The first seminar in this year's Centre for Cultural Policy Research Seminar series at the University of Glasgow, will be held at the Gilmorehill Centre on Friday 12 December.

The topic of the seminar will address the issue of Seeking the Vision and will review the wider context of culture in Scotland. The publication entitled: 'Creating Our FutureﾅMinding Our Past: Scotland's National Cultural Strategy' published early in the term of the first administration was regarded as an affirmation of the centrality of creativity and culture in the new Scottish parliament. However, since then concerns have been expressed about the importance the Executive places on culture, often expressed through frustration with the funding settlement.

'A Partnership for a Better Scotland', published in May 2003, outlines the priorities for the new Labour/Liberal administration and promises a review of the structures of cultural policy and provision and a twin track of commitments to increasing participation and promoting Scotland on the international stage. This seminar will ask if these priorities are the right ones and if they will achieve the most for culture in Scotland. Are these the policies that recognise the growing role of creativity in our economy? Will these policies be sufficiently robust to make the case for the public investment required? What is the vision for culture in the twenty-first century Scotland?

The seminar will be led by Bryan Beattie (Expert Adviser on Cultural Issues to Frank McAveety, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Scottish Parliament), Stuart Cosgrove (Head of Programmes (Nations and Regions, Channel 4), and a third speaker is to be confirmed. The successful format of previous CCPR seminars will be retained whereby the seminar will begin with three short presentations from our speakers and be followed by a discussion session.

Seeking the Vision will be held between 10am - 1pm on Friday 12 December 2003, in Room 408 of the Gimorehill Centre.

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

For more details please contact Nicola Sneddon on 0141 330 3806 or email: N.Sneddon@arts.gla.ac.uk, or Mike Findlay in the University of Glasgow Press Office on 0141 330-8593 or email: m.findlay@admin.gla.ac.uk.

For more information on the Centre for Cultural Policy Research, please see the CCPR Website.

First published: 9 December 2003