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Are the Creative Opportunities on Offer in Scotland Diverse Enough? Culture Counts

Posted by CHARTS

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Research

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In 2018, sociologists from the Universities of Edinburgh and Sheffield released a major new paper called ‘Panic! It’s an Arts Emergency!’. The project investigated inequalities in the cultural workforce and concluded that women, people of colour and those from working-class backgrounds are significantly underrepresented across the sector.

Since the publication of ‘Panic! 2018’ many in the culture and creative industries have reflected on their projects, recruitment and diversity; though there is still a long road ahead to get to where the sector needs to be. The Scottish Government’s Culture Strategy aims to encourage greater openness and diverse cultures to reflect a changing Scotland in the 21st century.

Furthermore, an ‘outcome’ in the National Performance Framework (which describes the kind of Scotland we collectively aim to create) is that people in Scotland 'are creative and their vibrant and diverse cultures are expressed and enjoyed widely’.

In new research conducted by Survation on behalf of Culture Counts, we've measured public opinion on diversity in cultural activities. Our survey sampled 1,010 residents aged 16+ living in Scotland. Fieldwork took place on 4-9 December 2020.