The Stage

Armstrong steps down from Scottish Cultural Commission

Published Tuesday 22 June 2004 at 11:10 by Ruth Gillespie

Craig Armstrong, one of Scotland’s leading composers, has resigned from the country’s flagship arts body just days after its membership was announced.

The award-winning musician was named as part of the eight-strong team on the Cultural Commission, which was set up by the Scottish Executive earlier this year to produce a radical plan to reshape and redefine the arts north of the border. However, Armstrong resigned after discovering he was the only working artist on the board.

In an explanatory letter to The Herald in Glasgow, Armstrong said: “Contrary to what I hoped the commission does not contain practising artists in sufficient proportion from varied artistic and cultural backgrounds. With respect to the other commissioners, I believe this lack of representation could undermine the body at a difficult time for arts in Scotland.”

Armstrong also condemned the executive’s treatment of Scottish Opera and called for artists to get together to save the company from the extensive job losses. However, he has agreed to serve on one of the 50 working groups that are also part of the review.

Chairman of the Cultural Commission James Boyle, who stepped down as chariman of Scottish Arts Council in April to head the new initiative, said he was sad at the loss but insisted artists of all kinds would be contributing to the commission’s work below board level.

He added: “Craig Armstrong has changed his input from the commission’s board to working groups. We will use his help in that position and it will bolster our innovative and radical thinking. I respect his views about Scottish Opera but that matter is not the province of this commission.”

A budget of almost £500,000 has been allocated to the initiative for up to 12 months. The other board members are George Black, chief executive of Glasgow City Council, Lucy Mason, chief executive of Dance Base, Gordon Jeyes, director of children’s services at Stirling Council, Brian Lang, principal of St Andrews University, Shonaig Macpherson, president of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, Colin Marr, director of the Eden Court Theatre and Ian Ritchie, a director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.