Scotsman curbs arts coverage
Previews and Scotsman Sessions dropped as arts budgets used up
The Scotsman has used up all its arts budget for the remaining year, according to journalists working for the publication, and will be carrying only one theatre preview a month, if that, until 2025.
This also means that no more Scotsman Sessions are being commissioned. These short video performances from artists all around Scotland, introduced by Scotsman critics, started during Covid and won the Innovation of the Year award in 2020.
The Scotsman newspaper, yesterday. Pic: Æ.
The news comes amidst revelations that the Scotsman is no longer writing its obituaries in-house or from Scottish freelancers, but taking syndicated material from the Press Association. Which means that the lives of Scottish and Edinburgh-based people of influence will no longer get remembered.
A recent example is that the only obituary of Andrew Kerr, who became secretary to the Fringe Society in 1967 and wrote the articles of association when it became the Fringe Society in 1969, was in The Times, not the Scotsman, following Kerr’s death in September this year.
Thankfully, for now the reduction of Scotsman theatre coverage is confined to freelance journalists, according to those Æ has spoken to.
This does mean that Brian Ferguson, the staff journalist who has the arts beat for the paper, will continue to file copy. Highly regarded theatre critic Joyce McMillan will also continue to file reviews.
current intention
Æ understands that the current intention within the Scotsman is to reinstate its theatre preview coverage in the New Year. However, there is no guarantee that this will happen, prompting concerns that once the use of syndicated copy has been tried, it will become established.
This is bad news for the Scottish theatre community, under siege from so many different sides, with finances dwindling and venues closing.
Those companies who do manage to get work made will have nowhere to explore the background to their work. While changes in artistic directorship of venues like the Lyceum, where David Greig has announced his departure, will happen without the space to explore their successor’s ideas.
ENDS
