Policy and resources

SCAN’s response to the Scottish Government’s International Culture Strategy consultation

Political responses and submissions - 25 May 2023

SCAN has submitted a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the development of a new International Culture Strategy. We...

Our letter to Christina McKelvie MSP, Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

Political responses and submissions - 4 April 2023

We wrote to Christina McKelvie MSP to congratulate her on her recent appointment as Minister for Culture, Europe, and International...

John Swinney responds to SCAN’s letter on the proposed cuts to Scottish culture funding

Arts funding, Political responses and submissions - 7 March 2023

Thanks to everyone who supported our successful campaign to reverse proposed cuts to Creative Scotland’s Budget. We have received a...

Help us stand up for Culture Workers

- 1 February 2023

We have been working hard to make MSPs aware of culture cuts and to ask the Scottish government to change...

Our letter to Deputy First Minister John Swinney on the proposed 10% cut to Creative Scotland’s Grant in Aid

Arts funding, Political responses and submissions - 30 January 2023

SCAN members are dismayed that the Culture Budget for 2023-2024 will dramatically weaken cultural provision for audiences in communities across...

Our evidence to the CEEAC Committee Culture Funding draft budget scrutiny 2023-2024

Arts funding - 12 January 2023

SCAN members are dismayed that the Culture Budget for 2023-2024 will dramatically weaken cultural provision for audiences in communities across...

SCAN’s Equalities Policy

SCAN Governance - 9 November 2022

Our Equalities policy supports our approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as understood and delivered by this organisation. We use...

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2023-24: Funding for Culture report

- 31 October 2022

Ahead of the 2023-24 budget announcement, the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee (CEEAC) sought views on the impact...

Neil Gray MSP responds to SCAN’s letter on the Costs Crisis

Arts funding, Cultural policy - 28 October 2022

We have written to Scotland’s Culture Minister Neil Gray MSP to share the impact of the Cost Crisis on members...

Anti-racism for cultural workers: join us

- 27 October 2022

Racism impacts the arts sector in systemic, structural and interpersonal ways. It is all of our responsibilities to challenge and...

SCAN urges Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson to protect Culture Budget

- 18 October 2022

Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture In late October the Scottish Government will publish...

SCAN Briefing on the Cost Crisis

Arts funding, Cultural policy, Political responses and submissions - 13 October 2022

Visual artists and visual arts organisations are feeling the impact of the Costs Crisis this winter. Freelancers, artists and cultural...

Our letter to Neil Gray MSP, Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

- 1 September 2022

We have written to Scotland’s Culture Minister Neil Gray MSP to share the impact of the Cost Crisis on members...

SCAN evidence to Scottish Parliament

- 30 August 2022

SCAN has submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Culture Committee (CEEAC) in advance of the culture budget for 2023-24. We...

SCAN AGM 2022 – Papers

SCAN Governance - 23 August 2022

All the paperwork for our Annual General Meeting 2022 in one place. SCAN AGM 2022 Agenda Draft minutes of SCAN...

#ArtUnlocks 2022 – Campaign Resources

Campaigns - 13 June 2022

On this page you’ll find Information about what the #ArtUnlocks campaign is all about A link to our visual toolkit...

NEUK Collective report on removing barriers for neurodivergent artists

Equalities - 17 May 2022

On Tuesday 3rd of May, we held a SCAN Members Meet with Neuk Collective on working with neurodivergent artists. Neuk...

#ArtUnlocks Member Presentation

Campaigns - 16 May 2022

Our #ArtUnlocks campaign aims to promote the innovative work of Scotland’s artists and arts organisations to policy-makers, local and national...

SCAN Sparks Report April 2022

Equalities, Learning and development - 27 April 2022

Our SCAN Sparks programme explores grassroots and equalities-focused working in the contemporary art sector.

Creative Scotland Covid-19 Population Survey – Wave Four

Research reports - 1 April 2022

This latest wave of research from Creative Scotland covers attitudes to returning to in-person cultural activity, potential barriers and views to participating at home. Read the research findings here.

SCAN Environmental Policy

Cultural policy - 24 March 2022

Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) accepts responsibility for the harmful effects its operations have on both the local and global...

Culture and Heritage: A Manifesto for Local Government

Cultural policy - 7 March 2022

A Culture Strategy for Scotland states that culture should be “a central consideration across all policy areas” and celebrated “as part of every community.”

Culture Counts issue briefing in advance of Scottish Government 22-23 spending review

- 22 February 2022

SCAN director Moira Jeffrey is currently the chair of the steering group at Culture Counts the network of arts, heritage and...

Culture in Crisis: impacts of Covid-19 on the UK cultural sector and where we go from here

Covid-19, Cultural policy - 7 February 2022

SCAN is proud to be an affiliate of the Centre for Cultural Value. In one of the largest studies of...

Our Letter to Creative Scotland Chief Executive Iain Munro

Cultural policy - 1 February 2022

We know that artists and organisations in Scotland are experiencing continued challenges and uncertainty. We continue to meet regularly with...

MGETR – can you benefit from this vital scheme?

Arts funding - 29 October 2021

Are you a charitable organisation that stages exhibitions? Did you know you might be eligible for financial support through the...

Sector Advice Card – Advice for Museums, galleries and heritage attractions

Covid-19 - 18 October 2021

The Scottish Government has issued a “Sector Advice Card” for COVID-19 during this period of baseline measures. It summarises existing...

SCAN Annual Accounts 2020-21

- 1 October 2021

Scottish Contemporary Art Network’s Annual Accounts for year-end 31 March 2021.

SCAN AGM Resources

- 25 August 2021

All SCAN members that attend our Annual General Meeting on Thursday 26th August 2021 can access all the essential paperwork...

AGM Agenda 2021

- 5 August 2021

Agenda for SCAN’s 2021 AGM taking place on 26th August 2021 via Zoom.

Momentum Project Coordinator (freelance role) job description

- 2 July 2021

Fee: £6000 Location: Edinburgh Freelance role reporting to SCAN We’re looking for a super-organised, people person to share the message about...

Visual arts in the Scottish Elections

- 22 April 2021

Last year SCAN worked with our membership to develop our asks for the Scottish Elections 2021. You can read our...

SCAN’s Constitution

- 1 April 2021

SCAN is set up as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). Our organisation’s purposes are: 4.1  the advancement of contemporary...

Legacy Report from the Scottish Parliament Committee for Tourism, Europe and External Affairs

- 24 March 2021

SCAN is one of the many cultural organisations who have submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and...

SCAN Working From Home Charter

Covid-19 - 26 February 2021

Working from home and working remotely is new to many of us. We have developed a Working From Home Charter...

Submission for CTEEA Inquiry into Impact of Covid on The Cultural Sector

Arts funding, Cultural policy, Political responses and submissions - 28 January 2021

Ahead of the 3rd Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee Meeting 2021, SCAN submitted a document to the committee...

SCAN online member meet up 14/01/2021: Notes

Covid-19 - 21 January 2021

On 14th January, we held our first online member meet up of 2021. We just wanted to have a catch...

CLiC Case Study

- 1 January 2021

Sharing our SCAN asks for the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary Elections and the next 5 years

Cultural policy - 30 November 2020

Contemporary visual art has the power to transform lives and open minds, and we need it now more than ever....

Our members asks for the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary elections and the next parliamentary term.

Cultural policy - 24 November 2020

Contemporary visual art has the power to transform lives and open minds, and we need it now more than ever....

Contemporary Artists Making Connections: A CLiC project blog post by Moira Jeffrey

Blog - 17 November 2020

Visitors to the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh this month have been rather surprised by a new addition to the...

Document for CTEEA Debate on Arts Funding: Update from SCAN on the situation of the visual art sector with regards arts funding and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic:

Political responses and submissions - 2 November 2020

In April 2019 we responded to the CTEEA Arts Funding Inquiry. At that point we signalled a  crisis in the...

Museums And Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief Fund FAQ

Arts funding, Covid-19 - 23 October 2020

This is a work-in-progress, created in response to feedback from the participants in the first phase of the MGETR pilot programme developed by YVAN/CVAN in 2019/2020.

SCAN online member meeting notes – Creative Freelancer Hardship Fund

Covid-19 - 23 October 2020

These notes are from SCAN’s Online member meeting to discuss the Creative Freelancer Hardship Fund. Amanda Catto, Head of Visual...

Cultural Organisation and Venue Recovery Fund – Q&A on Eligibility and Insolvency

Arts funding, Covid-19, Cultural policy, Political responses and submissions - 16 October 2020

We collated questions from members for Creative Scotland who are delivering the Cultural Organisation and Venue Recovery Fund. See the...

Response from Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop regarding our concerns about the Creative Organisations and Cultural Venue Fund

Political responses and submissions - 7 October 2020

On the 8th September, we wrote to Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture to outline...

SCAN Survey: Cultural Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund

Arts funding, Covid-19, Research reports - 2 October 2020

SCAN ran a member survey during the last week of September on their take-up of Creative Scotland’s Cultural Organisations and...

SCAN Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2018-2021

Arts funding, Equalities - 1 October 2020

SCAN’s Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2018-21 sets out a three-year plan for achieving a more diverse, open and...

Cultural Organisation and Venue Recovery Fund – our letter to Fiona Hyslop MSP

Arts funding, Covid-19, Cultural policy, Political responses and submissions - 8 September 2020

Whilst we welcomed in principle the announcement made by the First Minister on 28th August 2020, we wrote to Fiona...

Keep Art in Action Press Release

Campaigns, Cultural policy, Press Releases - 17 August 2020

Leading artists join calls for dedicated emergency funding for visual arts in Scotland as Scottish Contemporary Art Network launch new...

SCAN Evidence to Scottish Parliament on further impacts of Covid-19

Covid-19, Political responses and submissions - 25 June 2020

Our second submission to the CTEEA (Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs) Committee of the Scottish Parliament in the wake of...

SCAN Submission to DCMS Committee inquiry into impact of Covid-19

Covid-19, Political responses and submissions - 19 June 2020

SCAN made a submission into the inquiry by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Committee at Westminster into the impact...

SCAN AGM 2020 Minutes

- 11 June 2020

Draft Minutes from SCAN’s Online AGM held on 11th June 2020.

SCAN Covid-19 member survey: organisations

Covid-19 - 11 May 2020

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak in the UK, SCAN’s team has been gathering evidence from its membership on...

SCAN Covid-19 member survey: individuals

Covid-19 - 11 May 2020

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak in the UK, SCAN’s team has been gathering evidence from its membership on...

Engage 44: Biennials and beyond (Spring 2020)

Cultural policy - 20 April 2020

Engage, the National Association for Gallery Education, is pleased to announce the publication of Issue 44 of the Engage Journal,...

SCAN members joint response to Glasgow Culture Plan: Visual Notes

Political responses and submissions - 2 March 2020

In January 2020, SCAN members based in Glasgow gathered to discuss and respond to the draft Glasgow Culture Plan. We...

SCAN members joint response to Glasgow Culture Plan

Political responses and submissions - 18 February 2020

In January 2020, SCAN members based in Glasgow gathered to discuss and respond to the draft Glasgow Culture Plan. We...

Evaluation of Art in Action 2019 campaign.

Campaigns, Research reports - 1 February 2020

Evaluation by Ruthless Research of our 2019 Art in Action activity, based on surveys of SCAN members, MSPs and other...

Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee: Putting Artists In The Picture: A Sustainable Arts Funding System For Scotland Report

Arts funding, Cultural policy - 5 December 2019

This CTEEA committee report sets out recommendations that focus on putting artists at the centre of Scotland’s arts funding system....

Mandate Go See Fund: Future of the Art Market Unconference

- 13 November 2019

Mandate Event: Future of the Art Market Unconference at Somerset House, London In the October 2019 round of Mandate funding,...

Demystifying Arts and Arts Research

- 6 November 2019

Valuing Arts and Arts Research These reports discuss the role of the arts, artists and arts research in addressing complex...

Art in Action: Motion for Debate in Scottish Parliament. November 2019

Campaigns, Political responses and submissions - 1 November 2019

Working in partnership with Dr Claire Baker MSP’s office, we have put together a motion that will be debated in...

PRESS RELEASE: Arts Campaigners take their Message to Parliament This Week with a Print for Each and Every MSP. October 2019

Campaigns, Press Releases - 1 October 2019

Attached below is the press release detailing the background to the print commission for our Art in Action campaign. Artist...

Video: Curatorial Leadership in Collections (2019)

Cultural policy, Equalities, Learning and development - 1 October 2019

  Find out about how the first phase of our Curatorial Leadership in Collections project has supported the ambitions of...

Mandate Go See Fund: Mapping the Contemporary Art in The Heritage Experience

Learning and development - 30 June 2019

Louise Briggs, Arts and Heritage Officer at Studio Pavilion, received support from the Mandate Go See Fund to attend the...

Art in Action Logo Pack

Campaigns - 1 May 2019

Get involved in our Art in Action campaign by downloading logos in colour or black and white. They can be...

Written Submission for CTEEA Arts Funding Inquiry. April 2019

Political responses and submissions - 1 April 2019

SCAN’s submission to the Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs (CTEEA) Committee Arts Funding Inquiry.

Report from SCAN Summit 2019: ‘Unsettled Status’: Brexit, Borders and the Hostile Environment

Brexit - 29 March 2019

SCAN’s annual summit took place on March 21 2019 at Glasgow Womens Library, where we welcomed members and friends from...

Mandate Go See Fund: The Arts Health Research Intensive

Learning and development - 1 March 2019

As part of SCAN and Engage Scotland’s joint initiative, Mandate, we sent Iona McCann, Outreach Manager at Art in Healthcare,...

Press Release: Scotland + Venice Professional Development Programme

Equalities, Press Releases - 19 February 2019

SCAN are really excited to support two people to take part in the Professional Development Programme as part of the Scotland...

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Equalities - 1 January 2019

SCAN is an equal opportunities employer and will ensure that no job applicant, volunteer, trainee or employee receives less favourable treatment...

FULL REPORT The impact of Brexit on the arts sector in Scotland

Brexit, Research reports - 17 October 2018

Brexit is the impending withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU), following a referendum held in 2016. The...

SUB-GROUP REPORT: VISUAL ART – The impact of Brexit on the arts sector in Scotland

Brexit, Research reports - 17 October 2018

Brexit is the impending withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU), following a referendum held in 2016. The...

The Impact of Brexit on the Arts Sector in Scotland

Brexit, Cultural policy, Political responses and submissions - 1 October 2018

Brexit is the impending withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU), following a referendum held in 2016. The...

Mandate Go See Fund Event: The Social Theory, Politics and the Arts (STPA) Conference

Learning and development - 1 October 2018

As part of SCAN and Engage Scotland’s joint initiative, Mandate, we sent Ben Callaghan to The Social Theory, Politics and...

Curatorial Leadership in Collections Final Forum: The Future of Collections by Rosie Lesso

Learning and development - 20 September 2018

“We have to dare to confront power,” Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum, has told an audience of museums and...

Curatorial Leadership in Collections: A Place Beyond Belief, The Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven by Moira Jeffrey

Learning and development - 17 August 2018

The Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven is one of Europe’s leading collections of modern and contemporary art. Under a team lead...

SCAN Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Report

Equalities, Research reports - 1 August 2018

The purpose of this report is to summarise easily available data on the demographics of the Scottish visual art workforce...

Curatorial Leadership in Collections: Widening Horizons by Moira Jeffrey

Learning and development - 20 June 2018

Our Curatorial Leadership in Collections project, which works with 8 partners, recently welcomed a new participant, Julie-Ann Delaney, Senior Curator...

Curatorial Leadership in Collections: Sharing Expertise by Moira Jeffrey

Learning and development - 14 March 2018

“It’s the unexpected outcomes that often count,” says Adele Patrick, Lifelong Learning and Creative Development Manager at Glasgow Women’s Library....

SCAN in Parliament: Cross Party Group on Culture

Cultural policy - 13 March 2018

This Cross Party Group on Culture took place on 13 March 2018 at the Scottish Parliament, organised by SCAN with...

Cultural Policy: International Best Practices in the Visual Arts

Research reports - 17 January 2018

Researcher Alexandra Chiriac was commissioned by SCAN, and supported by the Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities, to undertake...

Visual Arts Manifesto. December 2017

Campaigns - 7 December 2017

Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN), Scottish Artists Union and Engage Scotland launched a new Visual Arts Manifesto on 11 December...

Accessibility Guide Resource. November 2017

Cultural policy, Equalities - 1 November 2017

Visit Scotland and Visit England have created a website which features a step by step guide for organisations to create...

Mapping the Visual Arts in Scotland Report 2016

Research reports - 1 February 2016

This digest provides a summary of key findings from the two Mapping the Visual Arts in Scotland surveys undertaken by...

Open Letter to Creative Scotland, 2012

Arts funding - 1 August 2012

An open letter sent to Creative Scotland on behalf of Scottish Contemporary Art Network, in response to the radical change...