Cultural Coordinators - we need them

In late March, I joined Glenzier Primary pupils in all their island raggedness and Head Teacher David MacIsaac to present the Island Glenzier project to a large audience at Eastriggs Primary School. A number of creative school projects were being showcased by Dumfries and Galloway's CREATE team for a visit from Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson who was announcing increased funding for cultural coordinators in Scottish schools. Ms Ferguson commented: “This increased level of funding is in recognition of the positive role culture and the arts can make in the education and development of school children."

I have worked in a number of local authorities and have been lucky to work with exceptional and dedicated cultural coordinators who support and initiate creative arts projects in schools. CREATE's work in particular is ambitious, inclusive and innovative and I am glad to have had the experience of working and learning in Dumfries and Galloway where unusual projects like Island Glenzier have been possible.

More funding for cultural coordinators - great! But what happens after the commitment to the next two years?