Creative Scotland Action Plan for Change March 2013
Creative Scotland Action Plan for Change – March 2013
Board Commitment / Action / Description / Timescale1. Underline our commitment to putting artists, creative practitioners, cultural organisations and our staff at the heart of everything we do. / 1.1 Establish new funding programme for individual artists and creative practitioners. / The introduction of a new programme of bursaries and awards that will enable individualsto take time out to develop their practice. Decisions will be taken through a process of peer review twice a year. The awards and bursaries will be at fixed amounts and no match funding will be required.
We will clarify eligibility, criteria and priorities when we launch the programme. / Launch April 2013
1.2 Clarify funding routes for individuals and organisations. / We will clarify the funding routes on our website inwritten guidance, and through our Enquiries Service.
We will also provide guidance and informationat events and funding roadshows throughout the year. / April 2013
Ongoing 2013/14
1.3 Run open sessions for sector. / Open sessions will enable people working in the arts, screen and creative industries to inform the future policy and operational direction of Creative Scotland. / Insights and Ideas:Open Sessions March - April 2013
Regularly throughout 2013/14
1.4 Run open sessions for staff. / Forums have been created for staff discussion and debate to help inform the future policy and operational direction of the organisation. / Initial all staff sessions Jan - Feb 2013
Regularly throughout 2013/14)
1.5 Develop positive organisational culture and values. / By realigningour organisational values and working practiceswe will create an environment where all staff contributions are fully valued. / Ongoing
1.6 Publish revised long-term plan. / A revised long-term plan will be the public expression of how Creative Scotland will change. It will describe our vision and objectives to support the arts, screen and creative industries to enable us to publicly account for our work. / Drafting Feb- April 2013
Publish May 2013
Board Commitment / Action / Description / Timescale
2. Enable more effective use of staff specialist knowledge and expertise, increasing autonomy of decision-making and increasing the visibility of, and access to, this expertise. / 2.1 Conduct internal skills analysis. / The skills analysis will identify the expertise and interests of staff, enabling them to undertake activities where their work has maximum impact. It will also enable us to identify gaps in skills, knowledge and resources. / March 2013
2.2 Review our operational structure. / We will ensure the best andmost appropriate resources are available to staff to utilise their skills, specialist knowledge and expertise effectively. We will develop operational structures accordingly. / Ongoing
Complete Autumn 2013
2.3 Delegate decision making. / Funding applications will be assessed by staff with relevant knowledge and expertise,utilising peer review as appropriate. Staff will have delegated budget authority where appropriate. / Introduced Nov 2012.
Further delegation under review.
2.4Clarify job titles, contact details, responsibilities. / This will provide clarity over areas of responsibility and specialism, and contact points for external enquiries. / April 2013
2.5 Clarify Lead Officer role. / Relationship management is part of the core of our work and we will ensure that strong relationships exist between staff and those we support. / Ongoing
2.6 Introduce a new and more effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) IT system. / ACRM system will improve ourability to respond to enquiries,provide access to specialist expertise andimprove the efficient administration of funding applications. / April 2013
Board Commitment / Action / Description / Timescale
3. Create effective regular consultative forums with artists and creative practitioners and staff to inform policy development and increase transparency. Work with the sector to design the specific nature of these forums with the aim of a first open session in early 2013. / 3.1 Run open sessions for sector. / Open sessions will provide people working in the arts, screen and creative industries with the opportunity to help inform the future policy and operational direction of Creative Scotland. / Insights and Ideas:Open Sessions March - April 2013
Regularly throughout 2013/14
3.2 Consultation forums. / We will establish a range of forumsto inform policy and strategy development, includingsector reviews, peer review, and decision making. Representation will comprise members from across the arts, screen and creative industries. / Ongoing
3.3Establishannual ‘state of the nation’ conference. / Debate and dialogue between organisations, artists and creative practitioners play an important role indetermining priorities and policy direction in Scotland. Timing for the first annual conference to be determined. / Launch Autumn 2013
Board Commitment / Action / Description / Timescale
4. Review current funding models to enable as many organisations as possible and appropriate to benefit from stable, multi-year arrangements. This will include an end to the plans for ‘strategic commissioning’.
5. Change the perceived funding hierarchy of Foundation, Flexibly Funded and Annual Organisations and create clear funding routes for individuals and specific time limited projects. / 4.1 Complete ‘Projects forming Programmes’ (PfP) funding process and fulfil commitments. / We will complete the current PfP process to ensure stability and consistency of approach for organisations in the short term. / March 2013
4.2 Redesign funding programmes in consultation with the sector and staff. / We will seek to provide stability for as many organisations as possible. We will work towards changing what is viewed as a funding hierarchy. We will offer the security of multi-year funding to organisations, project funding for specific time-limited work, and funding to individuals and partnerships. / Development during 2013 for launch in April 2014.
4.3 Develop and introduce new multi-year funding arrangements in consultation with the sector and staff. / We will introduce a new process for organisations that will offer long term funding and relieve them of the need to submit fresh applications annually. / Development during 2013 for launch in April 2014
4.4 Reaffirm commitments in revised long-term plan and new Annual Plan. / We will ensure clarity in our plans anddescribe our vision, objectives and means of delivering our core functions. Namely; development, funding, and advocacy. / May 2013
4.5 Clearer signposting on website and effective Enquiries Service. / We will give clear advice and assistance to applicants on the most appropriate funding available to them, and provide clear advice on our current priorities. / April 2013
Board Commitment / Action / Description / Timescale
6. Changing the content and tone of our language to increase clarity and accessibility with a re-design of our application forms, guidance and other communications.
7. Emphasising the language of ‘support’ rather than ‘investment’ in both our values and operations. / 6.1 Introduce better writing guide. / The language used by Creative Scotland will be clear and its tone appropriate for the individuals and organisations we work with. We will involve the sector in this work to introduce language that is accessible and will be better understood. / Ongoing
6.2 Re-writing funding guidance, applications forms, contracts and terms and conditions. / Greater clarity of language will make the application process more accessible, including for individuals, organisations and small companies. This will ensure no one is discouraged from applying to us. / Underway
Updated funding programme guidelines April 2013
Fuller funding programme redesign in Autumn 2013 for introduction April 2014
6.3 Re-writing all our literature and communications materials, including Long-term Plan. / Clarity of language will make our communications more accessible and better understood, and emphasise our role in supporting the arts, screen and creative industries. / Ongoing
Board Commitment / Action / Description / Timescale
8. Reducing efforts on activity that could be construed as promoting Creative Scotland ahead of artists, creative practitioners or cultural organisations. / 8.1 Revise communications strategy and priorities. / Creative Scotland will advocate for the arts with government and key stakeholders, celebrating the vital contribution that the arts, screen and creative industries make to the quality of life in Scotland. / April 2013
8.2 Reduce and/or stop promotionalactivity relating to Creative Scotland. / We will focus on making our core operation effective, while affording those we support due care and attention. / Ongoing
8.3 Revise logo and brandguidelines for funded organisations and individuals. / We need to be accountable for public funding, both Scottish Government and National Lottery. We will ensure that there is public recognition of this support with appropriate use of logos and branding. / April 2013
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Creative Scotland Action Plan for Change v1-2 – March 2013