John Dean – Crime Writer

I don’t normally get political in my blogs, but I am making an exception for this, a call from the Society of Authors to candidates in the May 7 Holyrood elections in Scotland, where I live, to improve protection for those working in the cultural sector, including writers.

The society says that at the core of the issue is a systemic underfunding of the arts. While 2025 saw an increase in the culture budget, after seven years of standstill, many of the largest employers and commissioning organisations in literature actually saw a decline in public funding.

Last year, the society conducted a survey with members of all the creative unions in Scotland and found that:

69% have experienced issues relating to late payment for work

83% have seen a real term fall in earnings in recent years.

33% have not been paid for freelance work undertaken.

53% have experienced, or seen, bullying, harassment or sexual harassment.

The society is asking candidates to make two key commitments:

To endorse the introduction of a Culture Acti n the next parliamentary term. This campaign, led by Culture Counts, demands an investment in the arts that is in line with its contribution to the country’s economy.

To ensure that any funding to the arts is equitably distributed to the individual creators doing the work.