Any restrictions imposed on Scottish Opera core funding: FOI release

Information requested

Whether the Scottish Government imposes any restrictions on how the core funding provided to the Scottish Opera as a National Performing Company is spent and if it has the freedom to choose how it spends the money.

Response

All of the information you have requested is available from the Report for the five Scottish National Performing Companies: April 2016 to March 2018, available on the Scottish Government website, at https://www.gov.scot/publications/annual-report-five-scottish-national-performing-companies-april-2016-march/. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Section 5 of the report sets out how funding is awarded against certain criteria, artistic and education programmes, and budgets. Aside from the separate international fund, and capital funding, which are also detailed in the report, there are no particular restrictions on the use of funds provided to the Scottish Opera and the other 4 National Performing Companies. I can confirm that the 2019/20 Scottish Government funding towards the Scottish Opera has been maintained at £8 million.

About FOI

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