider the assessment of those bids on 26 November. Although I regularly meet Creative Scotland’s leadership, I will make sure to do so in advance of that 26 November meeting to discuss its preferred options.
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Ever since the CCA closed, there has been a concern that the long-term trajectory would be towards selling off what has been a publicly owned public asset for more than half a century. The cabinet secretary will be aware that, recently, one of the bidders—an artist-led theatre company—pulled out of the process, writing that it struggled
“to see how any organisation with the intention of keeping the building alive … can afford to buy it.”
Does the cabinet secretary accept that the preferred bidder must be rooted in public ownership of the building and that privatisation of this public asset would be an unacceptable outcome?
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First, I put on the record the importance that I and the Government place on the CCA and on the Third Eye Centre, which preceded it. It has been a critical part of Glasgow and West of Scotland’s artistic scene for many years. My objective is to have it reopened and serving that purpose for many years to come.
The building is currently closed. If we want it to be reopened and serving that purpose, we have to invite expressions of interest. That is exactly what Creative Scotland has done; as I said, I will meet it to discuss the bids this month.
Motions, questions and votes
Linked from this item of the Official ReportIn this meeting
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