UK NEWS

TAXPAYERS TO HAND ‘ARTS TSAR’ £120,000

The new arts body role will earn more than £100,000

Saturday November 7,2009

By Daily Express Reporter

SCOTLAND’S public sector gravy train rumbled on yesterday as it emerged the head of a controversial new arts body will earn more than £100,000 and a gold-plated pension.

Quango officials advertised the post of chief executive for Creative Scotland, the controversial new public body, which has been created to replace the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen.

While millions of private sector workers worry about their livelihoods, the new arts tsar will receive £120,000 a year in salary, plus a generous final salary pension in return for “championing cultural activity”.

The successful applicant for the Edinburgh-based job will be expected to act as “adviser, advocate, investor and broker” for the arts and must not be afraid to be “bold and experimental”. It comes after the merger of the two previous bodies was dogged by delays and spiralling costs from expensive consultants brought in to define its role.

Critics claim the position is the latest in a series of ‘non-jobs’ draining public coffers, while achieving little. Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “With public money increasingly tight, and both central and local government looking to cut public services, the last thing taxpayers need is an overpaid arts tsar.”

He added: “While it is important to preserve Scottish culture, private funding should be raised as unfortunately arts spending cannot be a priority at a time when health care and education are facing cuts in their budgets.”

Earlier this year Culture Minister Mike Russell admitted that Creative Scotland would cost at least £3.3million to set up – with £1million going on voluntary redundancy for workers in the agencies it will replace.

A Creative Scotland spokeswoman said: “Culture and the creative industries are substantial assets for Scotland and require high calibre leadership to ensure continuing success.”

The Scottish Government said the pay package was “consistent” with similar public sector posts and insisted the single body would “free up an estimated £1.2million a year”.