SCOTTISH ARTS SHORT CHANGED BY LONDON OLYMPICS

SCOTTISH ARTS SHORT CHANGED BY LONDON OLYMPICS

'SCOTLAND SEEING PRECIOUS LITTLE BENEFIT FROM GAMES'

SNP Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson Pete Wishart MP has hit out at
the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games after it was
revealed just a handful of Scottish projects had received Olympics art
funding, despite a UK Government promise that the scheme would be UK wide.

The £80m Cultural Olympiad - a major part of London's bid for the 2012
Olympic Games - was intended as a musical and theatrical celebration of
the Games across the UK but Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell has admitted
only seven of the 1174 approved projects are in Scotland.

Commenting, Mr Wishart said:

"These latest revelations are all too typical of what is happening across
all activities related to the London Olympics.

"Millions of pounds of Lottery cash is being diverted from arts projects
north of the border to fund the London Olympics - yet the people of
Scotland are seeing precious little benefit in return.

"It comes as no surprise there have only been a handful of applications
from Scotland because few people appear to be aware this funding exists.

"The fact that just a few Scottish projects have been approved suggests
there has been a blatant attempt to leave Scotland out in the cold when it
comes to this event's culture legacy.

"It's high time those behind London Olympics started to live up to their
promise that the event would benefit the whole of the UK - not just those
in the South East of England."