 Rwyf yn fawr o gael i gwisgwyr y fwrdd i ddarparu gail y bydd ymlaen nhw, y bydd hynny wedi cael eu hygrifennu'n nhw. Milag i chi, mae'n gweithio'r cwestiyan mewn gwahanol i'r next item o brusins cyfrifwyr ein oes y debatiau i ddangos ymbod ym 10033 yn y cwm chymru i'r gen replen i'w hynny i'n bwysigio'r strategiaeth ynglynch iawn. Rwyf yn bod i'n gweithio eu ddibayr i bwysigio'r debatiau i bwysigio'r cefnwyr Izz cela ond Dream, Cabinet Secretary, I will call on you, Cabinet Secretary, Fiona Custom Hyssop, to speak to and move the motion 14 minutes please. I'm pleased to open this debate on time to shine Scotland's first-ever youth art strategy. Let me begin by saying that I strongly believe that music, dance, art, literature and theatre are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment in our young people. They offer them an opportunity to see life with a larger perspective and through a different lens. Yet even more importantly, the creative arts and the measure and reflection of our nation, the moral values we treasure, are reflected in the beauty and truth that is emotionally transmitted through the arts. The harshness and sometimes cruelty of life can also be expressed. The arts say something about ourselves, to future generations, about what kind of nation we have been and wish to be in the future. In November 2013, we launched Time to Shine, Scotland's first-ever youth arts strategy, a comprehensive yet practical strategy that is centred around the three key themes of one, creating and sustaining engagement, two, nurturing potential and talent, and three, developing the infrastructure and support. Developed for young people, it was heavily influenced by young people and their experiences and wishes, too. That strategy reinforces the wider benefits and positive impacts of culture to the development of our young people and their communities. It makes explicitly the already well-established links between culture, education, youth employment and personal development. It not only provides enhanced access opportunities for all of Scottish young people, but it will also create career pathways for Scotland's talent of the future, be it on stage, on the screen behind the scenes or in our world-leading creative industries. Most importantly of all, that engagement with culture will nurture personal qualities that will help our young people to grow confidently as citizens and towards realising their ambitions wherever they may lie. That strategy builds upon the strong foundation of a vibrant and forward-thinking youth arts sector, which is already the envy of much of Europe. We are quite exceptional in having a range of national youth arts companies for theatre, music and dance and are a benefit for many energetic and visionary stakeholders such as System of Scotland and Fish and the Gail. Curriculum for Excellence recognises that the expressive arts provide opportunities to underpin and enrich learning in all other curriculum areas. Indeed, many young people learn their own traditional music, dance and stories within the curriculum or through other more informal projects. Creative Scotland, our national agency for the arts, screen and creative industries are not taking this forward in isolation and time to shine builds upon and draws alongside two already exceptionally successful youth arts programmes. Cashback for creativity is part of the Scottish Government's cashback for communities programme which reinvests the proceeds of crime back into communities to benefit Scotland's young people. In the last three years, the programme has invested £2.25 million to provide opportunities to participate in arts activities for young people that would not normally have access to them. I saw an excellent example of that at Houdon Park Centre in Livingston recently. Young people showcasing a film that they had made, which was an 80Z of Broxburn, detailing things that they like about the town, things that they like to do, things that they do not like and would like to change in some of their aspirations. It was a wonderful illustration of the power of film, particularly about culture, to engage and inspire young people, to encourage them to look beyond their boundaries, to raise their expectations and their ambitions. Creative Scotland has also recently announced the launch of the Music Initiatives 2014 programme. I have once again prioritised and maintained the funding for this important initiative, with the overall fund of £10 million for this coming year, supporting Scotland's children, fostering and developing their musical skills and unlocking their creative potential. The broader youth arts sector is also doing much to engage with and develop young people. Starting this month, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra will provide a comprehensive orchestra-led music access programme to primary and secondary schools across Scotland. In terms of scale and choice, RSNO engaged for schools as the first of its kind in the UK. Another exciting project is the System of Scotland's Big Noise Orchestra, whose projects in Rapplock and now in Govan Hill continue to be a success. The chamber will remember and recall Maestro Abbru, the founder of the L System of Movement in Venezuela, when he came to Scotland and his invitation to Big Noise to visit Venezuela during his visit to Rapplock with the Simon Bolliver Symphony Orchestra when he came for the big concert in 2012. Following that, 52 children visited Caracas in January 2014, where they studied alongside their Venezuelan count contemporaries and performed a live concert in one of the city's foremost concert halls. There was an excellent BBC documentary about that visit shown very recently. Of course, we must not forget our wonderful national youth performing companies. The National Youth Choir of Scotland enjoyed another strong season, and this Saturday we will be taking part in the Going for Gold concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. That will be a wonderful music celebration of inspiration, ambition and talent ahead of Glasgow 2014. The National Youth Orchestra of Scotland enjoyed another very successful summer tour. They were joined this time by the distinguished conductor Christopher Seaman and the brilliant award-winning violinist Alina Pogoskinia. I am sure that they have not only brought great joy to their audiences but also have developed themselves as musicians by working with such world-class talents. Of course, the National Youth Choir of Scotland has also gone from strength to strength with its storming performances at the London Jazz Festival in November and a sophisticated interpretation of the work of Miles Davis at the Aberdeen Jazz Festival this March. We want every young person to benefit from and be enriched by culture, and that is why we conducted a national discussion on the youth arts. The expertise, knowledge and the sheer passion of the nearly 2,000 stakeholders that contributed were critical in shaping Time to Shine. Those views were varied and there were areas of contention, yet there was also a very clear consensus across all those that we consulted. The young people, supporters, artists, organisers, deliverers and funders, that to become an international leader in youth arts we must put young people at the very heart of what we do. This is exactly what Time to Shine seeks to achieve by removing the barriers, be they physical, social or economic, which prevent young people growing, developing and realising their potential through the arts as creators, as professionals or as young enthusiasts. I am pleased to note the progress that Time to Shine has made in the short time since its launch last November. Last month, I saw the announcement of £3.1 million funding for a network of regional youth arts hubs across the country delivering a manifesto commitment. That is part of the £5 million funding that is awarded to Creative Scotland from the Scottish Government's Young Scots fund. We will, over the next two years, support initiatives that are based on key objectives of Time to Shine. She has quite rightly drawn attention to Big Noise Rapploch and Govan Hill, but she will recall the Education and Culture Committee that took evidence from Creative Scotland a while back now where they conceded that there were difficulties in expanding the access to the broad range of arts and culture beyond those who already have interactions with it. Is there anything that she can point to that perhaps suggests that new initiatives might make more progress than we have been able to make today? Yes, indeed. One of the things about the youth arts hubs is that it is going to be an issue that is also driven by young people, because there is something about peer-to-peer encouragement. We can incentivise and encourage young people and we can have, as I have recalled, a lot of our national companies going into schools, etc. However, the enthusiasm of young people working with each other will make it easier to build some of those bridges to some of the communities that perhaps otherwise might not have experienced arts. Perhaps there is more going on than probably most of us in this chamber necessarily realise. We might not describe it as such as arts and culture, but I look forward to hearing what Patricia Ferguson said in her contribution because there is a deep range that is there already. We just have to make sure that we provide that energy commitment and resource to help to connect. I will come on to some of those ideas of how we connect better in my later remarks. Returning to the focal points that the youth arts delivery hubs will have, they are intended to nurture and celebrate ambition, enthusiasm and talent and to improve the regional infrastructure. Young people will be central to the decision-making process and development of the youth arts hubs. As I have said, the strategy builds upon an already strong and flourishing sector. Creative Scotland, in looking at the hubs that we are faced with, has many difficult decisions to make. Such was the interest in the new youth arts hubs, not all applications could be accepted. I am aware that Creative Scotland has plans for a regional intervention fund to be used to address geographical gaps in the national coverage of the hub funding such as the south of Scotland and the western isles. I know that Creative Scotland will continue to engage with all those partners in the future. Indeed, the quality of those bids means that many will come back as mainstream applications to Creative Scotland in due course. The youth arts hubs are most definitely to enhance what is already there and fill gaps in provision, create great connectivity and build a voice for youth arts. Hopefully, they will also grow the appetite for enhanced provision. Central to delivering the strategy is the understanding that not only do young people have to be at the centre of the process, but we must adapt to the new and different ways that they live their lives. Young people today communicate and express themselves in ways that I am sure are perhaps beyond the ken of a few members of the chamber. We have to be attuned to what social media they will use and how they are shaping the internet to their own means and values in the cultural area. That is why I am pleased that the strategy places such a strong emphasis on using new and emerging technologies to create virtual as well as physical ways to connect young people to projects, activities, events and initiatives to inspire and to invigorate. I am pleased that the strategy is moving so quickly. I have noted that the £3.5 million Youth Arts Development Fund is already exploring new and innovative models of youth arts provision across a range of art forms. In Edinburgh and Lothians, the Creative Mix Youth Hive Hub will develop creative apprenticeships, traineeships and work experience opportunities for young people alongside a hive of networked and staged multi-arts activities. Meanwhile, Fesh Ross will work together with partners to deliver the Highlands Youth Arts Hub, which will include the development of a new youth arts strategy specifically for the Highlands. Creative Scotland has also appointed a youth arts programme manager who will manage the creation of the youth arts programme management team, and that will co-ordinate the implementation programme of Time to Shine over the two-year scope of the Youth Arts Hub development. I am pleased to be able to announce today that Creative Scotland is also working in partnership with Young Scott to establish a national youth arts advisory group made up of young volunteers aged 14 to 21. Young Scott is recruiting and will support a core group of 15 young people from across Scotland from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and representing the core youth art forms in Time to Shine. They will meet for the first time in August this year. Those young people will be provided with a training programme to develop and enhance their leadership skills. They will work with Creative Scotland to advise on the implementation and development of Time to Shine and provide a direct peer-to-peer link with the regional youth engagement initiatives that are being led by the Youth Arts Hubs. As I mentioned before, our youth arts sector is already the envy of much of Europe. However, I am happy to say that there has already been further international interests around Time to Shine. Indeed, just last December, I met the Danish Culture Ministry, who was very impressed by Time to Shine and particularly by the innovative and ambitious way that we are communicating it, including our well-received graphic novel. The Scottish Government believes that our culture is of us all and for us all, that we should all have the opportunity and the enthusiasm to participate in art and in culture. It is our duty to encourage our young people and our children to learn a love, a curiosity, a value for culture, regardless of their class, background or where they live. We know that immersion in cultural activity can help bolster the resilience and wellbeing of communities and individuals and nowhere is this more important than in our children and young people in our future. This is an investment that we are only happy and pleased to make. A nation that treats the arts as the province of a few gifted children and views them only as recreation and entertainment is a nation that does not care for its future. Culture is a nation's most precious heritage, for it is in our works of art that we reveal to ourselves and to others the inner vision that guides us as a nation. I firmly believe that it is better for political parties to reach a consensus when it comes to the future of our young people. I look forward to hearing your views across the chamber on the most important of issues, and I move the motion in my name. Many thanks. I now call Patricia Ferguson to speak to and move amendment 10033.1. Let me say that I very much welcome time to shine Scotland's youth art strategy. It has been quite a long time in gestation but it is welcome nevertheless. I believe that the strategy is a good one but I do wonder if it goes far enough or if it adequately reflects the ambition and dynamism that Scotland's young people so often demonstrate and which the young contributors to the consultation clearly exhibited, but I will come back to that. Let me first look at where we are and the support that exists to encourage young people to start out in a lifelong journey with the arts. As we know, children born in Scotland in the last 12 years or so are likely to have been supplied with a book bug bag—I always find that one slightly challenging, I have to say—which aims to encourage their parents to begin their interests in words and pictures and in the sound of the spoken word at a very early age. They should also have had the opportunity to try out a musical instrument while they were at primary school, to begin to nurture a lifelong interest in music and hopefully to encourage them to be active listeners or where they have talent or interest active participants in the performance of music or perhaps even in producing it. Equally, they may have enjoyed dance or drama as part of their active schools experience and find that this is something they wish to pursue. For many years, those young people with a particular interest or talent have had the opportunity to play or perform with the national youth choir of Scotland, the national youth orchestras of Scotland, Why Dance, the Scottish Youth Theatre or the national youth pipe band of Scotland. Those organisations, many of whose performances I have had great delight from, have helped to develop talent in those particular mediums. We are in Scotland fortunate to have so many dedicated organisations that can help to nurture that talent and ensure that young people who have access to them can develop their ability. The national performing companies also do excellent work going into schools and developing a love of music or drama in the young people that they work with. Anyone who has witnessed the performances that result cannot fail to admire the dedication of the professionals involved or the sheer joy of the pupils who participate. Ultimately, of course, we also have the Conservatoire, which helps to hone the skills of those whose talents will lead them to the performing arts. Seats of learning, like the Conservatoire, build the confidence of their students by exposing them to opportunities that will help to develop further their talent and, of course, offer them the best possible education in their chosen field. Perhaps uniquely, we have Fishing the Gail and Systema. Fishing the Gail, nurturing and promoting our native instruments, music and language, and helping to ensure their continued relevance. As the cabinet secretary has rightly identified, the work that is being done in Rapploch and now in Gavin Hill by Systema is also excellent, and reaches young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy and be involved in the making of high-quality music. As the cabinet secretary knows, I would dearly love to see Systema, the big-noise orchestra, rolled out across other communities in Scotland—beginning, of course, with my own—an aspiration that I am sure many of us share, such as our admiration for the project. As Liam McArthur rightly pointed out, that might not be something that is practical to do. We have to consider how we give other young people those kinds of important opportunities. What the strategy barely mentions is the work that is being done by Scotland's colleges and universities. Many local colleges are working in music and drama and in the practical subjects that support performance, such as sound engineering, to name but one. Although, as college places have been cut in recent years, many of the courses specialising in the arts have unfortunately suffered. Similarly, the colleges and universities that support students of the visual arts do not seem to rate much of a mention in the strategy, despite the fact that many of our Scottish institutions have such internationally renowned reputations. It seems to me that we are missing an opportunity to encourage those institutions to collaborate one with another and to ensure that they all contribute to the agenda. Local arts organisations such as Toonspeake Young People's Theatre do marvellous work in Glasgow, often with young people for whom going to the theatre will not be a regular occurrence, but they still produce marvellous, inspiring, challenging, sometimes wacky but always interesting performances, with some of the most enthusiastic and talented actors taking part, many of whom had no idea until a few short weeks before that they had an interest, never mind a talent, in that direction. So, too, depo arts in my constituency, which provides a safe space for young people to meet and to create, but it does it in such a way that I am sure that most of the young people involved do not immediately think of it as an arts organisation. It is simply somewhere they enjoy going to and where they will be sure of a warm welcome and the opportunity to do something that is both interesting and fun. At its heart, however, depo arts is an arts organisation, but it is a community arts organisation, firmly rooted in that community and very aware of what its audience needs and how best that should be delivered. It sometimes looks on the surface as though it is easy to do, but it takes great skill to pull it together and to make it a success. A recent meeting that I had with depo arts was very interesting. It told me that it hoped to provide a forum where the issues about the referendum could be discussed in the form of a rap battle. I think that they took one look at me and thought that I believed that it was a crazy, dreadful idea and, frankly, I did. Until I realised that they did not actually expect me to participate, or at least I do not think that they do. My point is that organisations such as this are also part of the educational offer that should be available to our young people and can sometimes approach issues in ways that the rest of us and the other institutions in Scotland will miss out on, not because they are negligent or deficient in any way at all, but just because not everyone fits into a particular mould. That, to me, is the joy and the wonder of organisations such as depo arts and to-and-speak. There are many others like them up and down the country and they must be part of our strategy going forward. They have a unique insight into the lives of many of our young people and, particularly, those young people whose opportunity to enjoy the arts would otherwise be extremely limited indeed, and they do a wonderful job in performing in the way that they do. My point is that our national youth performing arts companies are absolutely excellent organisations, but they are not the only ones working with young people. We have to ensure that the strategy is as inclusive as possible if it is going to work. I think that the performing companies would agree with me. They recognise that talent and interest must be nurtured and that all young people should be involved. The strategy document itself makes the point that gender, race or circumstances should not prevent you from having opportunity, but, unfortunately, for too many of our young people, those circumstances of gender or race or of the many other issues that beset our country prevent young people from having their fair share of what is available to their peers. Scottish Labour firmly believes in the concept of art for art's sake, but we also recognise that exposure to and immersion in the arts can help to ensure good mental and physical health, for example. It can break down barriers amongst groups of young people and it can help our schools and colleges to be the exciting and dynamic places that we would all want them to be. For some young people, their involvement in the arts will be a lifelong opportunity for enjoyment and challenge, and for those with a talent or a skill, it may also be a career. We should look to see how we can encourage artists and performers to mentor young people with an interest in the arts to allow them to achieve their full potential. This morning, the cabinet secretary and I took part in a Q&A about independence with the publishing industry. I was already planning to say that in my speech before one of the contributions from the floor today, which questioned whether we were doing enough to encourage young people to look towards a career in the creative industries, and I think that that questioner had a very valid point. I wonder too whether it is impossible to look to provide more apprenticeships in the arts. I know that there are currently 22 across Scotland, but given how vibrant our art sectors are, surely we could do better than that, particularly given that we have identified the creative industries as being so important to our national economy. Anyone who knows me will know that I firmly believe in the arts as a force for good in Scotland. In so many areas, I very much welcome the strategy as a contribution to that effort, but I would like to see it as being a little bit more ambitious. Many thanks, and I now call on Liz Smith up to seven minutes, please. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. We thoroughly agree with the cabinet secretary when she says that this is a seminal moment in terms of the arts for young people. We fully support the time to shine and the accompanying investment that the Scottish Government has made, plus the young Scott initiative that the cabinet secretary announced this afternoon. Could we therefore support the motion and also the amendment in the name of Patricia Ferguson? I think that over many years, Scotland has been renowned for its arts and culture and notwithstanding some important questions that the cabinet secretary is aware of. I have some concerns about the strategic direction of one or two of our senior arts bodies at present. It is very encouraging to see the progress that is being made with regard to the youth bodies. We already have a very impressive youth arts structure encompassing bodies such as the national youth choir of Scotland. I heard them recently in the Usher Hall, and I think that they are in a par probably better than many of their senior counterparts, not just in Scotland but across the world. They are absolutely phenomenal. Things like the Scottish Youth Theatre, the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, the Scottish Youth Dance and, of course, the Conservatoire as well. They all facilitate young people's engagement with the arts on a very professional basis. Although I think that Patricia Ferguson makes a very good point when she says that the whole responsibility must not just fall on these bodies but also on local arts bodies, on schools, and she made a good point about colleges and universities. I think that, particularly in fact, the cabinet secretary mentioned this too, that in terms of the imagination and the creativity and the type of communication that these young people have is not necessarily for other generations. I think that we have to listen carefully to what they are saying. That said, I think that the strategic review offers the opportunity to plan for the longer term and to ensure that children and young people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to express themselves artistically and engage with Scotland's rich cultural heritage. I note that participation, progression and provision are time to shine three main themes, and they are all laudable. I cannot help feeling that the order is perhaps just a little jumbled. I think that increased participation would follow better from improved provision. Otherwise, I think that we run the risk of trying to broaden engagement without first widening the facilities that we have. I hope that the nine youth arts hubs that I understand will span the length of Scotland from the Highlands down to Ayrshire in the south-west will be created as soon as possible and that they will provide youngsters with a platform to explore a whole range of arts with a clearly articulated national and regional policy, because I think that that is a crucial point. The rich diversity of Scotland's cultural landscape is very much to be cherished and celebrated. I think that it is fair to say that in terms of raw opportunities, those living in Edinburgh, Glasgow and the surrounding areas have often had access to a much broader range of cultural organisations and performances, and while there is much to celebrate in that, we must do everything that we can to ensure that the arts in its broadest sense of the term do not become the preserve of our major cities but instead have a very strong presence right across the country. That is difficult, because obviously there are economies of scale in the high concentration in the cities, which has led to some very noticeable successes. We all take immense pride when the short list for this year's Turner prize was announced just a few weeks ago that three of the four nominees had studied at the Glasgow School of Art. That is an outstanding achievement that made all the more remarkable by the fact that it cements Glasgow's reputation as the preeminent centre for the visual arts in the UK. During the last decade, three Turner prize recipients, Simon Starling, Richard Wright and Martin Boyce have all been part of the Glasgow School of Art alumni, and two more, Martin Creed and Susan Phillips, were brought up in the city, something that I noticed has not been lost in the organisers of the Commonwealth Games culture programme. The broader point, of course, is that academic research consistently reveals that there is a very strong link between exposure to the arts and participation with them in the longer run. Published in 2010, starting young links between childhood and adult participation in culture and science, was a Scottish Government commission literature review into how early exposure was connected to long-term participation in cultural and scientific activities. Several reports, including taking part survey commissioned by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, found a very strong link between childhood involvement in the arts and participation as an adult. I am very pleased that the member has cited that research. Of course, the key thing is about participation. It is not just being an audience member when you are young, it is actually participating, which means that we have to have a far more hands-on participative approach to our youth art strategy. Liz Smith. I thank the cabinet secretary for that intervention. I am absolutely right. I am not mistaken. I think that that was the findings of some Dutch research that was done on that issue. However, it suggests that, in order to meet one of time to shine's key aims, which is addressing the cultural inequalities, the focus needs to be just as much on parents and on the families as it is on the children. Last night in this Parliament, we heard very strong evidence about the success of young people in sport if there was a commitment between them and the whole family to a particular activity—in this case, it was swimming, most especially within our most deprived communities. Given the outstanding success of System of Scotland, which the cabinet secretary has spoken about already, that is perhaps one of the biggest lessons that we can learn for the overall strategy. While there are merits in innovations such as the proposed youth arts ambassador scheme as a tool to encourage broader participation in the arts, encouraging pure engagement, I think that we need to add on that family dimension because it certainly gives youngsters a confidence on that. To suggest that, in order to address the cultural inequalities, the appeal of the arts has to broaden is something that is not just about families, but I think that it is about the whole community aspect as well. One of the things that I have been most encouraged about recently, particularly in the non-city areas of Scotland, is that community engagement. I think that it is all about Scotland's civic well-being. That was something that was brought up at the education committee, I think that it was about 22 April, when Richard Holloway spoke, I thought, very meaningfully about our civic well-being and about the intrinsic value of the arts, which I know that the cabinet secretary has mentioned in several key speeches, and I am trying to balance that when there are potential economic benefits. To sum up, we fully support the stated goals of time to shine, particularly when it comes to its broadening engagement. It is very important that the youth arts are not treated in isolation, but are part of a much bigger national strategy. We are very happy to support both the motion and the amendment. Many thanks. We now turn to the open debate. I can give members up to seven minutes Christian Allard to be followed by Jane Baxter. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Last week, we celebrated the value of our fantastic youth workers improving young people's life chances across Scotland. Today, I'm delighted to be speaking on the arts strategy supporting Scotland's children and young people to flourish through culture and creativity. In recognising the positive impact that arts and clarity can have, this government is working collaboration with many in order to achieve the aims of the youth arts strategy. The cabinet secretary spoke about the network of regional youth arts hubs across the country. This collaborative approach works through partnerships between local and national arts and youth services providers. Because access to youth arts for all, all across the many communities of Scotland, the remote ones, the rural and urban communities, is vital for our young people. There is a lot happening at national level. We punch well above our weight in arts, culture and creativity. The decision of the National Theatre of Scotland to have no stage of its own has created that spirit of freedom space to redefine what national theatre can be about. Scotland is a stage for the National Theatre and that puts barriers down for some more creative thinking of how we can develop the arts in Scotland. Like many in this chamber, I drag my children to see the play scenes by tens of thousands of people across three continents. A play with 22 awards, including four Lawrence Olivier awards, Best Director, Best Theatre Choreography, Best Play and Best Sounds Design. The National Theatre of Scotland won its first US award with a New York drama cycle named Black Watch, Best Foreign Play. At last year's festival of politics here in Parliament, I saw the Scottish Youth Theatre perform now the hour and I know some of the members here present went to us for presentation. And we were very, very touched by it and surprised by its quality, the quality of delivery and the creativity, the imagination that the young people had if you had this play on that particular day. Presiding officers, the past few years have participated in many debates to inform the people of Scotland about the decision they will make on the 18th of September this year, but none of those debates were as inspirational or informative as the play now, the hours creating by our young people. The time to shine youth heart strategy, I recognize the fantastic input of our young people, the input we are doing today and is building on this. Just like the National Theatre of Scotland, the Scottish Youth Theatre is working with local government and other parties to ensure that participation, creativity, talent development and cultural expression are developed now and in the future and all across Scotland. The Scottish Youth Theatre is a particularly best place to work on curriculum for excellence as the company's heroes is focused on creating confident individuals, successful learners, effective contributors and responsible citizens. And of course many of young people and some of them here today will have the right to contribute as responsible citizens when voting on September. For people in the northeast, as the regional represent, the Scottish Youth Theatre is also holding weekly classes at this Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen. The sessions are open to anyone regardless of previous experience and our fantastic way to build self-confidence. Self-confidence, creativity and partnership are qualities that our young people need, whatever they will be involved in the arts or not in their working life thereafter. Particularly marginalised young people, children from diverse cultural backgrounds like myself and my children, those young people will use the new youth heart hubs for Aberdeen and the northeast. I particularly agree with Ben Torri, the director of programming of creative projects Aberdeen performing arts when he said that this new hub will harness the energy and creative potential of young people in the region through an inclusive, innovative and engaging programme of youth hearts activity which is shaped and driven by the participant and that's very important, it has to be shaped and driven by the young people. Another local partner is a northeast hub, presiding officer is a station house media unit or like we call it in the north each. This charity established in 2003 is one of the core cultural organisations in Aberdeen and it's at the forefront of community media development Scotland supporting residents in the seven regeneration areas of the city in radio and video production, traditional and online publications, music production and digital inclusion. The organisation supports marginalised young people with an employability and training arm, they run positive transitions and employability course open to 16 to 19 years old from Aberdeen city while not in education, employment or training and this course runs for 12 weeks. I've been twice to listen to young people who went through this course, they made their family very proud providing that arts, culture and creativity can change our young people's lives for the better. There's a lot of good work to build on and to recognise the importance of collaboration, working with local government and the third sector to ensure that participation, creativity, talent development and cultural expression are developed now and in the future. This government is putting young people of Scotland at the heart of Scotland's creative future and I can give many more examples but I will have no time to do so but I may speak about the wooden bandit who has a creative learning programme which offers opportunities for development across a broad range of social groups with events ranging from filmmaking workshops for young people and art and crafts workshops. These are very important, they are community based and they respond very well to the needs of our young people in rural areas and I'm quite pleased to use the facet very often not to participate unfortunately but to be seen, to see what the young people are providing in our rural areas. But of course Scotland has as well a global reach and we want our young people to learn from other cultures and to perform across the world. At the Aberdeen beach ballroom in March this year I was invited by Aberdeen Councillor Jim Kiddie to the fundraising dinner had by friends of Aberdeen International Youth Festival. A festival has been running for over 40 years, another partner of the new youth arts hub. The money raised went to support not only young artists but across the north-east. We're also developing region such as Africa, Asia and so far America. Time to shine is cut on first ever youth art strategy and of a proof that this government believe that public funding of the art is fundamentally good. Many thanks and I now call Jane Baxter to be followed by Claire Adamson. I want to thank the Scottish Government for bringing forward this debate on the time to shine strategy. For generations the arts have been, alongside education, the great equaliser that has allowed people to prosper on merit and on talent rather than by their background. And the benefits go beyond making a career in the arts. Taking part in an artistic pursuit allows a young person to grow and to develop skills, the soft skills that we talk about so much that stand them in good stead for later life. I note that the substantive recommendations of the report total only two pages and I look forward to hearing more about the detail as we go forward. For contrast, the Northern Irish equivalent, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Youth Arts Strategy 2013-17, totals over 30,000 words, including eight pages of examination of our system here in Scotland. This is an analysis of the Northern Irish cultural situation in comparative perspective and it is perhaps something that we could have pursued further. While I welcome many of the aspects of the strategy in my speech, I do wish the Government had provided more information of how the initiatives will take place over the two years and especially how the goals will interact with the curriculum for excellence. In Fife, a participative approach is being taken to developing the arts. Listening to feedback from children, the council has recently approved a match funding agreement working alongside voluntary organisations and charitable trusts to further the work of the groundbreaking Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermlyn. They now employ a dedicated youth development officer, doubling the capacity of their annual summer stage school and maintaining regular drama classes, which will support 180 young people every week. Their focus is entirely on promoting confidence, teamwork, equality and social skills among young people and, crucially, their classes are entirely flexible to fit in with the varying ways of life of different young people across Fife. This is the perfect example of how the arts should be supported by Government. We should be working in partnership with organisations already rooted in our communities rather than on a top-down approach with rigid guidelines. I am glad that the Scottish Government's time to shine strategy reflects my concerns in this area and gives a lot of leeway to groups to shape their own strategy. I also want to talk a little about the value of musical tuition. My own area, Fife, has a long-standing tradition of supporting youth orchestras in groups and I hope that the proposed National Youth Arts Consortium will offer a way of sharing this expertise to other areas. One of my proudest moments as a councillor was when I was present for a performance by the Celtic employer Adam Pipe Band at the Highland Gaines in Pitlockry. It was through Taylor's support from Fife Council that these young people were able to get the tuition and the mentoring that enabled them to perform on a national stage. I am therefore glad to see that local authorities will be key partners of the Youth Arts Hub as the experience and knowledge that they can provide is truly valuable. Recently, I have also learned of the work of pioneering organisations such as Creative Cloud, which is based in Dunferman, and which does excellent work in supporting young people's involvement in new creative industries such as film production. As this demonstrates, culture is no longer something static but something that is inherently interactive, and I will closely follow the Government's exploration of how technology can be used to further engagement with the arts. I note that it aims to set up a national digital platform and again look forward to seeing the detail on the exact role that will play in furthering the cultural offering for young people in Scotland. I am also glad to see that national bodies such as Theatre Workshop Scotland will be included as partners of the Youth Arts Hubs across the country. Theatre Workshop Scotland produced the excellent Happylands film in Fife, with support from Creative Scotland through the national lottery, funding from Fife Council and an association with BBC Scotland. I visited the set of the film and was struck by the range of skills and experience that local people of all ages were having the chance to experience. As well as performance skills, local people were involved in technical production skills, set building, makeup and costumes. It was a great experience for everyone who took part, and of course they produced a film that went on to be successful on a world stage. The skeletal proposals to establish an arts awards scheme and a national mentoring programme are to be welcomed. I am sure that members across the chamber will join with me in supporting Scottish Government's proposals that they should have a social mobility and equality at their core. I hope that the Scottish Government ensures that those programmes work together to properly concentrate support where it will provide the most benefit. I also call on the Government to ensure that any roles created through the new youth employment initiative are paid roles to make sure that they are available to all. I am sure that I have the support of many members in making a call on the Government to have social good in mind when putting some meat on the bones of those proposals. Yet beyond that, there is really one point about this entire strategy that has been troubling me, and it is something that I would like the minister to address when she concludes, or in writing later. At various points of the strategy, the minister has identified that one of the priorities of the time to shine report was to enable participation in the arts to lead through to professional careers, and I wholeheartedly support her in this. However, is it not true that the way that many people get involved in the arts is through college courses? Does it not strike the minister as a little odd to have this as a priority, but at the same time to be chipping away at some of the chances individuals have to turn their love of creative arts into a career? I would appreciate if the minister could clarify whether she sees any contradiction here and work with us to ensure that there remains links from hobby to career through the further education sector. Thank you very much. Before we move on with the debate, I take this opportunity to remind members that they should be in the chamber for the majority of the debate, but at the very least for two speakers following their own speech. I now call Clare Adamson to be followed by Liam MacArthur. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I welcome the publication of the youth arts strategy, which has been highlighted as the cabinet secretary, as the first ever publication of a strategy in Scotland. I believe that it is a comprehensive and ambitious document, which I believe matches our ambition for our young people in the arts. I am sure that we all recognise that we already have a successful and thriving youth arts culture in Scotland. Perhaps the Fesh movement is the best example of the work in Scotland already being done, but this strategy takes us far further. It recognises the social and economic and health benefits of the arts, which can be life-changing for our young people. If I may, Presiding Officer, I want to concentrate on Scotland's future, so you will not be surprised if I turn to the how we will get their section of the strategy. There are seven principles in the strategy, and I may not be able to speak to all of them today, but I do think that they set out very well how we take this forward. Principle number one says that it places young people at the centre of the strategy, the aims and ambitions, and at the centre of the plans to deliver the strategy. We have already demonstrated that principle in the development of the strategy itself. I commend the work that Creative Scotland did in engaging with stakeholders in working on the strategy, inviting young people from across Scotland to contribute and engage in the development, and doing it an animated presentation of their contributions, which can be seen on the Creative Scotland website. I have every confidence that this principle will bear fruit and that our young people will continue to be at the heart of how we take these policy priorities forward. Principle number two is about the work within the context of curriculum for excellence and other policy frameworks to support young people. I think that this is absolutely key. Curriculum for excellence will be transformational in how we are delivering our education to young people. I believe that keeping this principle and what we are doing at the heart of curriculum for excellence will be a great asset to Scotland's future. I have to disagree with Patricia Ferguson, because in this principle it is actually detailed that further and higher education have a similarly important role in deepening and extending the skills and thinking of our young people. Far from not including our colleges and higher education establishments in the strategy, I think that this demonstrates that it is absolutely key to it. I think that the point that I made was that they did not rate much of a mention. They are mentioned once and that is not really developed and followed up. Really, that is all that I was saying. I would like to see that be much more integrated into the strategy going forward. I appreciate that this is the strategy kicking off, if you like. However, it needs to be developed and all of those institutions need to be involved. Thank you, Patricia Ferguson, for intervening on that point and the clarification on that point. I think that in such a—as well as being an ambitious and comprehensive document—it has been quite concise. The fact that I mentioned is very important. In 2012, I highlighted some of the curriculum work that has been done in North Lanarkshire schools' music groups, where the young people are given an opportunity to attend Copebridge High School. There is an incredible array of talent brought together—the wind ensemble, chorus, symphony orchestra, junior and senior string bands, the jazz orchestra, wind band, prep band, pipe band and the traditional music group—all to come together in one place on a Friday evening and participate in developing their musical talents. They indeed get to showcase that performance at the end of the year. Principle 3 talks about working collaboratively to create a mechanism for better information sharing, peer support and networking. I think that that is extremely important. Young people perhaps embrace social media and the opportunities to share what they are doing far more than we do. I think that capturing the good practice out there and letting young people showcase to one another is very important. Principle 4 is about being proactive in the use of digital technology. Members will know that I have a keen interest in that area as a chair of the cross-party group on games technology. I am always telling young people that I meet that if they are interested in technology and a BAFTA award, then the Scottish Games industry is where they should be. Of course, that is an industry that supports musicians, voice-over participants, graphic designers and a whole array of creative talents, not the least of which storywriters and scriptwriters in that technology. Principle 5 is about the work with the national and local government. As people have mentioned already in the chamber today, that is absolutely key to how we go forward. We have to work within Scotland with all of our organisations and partners, and I think that some of the collaborative work that the Scottish Government has already demonstrated with the local government is very important. I will mention a local charity that I became aware of as a North Lanarkshire councillor, real-time music from Newark Hill. A music charity aims to bring about a positive change in the lives of disenfranchised young people. It will do everything through the provision of affordable recording and rehearsal services, workshop and training provision, volunteering and partnership projects. It has found that providing an informal service music is a great way to break down barriers, learn new skills, increase aspirations and develop a more active lifestyle. There is an excellent example of that partnership working because its funding comes from cash back, from North Lanarkshire partnership, from North Lanarkshire council itself, Scottish Government, Creative Scotland. It works with Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, YouthLink and the Mental Health Festivals and Arts in the areas. Of course, they were very appreciative to get some additional funding through Creative Scotland for provision of instruments and recording music. I do not have time to touch on the other principles, but if I could just finish with a quote from the chair of System of Scotland at our Education and Cultures Committee this week. Principle 6 is about tackling inequalities, and I think that this is probably the most important part of this whole strategy. It says, We could recognise all round that the total health of the nation is tied up with the arts. My experience of children's orchestras in Rapplock and Govan Hill is that everything gets better with them. The children become more determined and studious, as well as happier and healthier, and I would hope that the new Scotland could somehow recognise that. I think that sums up exactly where we want to be with taking this strategy forward. Many thanks. I call Liam McArthur to be followed by Willie Coffey. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I too very much welcome the publication of Time to Shine, with its themes of participation, progression and provision. If nothing else, it may have rehabilitated the notion of PPP for some of us. It stimulated a fairly constructive debate, and I add my welcome to the announcement of the national youth advisory group. The cabinet secretary is absolutely right about the need to take the strategy forward to make sure that the young people themselves are very much at the heart of that. Clare Adamson was also right to remind us that we are moving forward from a position of relative strength in many respects. We would all accept the wider benefits of a vibrant cultural community, but focusing today on the impact on the children and young people in the way that they can flourish through culture and creativity. Building self-confidence, building teamwork, communication skills—all, I think, fairly faithful echoes of some of the benefits that we were hearing, as Christian Allard said, during the youth work and volunteering debate last week. I think that Fiona Hyslop was absolutely right to pray in aid as evidence of this big-noise rap-locks ability to transform lives through music in that community. We have heard Richard Holloway's remarks quoted by various members so far, but I thought his evidence to the committee a few weeks back was very telling. Not only did he point to the esteem, the confidence, pride and aspiration that the individuals themselves experienced, but the wider biosmosis effect that that had on their families and in the wider community was very telling indeed. Obviously, the approach here is one that lays heavy emphasis on collaboration. Again, I think that that is absolutely critical. The Government's motion talks about the collaboration between Scottish Government, national bodies, local government and others, but I think Patricia Ferguson is absolutely right in her amendment to emphasise the role of local arts organisations, also colleges and universities in her interventions. Perhaps do need to be played up a little further, but also emphasising the crucial importance of widening access and participation. I am not sure whether Fiona Hyslop and Patricia Ferguson engage in a referendum rap is the key to unlocking that, but, nevertheless, all ideas welcome. We also need to recognise that the role of major funding bodies in facilitating the UK big lottery, for example, has had a very important role to play, not least in winding up Christine Grahame with a number of parliamentary motions. I will indeed, sorry. I do not know whether you are coming to this or not, but I have been interested to hear since it is very soon time for the Orkney folk festival how young people are encouraged in those organisations. If the member could tell the rest of the chamber, I think that that might be quite useful. Liam McArthur I think that Rob Gibson makes an absolutely fair point. I should declare an interest as the brother of somebody who is heavily involved in organising the folk festival. I think that, like all the festivals in Orkney, which I think are a reflection of the cultural vibrancy within that community, they have recognised that if that is to continue over the long term, it absolutely needs to build in children and young people in pretty much everything that it does. As I say, I think that Orkney is very well served. I think that it is an exemplar in terms of the collaborative approach, bringing together national local organisations, the diversity of art forms, the commitment to access and participation and putting children and young people at the centre of that. I think that it very much speaks to the quality of life issues in enriching the lives of individuals and the whole community. In many respects, it is helping to address the population decline that was a real threat not so very long ago. It is a timely debate in that the instrumental course is taking place in Orkney this weekend. Again, I declare an interest with two children who are at that, but that brings together youngsters from across the county, including the Outer Isles, receiving intensive tuition from some of Orkney's phenomenal music teachers who also support the Orkney's traditional music project and culminating in an exceptional concert at the end of the week, which I am very much looking forward to attending. I think that an aspect of that that probably bears emphasising is the commitment of the local council to free instrumental tuition, which is not the case across the country, but without which that sort of initiative would struggle to survive in anything like its current form. How does that represent itself in success? Clearly, there are young Orcadians attending the conservatoire and the plucked in school of traditional music, but that is not necessarily the end in itself. I think that it is the exposure of children from all backgrounds in all parts of the county to the benefits of music and instrumental tuition. I think that it is the real sign of success of that initiative. It is not just the music, though. The Peer Arts Centre, which is of international renown, contributes very much to the Scottish arts culture. It is linked with the Tate gallery. Again, it is a commitment to inspiring and involving children and young people through the leading light workshops. I attended Stromnys primary not so long ago where the children were all enthused about an exhibition that they were putting on the Peer Arts Centre under the banner inspired by it. I think that it shows the commitment that there is across the county to the involvement of children and young people. Community drama, likewise. I do not think that there is any accident that the palace players youth team have made the national youth finals of the one-act play festival, again, showing the strength of the arts across the piece in Orkney. It is national bodies as well. I think that they are showing a commitment to the rural and remote areas. I think that the Smith made a very valid point about making sure that the break is beyond the bigger city. My experience has been that the likes of Scottish Opera are committed to touring, to travelling, to engaging with schools and with young people right across the country. I cost similarly. I do tremendous work at a national level. Again, I need to declare an interest as a son who has attended a couple of the residential courses, but they have been very assiduous in supporting efforts to establish choirs right across the country. I know that the Orkney one is due to perform next month in Kirkwall. A reflection of all this, though, I think is in the festival scene that Orkney only can boast the one-act play festival back in March, the folk festival later this month, the St Magnus festival next month, later on the year, the Blues weekend and the story-telling festival. I think that all speak of a very vibrant cultural scene, all focusing on ways in which you can involve and inspire younger generation. The wine festival I think is perhaps the obvious exception to that rule. The St Magnus festival, although one of the most striking concerts I've been to in recent times was from the BBC Symphony Orchestra, who, as well as going into the schools through the course of the festival, actually performed alongside local musicians in a side-by-side concert, which I think saw local musicians walk out of that concert hall 10 feet high and an experience that he would struggle to see probably anywhere else, and possibly even in the major cities. In conclusion, I couldn't be more supportive of the strategy, the collaborative approach being led by young people and the focus on access and participation. I need no persuading of the transformative effect that exposure to an involvement in music, art and drama dance can have a tribute to those who make it happen, they deserve and should get our unfaltering support, for it's their efforts that will allow our young people to get an opportunity and time to shine, so that our civil wellbeing, as Richard Holloway said, is in the rudest of health. Thank you very much. I just remind members' speeches of up to seven minutes, please. Willie Coffey to be followed by Richard Lyle. Thanks very much, Presiding Officer, and I can congratulate my colleague from Orkney. I remember some years ago I attended the shopping week festival and I can thoroughly recommend it, so from Orkney to Kilmarnock, which members may be aware, of course, was the winner of the creative places award last year, and I would be very welcome to make a return visit. The emergence of the first national arts strategy for young people is a really important step for Scotland. It is a huge and exciting opportunity for all of our young people. It sends out a message that here in Scotland we see the arts as a fundamental part of our society just as important as any other of the many public investments that we might make. Although I wouldn't claim to be an expert by any means on the history of arts funding, my impression is that, over the years, the arts was always first to take a hit in any sector when budgets were tight. It was sometimes seen as an unnecessary luxury and was perhaps first for the chop. So I am very pleased to see not only the strategy emerging, but a £5 million tranche of funding to support it and to help Scotland to become the international leader in youth arts. What I like about the strategy is that it seems to have a nice balance between setting some clear themes and principles that also provides an extremely flexible canvas for creative talents to emerge and to find expression. You can tell from reading it that there are a huge number of ideas during the national discussion in 2012. Nearly 1,000 young people contributed their vision to develop the strategy that led to its launch last November. I too would like to pick out a few of the key principles that were mentioned by my colleague Clare Adamson. I do think that they offer young people a wonderful chance through the medium of arts to develop themselves as individuals and to learn new skills. Putting those young people at the heart of the strategy, I think, is the right thing to do. They will help to determine what the priorities should be and will play a leading role in finding out what works and what doesn't. I am sure that there will be quite a few surprises along the way with that. Of course, it is right to also see the strategy in terms of how it fits within something like curriculum for excellence. Engaging with the arts is not an optional external bolt-on to a young person's learning experience. It can be and should be very much at the heart of it, and schools have a crucial role in helping our young folk to embrace an arts perspective that they can carry with them throughout their learning journey. I particularly like the focus on using new digital technologies in both the cabinet secretary and Clare Adamson mentioned the importance of that. Anybody who takes the time to look at what young folk are creating, producing and sharing right now with their smartphones will be amazed at the originality of ideas and the speed at which they spread and adapt. New styles of art, music and film are emerging because the technology is decent enough at the moment to allow that, but the technology is simply the enabling tool that offers expression for creative thinkers and artists. What a fantastic opportunity there is here to nurture that creativity. As we see super-fast 4G services becoming more widespread, along with the scaling up of storage capacity, I am really looking forward to seeing what might come out of that particular development. Perhaps somebody new Scottish creative industry will emerge, not to mention the international collaborations that are possible to be mentioned by Christian Allard. For me, one of the most worthwhile inclusions in the strategy are the thoughts and ideas about how we might balance up participation and exclusion. We know that many youngsters from, for example, the Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups are always underrepresented in the arts, and I very much welcome the commitments to try and address that. A striking comment in the strategy, too, revealed to us that many children who live in poverty in Scotland have no access whatsoever to the arts, very often because of the more obvious reasons for lack of resources or transport. However, in households where there might be a disabled parent, that often means that youngsters and their families simply cannot participate in the arts. Therefore, making it easier for young disabled people in particular to access culture in the arts can do so much to boost their confidence in self-esteem. I am immensely proud that that is recognised as a key principle to be addressed, and I really look forward to seeing how that is tackled. With that theme in mind, can I bring to the attention of members the work carried out by Centre Stage in my constituency in Kilmarnock? I should declare an interest as one of their patrons. Centre Stage is a social enterprise theatre company who offers a huge range of performing arts experiences to many youngsters from a variety of backgrounds, many of whom are disabled or who are struggling to cope with the pressures of society. About 1,800 people are so attend there, and whole ethos is about providing them with opportunities to access the arts and to develop their skills and leadership capabilities. They recognise and work hard on many of the issues articulated within the youth arts strategy on inclusion and participation, so much of their work sits perfectly, I think, with the aims set out here. I recall that the cabinet secretary also visited the theatre company a number of years ago to see that for herself. I think that the strategy is a wonderful piece of work and deserves the full support of the Parliament. It is innovative, exciting and offers our young people some fantastic opportunities to unleash their creative talents. It is also inclusive and reaches out to our most disadvantaged and disabled youngsters, whose talents will find expression beyond the limitations of their own circumstances. I am very confident that that will be a huge success and I am looking forward with anticipation to see what happens once those creative doors are well and truly opened. Many thanks and I now call Richard Lyle to be followed by Kezia Dugdale. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I am also very pleased to speak in this debate today in order to highlight the excellent opportunities that are being provided to the young people of Scotland and their artistic goals, whether it is on the stage or the screen. Behind the scenes are one of Scotland's world-leading creative industries. Time to shine comprehensively yet practical strategic aims to enrich young people's lives through the arts and creativity by focusing on three key themes—creating and sustaining engagement, nurturing potential and talent, developing infrastructure and support. It is important to instill in our youth a love and curiosity for culture, regardless of their class, background or where they live, as has just been mentioned by Willie Coffey. It has been shown that immersion in cultural activity can help bolster the future resilience and wellbeing of communities and individuals. That is important to Scotland's children and I am proud to support the investment in this area. In order to carry out the strategy, we will be required to invest time and money. However, I am pleased to say that we will not be starting from scratch, as the strategy builds upon the strong foundations of a well-established, forward-thinking youth arts sector. Scotland is already remarkable in that we have a range of the national youth arts companies for theatre, dance and music. Clare Adamson, I mentioned real-time music, which is located in my region in Newt Hill. The group is working hard to include and expand youth provision and encourage youth in the area to come into the basic forms of art. The curriculum for excellence also heavily features the arts, recognising the expressive arts and providing opportunities to underpin and enrich learning in all other curriculum areas. Despite the strong basis of which to build, it is important that we do not grow complacent but look for new ways to improve provision from within every community across the length and breadth of Scotland so that every young person can benefit from culture. Also in my region in North Lanarkshire, the creative residency provides opportunities to all S4 and S5 pupils across all 24 of North Lanarkshire secondary schools. The programme begins at the start of the calendar year, enabling pupils to attend a series of taster sessions, highlighting the various disciplines on offer. Following that, pupils can submit applications to participate in a week-long arts residency in Kilbowy outdoor centre in June. Kilbowy, as we all know, is set in one of the most picturesque sites in Scotland. Further to that, those same pupils are then given the opportunity to participate in a masterclass, allowing them to hone their skills, learn twire in the outdoor centre. Finally, their work is showcasing an exhibition, an event and summerly music, a museum of Scottish industrial life in Popebridge. That is just one example of the excellent infrastructure that Time to Shine has to build upon, so I am confident that it will be a success and enrich the lives of the young people of Scotland. Time to Shine aims to be inclusive as it possibly recognises the different needs of the large age group from 0 to 25. It also recognises the terms, the arts, meaning different things to different people and can refer to activities well beyond the traditional definitions. That is a long-term strategy that is committed to developing the opportunities for at least the next generation of young people. The consultation of three main themes that should be incorporated into the programme in order for it to meet its full potential. Participation is all important whether it is for as an active participant or as a member of the audience. Both are of equal importance and each individual should determine how they want to engage with the arts. Many factors impact on how our young people engage with the arts, where they live, family environment, their peers, the cost and transport. Time to Shine will work to remove those barriers so that young people can engage with the arts how they see fit. Those involved are wishing to get involved in the arts and must be able to progress through their chosen field. For some, that means developing their skills to a recognised standard. For others, the progression might mean that the arts have helped them recognise their personal qualities that will help them grow in confidence and help them in their other areas of their lives. Scotland is very fortunate to have a pool of highly talented, dedicated artists, practitioners and organisations who work hard to deliver high-quality activities for those interested in the arts. Those dedicated people whom I pay tribute to today seek to provide the twin goals of engaging as many young people as possible and supporting the on-going development of those with particular talent. The Time to Shine strategy encourages this work and proposes ways of sharing information and best practice to foster more collaborative working and sustainability. To finish, I am sure that this Government recognises the positive impacts that arts and creativity can have. This cabinet secretary, and I have to pay tribute to her, has shown her commitment to widening opportunities for everyone to access and benefit from the cultural activity so that Scotland can be an international leader in youth arts. Can I personally thank her for all her hard work on behalf of the people of Scotland? It is her time, and certainly she shines with her enthusiasm for the arts and promoting the cultural ties that Scotland has shown that it has. Scotland is immersed in cultural and historical circumstances, and I commend the cabinet secretary for this debate today and for her commitment to culture. I now call Kezia Dugdale to be followed by Joan McAlpine. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer, and I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate this afternoon. This time last week, we were debating the youth work strategy, and I was reflecting on that debate in preparation for today, just about the degree to which the two strategies are interlinked. There are references to the arts in the youth work strategy, but it is worth reminding ourselves today how much of the work around youth arts is done by youth workers across the country and, indeed, in community groups, and that we should place a high value on that. The last time the minister was before us at culture questions, she may remember that I put some specific questions to her about support for piping in Scotland, and piping is also referenced in her motion today. There is a concern, certainly in Edinburgh, around the degree to which young people can study piping, either through music tuition in schools or through local community groups, because they tend not to be instruments that are particularly supported with public funds. Those parents have raised a specific concern with me about the future impact of that and our cultural heritage, for example the ability to get school piping bands, specifically state school piping bands, to play at the Edinburgh tattoo, and she will be familiar with that. At the recent school piping championships, many of the winning categories were won by private schools, and there is a sense that if we are not very careful, there will be a propensity for only private schools to be able to offer piping, and I think that would be a great shame if we allowed that to happen. I would urge her to have a specific look at that. Those same parents were also quite concerned about the willingness of music teachers in schools to allow pupils to pick the pipes as an instrument as part of their SQA exams. The parents described it as almost a degree of snobbishness around the pipes because they were not seen as a classical instrument, an instrument that they could play in an orchestra, which a lot of music tuition is geared towards in terms of orchestral work. I would encourage her to speak to her education colleagues about that. If she has any update on what is happening there, I would very much welcome it. I also come to the chamber with a specific ask to the minister. Given that those constituents come from very parts of Edinburgh, whether she might meet me and them to discuss their programme of what they think the Government could do around the piping agenda, they have, as they refer to it, a pipe dream of every child in Scotland having a right to learn the pipes. It is very much something that I would support and agree with, and I would like to bring those constituents to her as she is willing to meet them. That also takes us on to some wider questions around music tuition in schools. She will be very familiar with the Scotland on Sunday campaign Let Them Play, which did some very thorough work around the cost barriers, the tuition costs and the rental costs associated with instruments. I would like to hear a little bit more from the minister today about what joint work she is doing with Alistair Allan, who I understand has ministerial responsibility for music tuition just to see how that work in particular is progressing. I would like to focus on colleges for a little bit. It has been mentioned a couple of times today already, but given that the opportunities for all agenda forces our colleges to focus specifically on the 16 to 19-year-old agenda, the role around youth art strategy is ever more important. There are a couple of different aspects of that that I would like to share with her. She will be aware that colleges provide a lot of courses and support around the technical skills that support the arts, particularly sound, lighting, film, etc. She will also be aware that those courses tend to be the most expensive courses for colleges to put on, perhaps behind things such as mechanical engineering, where the costs are a little bit higher, but because of the core costs of those courses, it is very easy for those to be cut and for courses that are cheaper to run to be increased in their numbers to produce an overall effect of student places being maintained at the same rate. I would encourage her just to look carefully at the impact of skills and courses that are available in the creative sector around the college cuts agenda. There is some excellent work happening in our colleges just now, which I think is really important to highlight. I would encourage her to look very closely at what Edinburgh College is doing. She might be familiar that it has three artists in residence at the moment at Edinburgh College, one on filmmaking, one in photography and one on art. The one in filmmaking is a guy called Gary Fraser, who I think the cabinet secretary has met before, who has recently won a Scottish BAFTA for the film work that he has done. He is from Muir House in Edinburgh and Accessed College is a pathway out of addiction. Not only is he making groundbreaking award-winning films, but he is also working with some really hard-to-reach young people across Edinburgh, giving them the confidence, the self-esteem that they need to access education and to progress with their lives. I think that that should be particularly valued. Edinburgh College also, on Friday, had a creative industries employability day, where it devoted the whole day to encouraging young people to look at the types of careers and opportunities that they could access in the arts. Courses such as how to work as a photographer, looking at the events industry, organisational versus technical side of events, community arts, interactive media, freelancing and the music industry, really core skills that could offer future educational opportunities for our young people. She will also be aware that creative exchange, which is a partnership between Edinburgh College and Edinburgh City Council, was nominated for a Scottish Business Award this week for the nature of the work that it is doing around providing a state-of-the-art space and resources and business support for entrepreneurs and people interested in making the creative industry a business. They narrowly missed out on that word, but it is a tremendous achievement within the first year of that organisation existing that they have made it to the short list of the Scottish Business Awards and we should welcome that. All those wonderful examples of work in our colleges set against the cuts agenda from this Government to our colleges. I do not have the ministers aware, but this week, Edinburgh College have announced that they are going to have to make 70 voluntary redundancies between now and November. On the one hand, we have all this excellent work, but on the other hand, the college is going through a terrible time, really low morale, having to cope with redundancies that have been forced on it. I am afraid to say by this Government's focus on HE at the expense of further education. The member will know, and it is obviously a responsibility of my other colleagues in Government, but the spend on the budget for colleges has, in relation to what we inherited in 2007, managed to maintain that level, which is quite remarkable bearing in mind the cuts that we have had across Government from the Westminster provision in the budget. The minister makes a point, saying that the amount of money going to colleges is the same as it was in previous administrations. How, then, can she justify the fact that there are 140,000 fewer students studying our colleges since 2007? 93,000 fewer women studying part-time. If you equate that over each year that this Government has been in power, that is almost a quarter of a million fewer people being able to access a further education opportunity. The minister shakes her head at me, but those are the reality of the figures that are set out by the Scottish Funding Council. They are not my figures, they are her Government's figures. She shakes her head, she needs to look at the detail and accept the reality of what those figures tell her. I will make one mention to community arts and, in particular, Craig Miller community arts. On a Tuesday night, I would invite the minister to come and see drama dodgers, where they put on specific work for the eight to 21-year-old age group. You have got intergenerational learning, and there are loads of people in the Craig Miller community coming together to develop their skills around drama. It is a really positive community development bit of work that I would encourage the minister to attend. Thank you very much. Many thanks, and I now call Joan McAlpine to be followed by George Adam. I, too, welcome the time strategy, putting young people at the heart of Scotland's creative future. Before I start, I should declare an interest in that I have a daughter who benefited from the Youth Music Initiative through the voice factory choir in Glasgow. I am very well aware of the difference that the Youth Music Initiative has made to the lives of hundreds of young people across the country, whatever their background. I would like to praise that and praise the new commitment to the Youth Music Initiative, which was, of course, started by the previous administration, and I acknowledge and congratulate them on that. I want to start by talking about access in terms of people from disadvantaged backgrounds. One of the things about the Youth Music Initiative is that it does not charge, although my own daughter would have had the opportunity anyway. There are a lot of people who get access to the arts through that, whereas many other arts offerings are charged. In Dumfries we have got around that problem with a self-funding organisation called the Electric Theatre. It has a very popular adult community choir and adult theatre, and that charges, but that subsidises the main activities for children and young people through the youth theatre. I think that that is really important. Someone earlier mentioned that, if you put young people at the centre of arts, I think that it was Patricia Ferguson. She sometimes gets some unusual approaches to big topics. She mentioned the wrap being used to illustrate the referendum. The Dumfries Youth Theatre's Electric Theatre workshop last year collaborated in an extraordinary piece of physical theatre called Blood Orange, which was commissioned by the Environmental Arts Festival in Scotland, which is the self-based in the region. Some MSPs who attended the cross-party group on culture, which I convene, will have seen an extract from Blood Orange performed here in the Parliament. Those who missed it will get the chance to catch up by seeing it at the Edinburgh fringe. I say that they take an unusual approach to a big subject. Blood Orange is a very good illustration of that, because it was inspired, if that can be the word, by the experience of a racist march by the English or Scottish Defence League in Dumfries in early 2013. The local trades council and the EIS teachers union had organised a very effective cross-party cross-community protest against this racist march, and it attracted many of the young people from the theatre who were it at the time performing another play, which involved superheroes. They donned their superheroes' lycra outfits and formed a colourful front line in the fight against fascism for the first time, but it guaranteed great coverage in the local paper. On the serious side, the experience had a real effect on the young people who then went away and workshopped Blood Orange, which is a very serious and raw piece of theatre concerning the insidious nature of racism and how it can feed off envy in poverty. The other great thing about it is that they had it in the local nightclub chancers, so it was the kind of place where young people in the town would feel comfortable going to see a piece of theatre. Patricia First could also mention the need to concentrate on all parts of the country, and I agree with that. I am very pleased that the Scottish Youth Theatre is holding one of its summer courses for young people in Dumfries this year, as well as in Glasgow and Aberdeen. I praise the creation of the youth arts hubs that the minister mentioned as part of the youth arts strategy around the country. I would have liked to have seen one of the hubs in Dumfries, of course, and to see that the further south hub is in air. I hope that the door is not completely closed on that, because I know that the minister knows that Dumfries is a real Scottish leader in youth arts in terms of finding ways to pull young people who would otherwise be marginalised into the arts. I do not know if the member had recalled my only statement where I made the point that he recognised that the south of Scotland is an area that is only to have regional intervention in relation to the hubs, but some of the applications were so strong that they expected them to come back as part of the regular funding. Therefore, there is a recognition that south of Scotland in particular will be addressed. I apologise if I missed that part of your speech, but I welcome nevertheless. I would also like to mention that important role played over a long period of time by the Hollywood Trust, which is a charitable trust that has particular interest in young people in the arts in the south-west of Scotland. There is another example of the collaboration that we were talking about earlier. If I could just give one example of how a small grant can make a difference about 15 years ago or maybe 20 years ago, the Hollywood Trust gave a small individual grant because it offered individual grants as well as large grants to organisations. It offered an individual grant to a teenager from the lawside housing scheme in Dumfries, which has challenges. It could not study drama in the town as in the Saturday classes, so it gave him money to travel to college in another part of the country. That young man then went on to the Conservatoire or the RCS as it was then and had a very successful career all over Europe, including London and Ireland in Spain. In the 1930s, he came back to Dumfries, where he established the electric theatre that I mentioned earlier and the Big Burn Supper Festival, which has exposed a whole new generation of young people from different backgrounds to getting involved in the arts. It has had a huge economic impact in the town. That is a really good illustration of how quite a small grant to allow a young man to travel by train to classes can actually have a huge impact on many, many different lives. That is why I welcome the collaboration inherent in the strategy and the motion. Thank you very much. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I support the time to shine strategy for youth arts. In order to get to my point, I want to go around about way with this story. My father, my dad, loved music. He was part of the rock and roll generation. He went to see Bill Haley in the comments down at the Odeon in Glasgow, and he would do the first one up to sing at any event he would go to. There was only one thing lacking in all of that, and that was the fact that he had absolutely no musical talent whatsoever. He could not sing a note, he could not play a musical instrument, but he enjoyed the actual music, he enjoyed the arts, he enjoyed all that to such an extent that it made him extremely happy. I think that the strategy in itself is emphasising that it is not all about becoming professional musicians, it is not all about working within a certain industry within the arts, it is about being part of it and the difference that it can make to all of our lives from the point of our mental health point of view and just making us genuinely feel happy. He is shrubbed off me, I love music, you will see me walking about with my iPod on all the time to come into, before I come in, not in the chamber, but in the way to the chamber, because those things can make a difference in people's lives. I think that that is one of the things that the Scottish Government is putting young people at the heart of Scotland's creative future, giving them the opportunity to design what they are looking for here, because that is how things have always worked. I think that Kezia Dugdale mentioned the debate that we had last week, and if it is young people who are actually part of it, they are pushing the programme forward, they are always the ones who are going to actually support it if they end up going down that route as well. I think that that is an extremely important part of it. Scotland obviously does really well in this side of things, but it is good to see that the Scottish Government wants to be an international leader in children and young people's arts by 2023. I think that the Scottish Government should be commended in its commitment to widening the opportunities for everyone to access, engage and benefit from cultural activity, because regardless of backgrounds, regardless of where you come from, it is important that people do not think that there are certain parts of the arts that are not for them because of their own background, because I can say from my own background that I have things that I have got older that I appreciate now that I did not necessarily appreciate when I was a younger man growing up. I know what you are thinking at this stage. I am talking about arts, creativity, culture and sheer talent. You know that the great town of Paisley is going to be mentioned at one place. How can you not mention the place that is given to us by Paul Natterie, Jerry Rafferty and the actors David Tennant, Gerard Butler and many more, but that does not just come from nowhere. That comes from lots of groups working within Paisley to ensure that those young people get the opportunities. Examples of such are Tommy McGrory who does the loud and proud school of rock in Paisley. He started it off because he was a beef lap bugler and wanted a marching band. Eventually, at one stage, he decided that he would try the school of rock as well. Just long story short, the marching band did not quite work out and the rock and roll side is actually moved on. That gives access to young people. Some people have left, loud and proud in Paisley now, are working as session musicians, so it is giving them an access not necessarily to be a star but to be able to be something within the industry. He offers an early years music club, beginners group lessons, one-to-one lessons in band sessions and many of the bands have gone on to get access to competitions that they would not necessarily have got an opportunity, even if they had been a band that had worked in their own parent's garage and came out the cliché and came out and managed to do something. They probably would not have had the access that they currently do. The problem that they have, like a lot of organisations I said this last week, is that it is a year-on-year on-going issue with funding. They have to use a basket of funding measures in order to try to keep things going. If there was one thing that I would look at, I would say that I would probably have to look at that. However, I am sure that the Cabinet Secretary will remember which Hunt 1697 was a ground-up project where it was young people. I am not saying anything about witches, I am just saying that you are here, Cabinet Secretary. Paisley has an enviable record of being the last place in Europe to murder someone for witchcraft. That programme created a curriculum for excellence pack from one of the Claire Cassidy, one of the teachers and one of the volunteers. She created that and worked with the local authority to ensure that people knew about their own area exactly what the story was all about, why the horseshoe was Maxelton cross and why it was there. It was an important part of curriculum for excellence. I think that it is something that has been missed by the debate and that is in the strategy as well. It is how important that this will be a key part of the curriculum for excellence. We can join all this together. The pack ends up asking children and young and older young people about drawing their own conclusions about what happened in the history. Did she really have witchcraft or did the women who accused her have mental health issues? It opens up all kinds of different questions and gives them a chance to explore it. Of course, the dramatic side was that, every year since, in the past two years, we have had a re-enactment in the town centre. We do not literally burn the witches at the end of it, it is just an enactment. People then know the story and they know that part of our history. It is important that you remember the good stuff as well as the negative. Pace Theatre Company was formed by David Wallace in 1988. It has an ethos of educating and entertaining. One of the classic examples was when I brought them along for I Am Me, which is a play that they are doing at the moment, which is about a young man who is learning difficulties and how his neighbours treat him when it is a disability. They hate crime, but they not only do the young people get the panchants to act, but they also get the opportunity to educate and engage with the local schools. The funny thing about Pace is that everything comes full circle. The Pace Youth Theatre has given the world Paolo Nuttini, Gordon MacCorkle and Adult Watch River City, so he is obviously there as well. Shona MacDonald and the famous famous academy winner David Sneddon, as well as many other people who are also working within the industry. Again, it is not about working within the industry, it is about those groups giving the opportunity. I will say that there you have it. We are just getting on with it in Paisley, nurturing talent and helping young people to explore their potential through the arts. What I would say is that we have been doing it for years in Paisley and I can commend the Scottish Government for encouraging the rest of Scotland to catch up with us. I am very pleased to hear that witches are no longer at risk of a fiery end in Paisley. I will now call Neil Bibby to be followed by Rob Gibson up to seven minutes, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I think that this has been a very interesting debate. It is allowed us to discuss a range of issues to do with youth arts, what more can be done to promote it and what we can learn from different parts of Scotland and the UK and internationally too, as we know culture has no borders. As my colleague Patricia Ferguson said in our opening contribution, Scotland has a good record on participation on the arts, and certainly Labour and Government played our part to help that. As the cabinet secretary has acknowledged in the opening statement of the document of the strategy, we are not starting at the beginning. Things like investment and culture activities being doubled entry to many museums and galleries were made free in the youth music initiative where a groundbreaking scheme was introduced by the previous Labour Government to provide all people's music tuition. All those things were welcome moves, but it is clear that we need to build on that, and we need to look at how we can make arts more accessible to young people and particularly to young people in deprived communities. Not every young person will want to become a musician, a dancer or an actor, nor should they. I never had those aspirations. I was too busy playing football badly, but the key here is ensuring that the opportunities are there, that they are accessible and young people are encouraged and supported to make the most of their potential. I am pleased therefore that inequalities are acknowledged within the youth arts strategy document and an inclusive approach to involving young people is mentioned as well as a strategic objective to address inequalities and develop mechanisms that allow access for all. I am pleased that young people are due to form a national youth advisory group. I was going to ask the minister how young people involved in community art groups in Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire and elsewhere will have their views taken on board, but I know and I welcome what the minister said in our opening contribution about the involvement of young Scot and working to ensure that people from all backgrounds will be involved in shaping that strategy. I very much welcome that. I say this because, as members have highlighted in this debate, there are a number of excellent and inspiring youth arts projects across Scotland. That is no different from what George Adam has demonstrated in Paisley and in Renfrewshire, where we have some great examples. One such example is the Pace Youth Theatre in Paisley, which is going to become the largest youth theatre of its kind in the UK. We have a current membership of more than 2,000 and more than 200 young people are waiting places at any given time. The former provost of Renfrewshire, Nancy Arson, reminded me recently that it has come a long way since she was first involved in its formation in 1988 when just seven children turned up for the first meeting. Then the project took its first steps in what has been its hugely successful aim of introducing young people through the arts, particularly those in the private communities and who would otherwise not get such an opportunity. Many of those aims are still apparent today, and the theatre now runs weekly workshops and drama for anyone aged three to 18, which aim to increase communication skills, confidence and self-expression. As George Adam says, a number of former members have gone on to become well-known actors and performers, currently working in theatre, television and film, Paolo Nettini, James McElvoy, among them. Education has always been a central part of Pace's work and takes a number of different forms per situatory performance projects, allowing primary school pupils the opportunity to perform to the peers of important issues such as bullying, drug awareness and healthy living. Pace also undertakes hundreds of community workshops each year in schools, libraries and other venues, and hosts a hugely popular school holiday performing arts festival called Fest. Those events usually involve a cast of young people coming together for one week to devise and rehearse a new production base on a fun theme. They are designed to be challenging as fun and are a great way for young people to get together, make friends and explore the creative side. I remember myself when I was younger attending a Pace youth club on a couple of occasions. I did very much enjoy it, but as I said earlier, I had other interests that I wanted to issue. As I say again, it was great to have that opportunity available. I have a number of friends who very much enjoyed the opportunity of being involved in Pace as well and opportunities that should be available, affordable and accessible to all. I would draw members' attention to other youth arts projects in Paisley and Renfrewshire, as George Adam mentioned, loud and proud, which works with a range of local organisations, including the council, providing chances for children to learn how to play music from an early age. I have heard some of the musicians play at various events in Renfrewshire, and they are a credit to the local community. Similarly, I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet young people from Erskine Music and Media Studio when they performed in the Scottish Parliament last year and heard about some of the excellent work that was being done there. The studio was run by young people for young people and their success at the 2013 Youth Link Scotland Awards was well deserved. That is another example of the positive and inspiring work that is happening in Renfrewshire at the moment. George Adam also mentioned the Renfrewshire which project. I would also note that the strategy talks about promoting arts amongst looked-after children and also around for sure. We have the Kibble education and care centre, and the children from the Kibble centre came to the Scottish Parliament to do a play about looked-after children and their experiences, and it was not only thought-provoking, but it also demonstrated the artistic talents of the children involved. I welcome the opportunity to praise those groups and highlight some of the important work that they do, and I am sure that the minister will acknowledge that as well. There is a great deal of expertise in youth arts in Scotland that we need to build on, and there are great examples of how we make youth arts more accessible to young people and particularly those from the private areas. That must be the main focus of the strategy moving forward, and I will be following closely to ensure that it does. I now call on Rob Gibson, after which we will move the closing speeches up to seven minutes, please, Mr Gibson. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I have been interested to hear the various views around the chamber from different parties concerning their areas and the overall strategy for youth arts in Scotland. It is great to know that, in fact, we have had a strong base to work from, but much of that base came from before the times of devolution. Indeed, part that I want to speak about is the fashion movement, which started with the first event in Barra in 1981, and the second phase joined it in Faseros in 1986. What were they? Well, they were residential learning things that used music and garlic to encourage community stimulus and to give people a sense of belonging. They have developed into Fasion and Gale, which was developed in 1991 and is the umbrella organisation for this independent association of Fasion, supported by Creative Scotland, Bordd and Gaelic, Highland Council and the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and the reach is considerable, 30 or 40 Fasion reaching 13,000 young people annually, according to their website. 6,300 of those are taking part in those learning weeks or weekends or evening classes, and another 4,800 who have taken part in the youth music initiative classes, which have been organised by the Fasion. My point about concentrating on the expressive arts and a particular music is that the fact of the development of the organisation meant that it was one of the ones that was looked at academically at a fairly early stage, as well. I want to quote from the Comedia report the social impact of the Fasion in a wider European study of social purpose and value in the participatory arts from 1996. Francois Matarassau said that the central role of the Fasion were community, the importance of garlic and the high level of artistic quality. According to him, the Fasion contribute to individual and personal development, social cohesion, community empowerment and self-determination, local image and identity, imagination and vision and health wellbeing. Those are remarkable words at a time when people were trying to make sure that our traditional music was available to lots of youngsters in our part of the world, in the highlands and, indeed, in the cities. I was interested to hear the oblique reference to it from Patricia Ferguson when she talked about the Fasion movement, the Fasion, ensuring the continued relevance of the traditional arts. I would suggest that many of the lessons that the youth art strategy has learned is from some of those particular organisations such as the base movement because they are rooted in the music of this country, the indigenous music, but it is not in a cocoon. It has spread out to be interested in other forms of music and people have progressed through the Fasion movement and become more rounded adults. Some of them have become professional musicians and they have come from across the spectrum of ability and across the spectrum of income, because the likes of face rush in my own area make sure that people who cannot afford to go away for two or three days get some help to do so. That inclusive part of it is something as well, but it is really important to recognise that the folk music, the indigenous music, is something that should hope as many of the children in Scotland as possible were exposed to. It concerns me that if it is only seen as something that is a part of the wider music scene, we will lose that centrality, that core value that François Matarassot stated there. He said practically about Fasion, rarely have I seen work whose quality and value spoke so eloquently for itself as that which I witnessed in Scotland. I know how far it is from the committee room to the cailie, and I would urge all who want a more rounded understanding of the Fasion to see, to hear and to participate whenever the opportunity should arise. Those are inspiring words in 1986 and when the face movement was 25 years old in 2006, many of those same values had been developed even further, not necessarily through the medium of garlic but spawning a lot of collaboration with the gathering in Gordon, the gatherings in the cities and various other groups in the towns as well. It is also meant that young people have travelled to play music in the face movement to Ireland, to Brittany, to Romania where they are working with children at the moment who are blind and to try and get guide dogs from part of the face. I was speaking to Fiona Dalgethey, the director of Face Ross at the weekend, a performance of the music of blind 18th century musicians, played by two blind artists of today with other musicians with them. It was a fantastic offering and it shows the kind of range of interests that there is from the traditional roots. I suggest that, with the Youth Arts Hub in the Highlands being curated by Face Ross, no more appropriate body is there to do that job. It seems to me that we have to recognise that children should be exposed as much as possible to music and the other arts, the plastic arts as well as the expressive ones, but that if they miss out on understanding their own indigenous music, they miss out on some of the richest traditions anywhere in the world. The opportunity for them to do so is something that should open up to as many of the children of Scotland as possible. I hope that the youth arts strategy can expose as many children as possible in future to the traditional instruments, the traditional song and theatre and all the elements that make up a core part of the culture of this nation. I now move to the closing speeches. I call on Mary Scanlon up to seven minutes, please. Can I just, as the Highlands and Isles MSP, thank Rob Gibson for his comments on the face movement? We all, all of those who represent the area, know the excellent work that is done. I would like to pay tribute to Rob Gibson, because I know that he has had a significant involvement in the face movement in the past. There have been some excellent speeches today, covering the length and breadth of Scotland. I think that one in particular struck me was Patricia Ferguson's. Really, because Patricia Ferguson brings the experience as a former culture minister and now a continued commitment to the arts in opposition, I very much welcomed her speech. I hope that I can start with an anecdote and you will bear with me, but we have been talking about inequalities all day. We have probably been talking more about the arts, music and drama. I would just like a quick anecdote on dancing, Scottish country dancing in particular. At my time of life, I thought on you all about Scottish country dancing, having done it for more than six decades. When a friend of mine said, when he came along to Scottish country dancing evening in Edinburgh, I thought, as others have said about the exercise, the development, the wellbeing, the social side of it, and I thought, ticked all the boxes, so along I went. The first dance was Hamilton House, I never heard of it. The next dance was the Duke of Perth, I never heard of it. If I had known it was the Bruins reel, I might have had it go. The reel of the first 50 first, I never heard of it, and then Mary's wedding. Of course, I went along, armed with my knowledge of the gay Gordon, stashing white sergeants, stripped the willow and ate some reel, and then I discovered having spoken to cabinet secretaries such as Mr Russell, Mr Neil and others. I thought perhaps I was the odd one out, but they didn't know Hamilton House or the Duke of Perth or any others. In further investigation, I discovered that, if you were privately educated, you are much more likely to know those dances, but for those of us who went to the country schools in the how of the merns, how of the merns, you haven't got any idea. I would like to come back to that about the inequalities. Since I got some coverage on that, I got emails as far afield as San Diego, California, saying the same thing, that our own Scottish country dancing is people in Scotland that are not being taught how to dance, and it is something that is practised worldwide. Now that I have that one off my chest, I am just not to forget Scottish country dancing. However, I am very much welcome and endorse all the words that Liz Smith said and commend all the organisations, including the National Youth Choir, National Youth Orchestra and indeed the National Youth Pipe Band. One of the great challenges is ensuring that all children, whatever their background, have the opportunity to express themselves through arts and culture. I was surprised when I looked at Scottish education. Although the number studying drama and music at higher has remained stable year on year, there has been an 8 per cent fall in the number studying art and design. Similarly, there is reason to be concerned about the uptake of the expressive arts baccalaureate, consisting of two advanced hires, a higher and an interdisciplinary project. The baccalaureate is designed to ease the transition into higher education or employment. However, the statistics published by SQA revealed that in the first year of implementation five pupils, only five, enrolled in the expressive arts baccalaureate. Perhaps a lack of demand, perhaps a lack of awareness, but whatever the case, when we are discussing the strategy today, I do think that if we want to realise the ambitions in time to shine, I think that it is certainly worth looking at. The second point that I want to make concerns local authority music tuition and Kezia Dugdale covered much of what I want to say. I hope that I can add to what she said. Last June, in the wake of the publication of instrumental music tuition in Scotland report, the Scottish Government formed an implementation group to work towards realising the report's recommendations. I appreciate the updates due by the end of this year and I certainly look forward to seeing what is in it. Various speakers have mentioned not just the financial pressures on councils but the financial constraints that stops pupils at schools, particularly from deprived backgrounds, the opportunity to learn music tuition. Prohibitive costs threaten that, particularly on people from poorer backgrounds. I am still gathering information, but it seems that, at most schools in Scotland, with their own pipe band, they are private schools. I am pleased to hear what Jane Baxter said, because she mentioned that Fife Council had supported a pipe band within Fife, but it is quite difficult to realise that. We are actually seeing not just dancing being the preserve of upper classes or those at private schools but access to playing the bagpipes. To offer a specific example, my office recently I have been doing a freedom of information into access and cost to the bagpipes. A number of large local authorities, including Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire, do not include bagpipes in their individual instrument music choice. Moreover, in council areas, there are significant differences. For example, North Lanarkshire confirmed that of the 121 primary schools in the authority, only 13 schools are able to access lessons in the bagpipes. In the interest of fairness in Dumfries and Galloway, lessons in piping are available in three out of 16 secondary schools, so it is very much a case of postcode prescribing. I have read the recommendations here, and I am just winding up here. I have read the recommendations because I would have commended the Government on it. I have read them very carefully and I think that Willie Coffey made a very good point about access. Although I have read the strategic objectives, they are all worthy, but they are wooly, and I am not sure that they are at this stage sufficiently focused on inequalities to address the gap. Thank you so much. Now, Colin Patricia Ferguson, up to nine minutes please. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. This has been a very interesting and I think a very good debate. I have enjoyed very much listening to the contributions that colleagues have made particularly when they have talked about matters pertaining to their own particular areas, because one of the beauties of this Parliament is that you get to share that kind of information and you get to hear about other people's enthusiasm and complaints as well sometimes. It has been really interesting from that point of view. Liz Smith made a very good point in her opening speech about the propensity of arts organisations perhaps to be congregated a little bit around Glasgow and Edinburgh, although I think that Mr Adam would probably make a claim that they stretch out a little bit into Paisley as well. Of course, he is absolutely right about that and some of that leakage from Glasgow into Paisley is obviously to be welcomed. I say that as someone who has enjoyed very many arts performances in Paisley, but I think that joking aside that that is one of the wonderful things about the arts is that if we all stop and think about what is happening in our own areas, we have all got good stories to tell. The point of what we are trying to talk about today is how we take that one step further on and then another step further on. It really is genuinely interesting to hear what colleagues have got to say. Jane Baxter very eloquently demonstrated the point that many, if not most, young people access the arts through local organisations like the work that is going on in the Alhambra theatre in her area and that local authorities are vital in that regard. It is interesting to hear that because, in a sense, it chimes a little bit against what Willie Coffey was saying. Willie Coffey was making the point that often the arts are the first thing to be cut. He is right about that, although I would hope that it is fair to say that, across the lifetime of this Parliament, that has not been the case with any of the Governments that have had the opportunity to preside over this area. However, it can be the case with local authorities. I think that that is a shame and I think that it is something that people should think again about. I know that a number of our youth performing arts companies have found that their funding from local authorities has either been diminished or has ended altogether. Clearly, we want those organisations to thrive, and I think that it behoves us all to talk to our local authority colleagues and to encourage that enthusiasm for the arts. I think that they actually have, but they sometimes find difficult to manage. I entirely agree with what she is saying about the importance of local authorities supporting that. I share my concern that, sometimes, when pressure is placed upon central Government to fill the gaps that have been left, in a sense that there is a risk that what you end up doing is rewarding bad behaviour and not necessarily celebrating and rewarding and supporting the good behaviour of local authorities that I have not made those cuts. I would agree with that entirely, and I think that it is a very difficult call to get the judgment right on and get the balance right on. I think that it is one where we all have to stop and consider what is actually happening out there. I was very interested in some of the points that Claire Adamson made, and I think that she is absolutely right that peer support is important. Of course it is, and young people benefit from their friends and their relatives telling them, but they did well. We all like to be told that even if, for some of us, it does not happen very often. It is nice when it does, and I think that it is great for young people particularly going forward. I think that Ms Adamson very well made my case for systema, frankly, and the joy that that brings, but also the way in which it helps young people with their learning and with their life as they go forward. It is an all-encompassing opportunity, I think, systema, and that is why I am such a fan of it. My colleague, Kezia Dugdale, made a number of very valid points about the fact that often the people delivering the arts in our local communities are not perhaps trained artists, but they are development workers with an interest or an aptitude in the arts who bring all their skills and talents to that contribution. The point that has been made by Kezia Dugdale and Mary Scanlon about the playing of the pipes is very important. It strikes me that the pipes are fast becoming cultures equivalent of rugby in that you have to have gone to a certain school in order to be able to play the pipes. I think that that is very sad and detrimental. I was just trying to make thank you for taking this. At the Sutherland schools pipe band, the contire schools, they are small schools in the countryside, so having one in each school is nearly impossible, but there are groups of schools where there are pipe bands in the highlands. Patricia Ferguson. I thank Mr Gibson for that. I was going to come on to Mr Gibson next, because I think that he may have misunderstood my reference to Fasian Nagale. I have nothing but praise for Fasian Nagale, but I think that one of the things that he has done on top of all the other things that he has listed, and he is right to list them, is that they have helped to continue that interest in our traditional instruments and our traditional language and our traditional music and have kept that flag flying perhaps when it was more difficult to do so in times gone past, but I do think that they have, particularly Fasian Ross, have a fantastic reputation and have been really imaginative in the way that they have used the youth music initiative to take that forward. I think that one of the challenges that we have with the youth music initiative is that if a young person comes forward and says, I would like to be able to play in pipes, or I would like to be able to play in bassoon and that school happens to have six violins and two violas, then it is very difficult. I think that that is probably one of the challenges that we have to take up going forward in the future. Neil Bibby was absolutely right to major on the idea of equalities. I think that he is right to identify and look after children. We know the challenges that children face in all aspects of their lives, and if we cannot deliver for them in this area, then we really need to think again, and I am really pleased that the strategy is going to do that. I would also like to talk about the equalities in a slightly wider sense, because there are now many communities living in Scotland with their own cultures. The example that I have in my constituency is the Maryhill integration network, where people of all cultures come together and enjoy one another's art, one another's dance, one another's drama and music. That, to me, is a real joy to behold, and it is a really good way of breaking down the barriers that might otherwise exist in an area, and they have done that for a number of years now and done it very successfully. I think that I am coming close to that point. Liam McArthur drew attention to the value of festivals, and I think that he is absolutely right that festivals are a really important way of coming together and of sharing the experience and of giving people a stage on which to perform. It strikes me that if we are talking about an arts awards scheme, perhaps we also start to think about whether or not we could have an annual youth arts festival in Scotland. Perhaps, at the same time as the Edinburgh festival, perhaps not. Perhaps we build on one of the existing festivals that is out there, perhaps we do not. However, I really think that young people coming together would be such a creative opportunity that would help them all to raise their game, give them all new ideas about what they would want to do in the future, and I just think that if we could harness that kind of potential, we would be doing the whole country a favour. I think that it is fair to say that all contributors today have been concerned to make sure that this strategy is for all of Scotland's young people, regardless of their circumstances, and in that regard, I particularly welcome it. Many thanks. I now call on Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop to wind up the debate on behalf of the Government. Cabinet Secretary, you have until 4.59. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I think that I'll start with a quote from Albert Camus. Without culture and the relative freedom it implies, society even when perfect is but a jungle, and that is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future. Presiding Officer, I think that this has been a very good debate. If there was a portrait of a nation, I think that it's been painted here today in the different reflections of the different parts of the country, but it also shows the strength of what's happening just now. I was quite clear that the youth art strategy is about building on the firm foundation that we already have, but taking us forward and with that stretch. We've heard across the chamber a variety of different enthusiastic and considered views. I particularly appreciated the points from George Adam about, remember, it's about enjoyment and joy. I can reassure him that Palo Natini from Paisley's Caustic Love is on constant play in my character. That's a wonderful magnificent piece of musical triumph. To Neil Bibby, who perhaps was denied culture as much when he was younger, he said that he was focused on football. One of the best cultural experiences that I saw was a theatre performance of Archie Gemmell's Goal. The Theatre Royal in Glasgow by Off Kilter where basically there were about 12 dancers in unison replaying the Archie Gemmell's Goal. It's part about reaching and connecting. Art is everywhere, as I said, even in football. Can I reassure the cabinet secretary that having witnessed first-hand Neil Bibby's Goal celebration, I think that dancing is alive and well in the Bibby household? Neil Bibby's dancing and Patricia Ferguson's rap, in terms of our portrayal, we can express ourselves in different ways. In terms of the debate, I think that there's a number of very important points that have been made. I think that it's clear that across the chamber there's a shared passion and commitment to ensure that all of our young people are given the opportunity to experience culture and the joy, the challenge, the energy, the expression, the understanding and the questioning that arts bring to young people must be core to our story. I'm pleased that there's a consensus around how important culture is to our society and our young people, but there are important points that have been addressed that I want to try and come on to. The youth arts help us and help young people to develop skills that are needed in modern world flexibility, the ability to solve problems, communicate, learn new skills, be creative and innovative and strive for excellence. Indeed, the enrichment for our young people is very important. There are also wonderful examples of culture making a difference to our young people. Cashback for creativity, which I will stress again, is engaging with young people at a risk of turning to crime and anti-social behaviour and making a real impact on their lives. Obviously, there's been a running theme about issue of access. One of the points on wider access is looking at what Scottish Bally is doing just now. It's the innovative, the close project. It provides the first-time Bally experience for young adults, some of whom are excluded from mainstream education, and the close aims to empower participants by welcoming their creative ideas, building their confidence communication, self-expression and creative skills. Liam McArthur in his contribution talked about Orkney. He'll be aware of the wonderful example of the Orkney PD Schools Orchestra. Next month, all the pupils in Orkney's smallest schools will come together for the third year to form an orchestra with the Scottish Chamber of Orchestra of Musicians in a project that is delivered in partnership with Orkney Islands Council. The real challenge that we have in the youth strategy is to make sure that we can reach either geographically but also with the different groups in society. In terms of the points that have been raised in the debates, a number of issues I wanted to address. The work questions about how do we do things in terms of the system of project take it forward, Aberdeen are wanting to take the project forward as part of our funding from across the different departments in government. We've also helped the system to think about what it will do next in terms of development. Dundee is supporting Dundee. They are looking at different art forms in terms of their aspire programme. Again, I am sure that the Parliament wants to take a close interest in that. There has been mention of colleges and universities. That is an important point. I want to address the demand that we are collectively creating in terms of the consequence of the YMI. We are now seeing the young people who have had that opportunity in early years then wanting to take that up in secondary. That is creating a demand itself. It is not always necessary for qualifications, although I am pleased to see that the number of advanced hires in the last year that we have figures for expressive arts are up 8 per cent, music up 12 per cent. I think that what that demand means is that one orchestre is growing in terms of schools and different experiences but also in terms of the demand to play in different instruments. Sometimes it is the travel to another school that is causing the issue around tuition payment. I will ask Alasdair Allan to, at the earliest opportunity, that he can to update those who have inquired about the tuition fees issue. The point that Mary Scanlan was making about the possibility of interdisciplinary work in terms of the baccalaureate, which leads to some of the issues that you are talking about, would presumably be very beneficial. It is a worry that there are not more children taking up that particular course. Part of the lead-up is to make sure that more people will be able to do more advanced hires and hires. I will take an example of how we have got to manage the supply of what we provide from our colleges and universities to meet that growing demand. There was a shortage of dance teachers to teach either standard grade or national and then higher. One of the things that I was instrumental in was making sure that the Royal Academy of Music and Drama were able to be provided with funding from the funding council to have a higher degree in dance that would allow more higher degree in terms of hires being taught in schools by teachers who were qualified with a degree in dance, as well as providing the professional career path for our dancers. That is one of the things that we have to do is to make sure that we have the teachers, we have the provision. I want to take on the issue on the piping of which Kezia Dugdale will know that I have a keen interest and I am more than happy to look further into this issue with her and others. There is a challenge because there are very good pipers in schools and very good pipe bands. James Gillespie High School is in this city, as Kezia Dugdale will know, great performers. We have heard from Rob Gibson in relation to the entire band, who have done fantastically well if you look at the competitions. West Lothian, where I represent, created a West Lothian schools pipe band only in recent years, but I also know from the scientists that there is a bit of a tension between the different bands that compete in terms of their junior, their novices, etc. Many of them have tuition themselves for young people, but it is seeing the schools bands in competition. We need a system that takes everybody forward, but I hear your points. Although I do not personally curate the tattoo, I will see what I can do in terms of finding out from Brigadier Alfie and his choice of which bands are taking. To Mary Scanlon, I know that she is passionate about the dance issue. Come to the enlist school in July, take part in the hopscotch. Wherever dance places she has been going to, she feels it is rather exclusive. She is more than welcome where we join with tourists to do the dancing in the enlist school palace during the summer months. Mary Scanlon? Can I ask the minister if she can do the Duke of Perth Hamilton house and the 51st and Mary's wedding? No, I can, but I must say that I am more than happy with the gay Gordon's and in terms of strip the willow and in terms of the Shetland drill. I think that there are, in terms of the dancing capabilities that I have, I think that that is more than enough to see me by. I want to address some of my other issues. I saw in terms of Liz Smith mentioning the turn of prize winners, really important again in terms of the quality of the teaching that takes place at GCA in particular, and we wish them all well. I was very pleased that we supported Duncan Campbell in particular at the Venice Biennale. I saw his work when I was there last year, but she is also right to consider the role of families in participation. Jane Baxter mentioned the happy lands and emphasising the importance of communities and that point of access for communities with arts as well. In relation to some of the other areas, I think that Willie Coffey was right to say that the digital expression that we now see and the digital creativity of young people is quite incredible. I think that that is going to take the youth arts strategy into different areas and is why internationally people are so impressed with the work that has been carried out. In relation to other aspects, we do what time to shine to develop. It is about creating opportunities and nurturing the fantastic talent that we have across Scotland. Involving people early and making sure that young people drive the policy is something that is very important and inclusion is very core and key to our policy. Young people's voices must be found, nurtured and given support, striking a balance between nurturing and guidance, offering space for the independence and freedom to express their views and to have them listen to with respect is a challenge. Time to shine is an attempt to engender a sense of inclusivity and responsibility. It is a theme that has come through every single contribution. The arts and culture can give a real beneficial effect to a young person's sense of belonging to their place, to their community and I can see that very well. In relation to the issues around piping and reflection on some of the other points of debate, YMI has been used very effectively in many ways. The youth brass band movement, if I was to say to you that in 2007 there were six youth brass bands in the whole of Scotland, we now have almost 200. It is quite incredible in terms of the growth supported by YMI and I think that again tells us that we are creating a demand that we have to meet in terms of support later on. Arts and culture are fundamental to our quality of life. Everyone needs to benefit for them. I personally worked hard and this Government has to defend youth arts and the culture budget. Arts are a response to individuality and our nature. It helps to shape our identity. It transcends deep differences and stubborn differences and divisions. Arts have a wondrous universality and enormous potential to unify, and arts can speak many languages and across many cultures, and they do not discriminate. I think that this has been a very good debate. I will ask the team round time to shine to take forward all the demands and the invitation to work more with our colleges and universities. I reflect on the growth and idea of festivals. I thought that the idea of our youth arts festival was one that is to be commended. I started my contribution with a quote from one Albert, Albert Camw. I want to finish my contribution with a quote from another Albert. We must bear in mind what Albert Einstein said. He said that logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. I thank everyone for their contributions in this debate. The health of youth arts is strong in Scotland, but I believe that, with all the support of the chamber and all the different agencies, and I would like to thank Creator Scotland and all the other agencies involved, we can be international leaders in youth arts. I thank everyone for their support for this motion and we are more than happy to accept the Labour amendment. Thank you. That concludes the debate on time to shine youth arts strategy. We now move to the next item of business, which is consideration of a business motion 1 0 0 3 6. In the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, sitting out of business programme, any member who wishes to speak against the motion should press a request-to-speak button now, and I call on Joe Fitzpatrick to move motion number 1 0 0 3 6. Thank you. No member has asked to speak against the motion. Therefore, I now put the question to the chamber. The question is that motion number 1 0 0 3 6. In the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a stage one timetable for the Food Scotland Bill, any member who wishes to speak against the motion should press a request-to-speak button now, and I call on Joe Fitzpatrick to move motion number 1 0 0 3 7. No member has asked to speak against the motion. Therefore, I now put the motion to the chamber. The question is that motion number 1 0 0 3 6. In the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a stage one timetable for the Food Scotland Bill, any member who wishes to speak against the motion. Therefore, I now put the motion to the chamber. The question is that motion number 1 0 0 3 7. In the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, be agreed to. Are we all agreed? The motion is therefore agreed to. The next item of business is consideration of a Parliamentary Bureau motion. I would ask Joe Fitzpatrick to move motion number 1 0 0 3 8 on the lodging and submission dates for various question times. The question in this motion will be put decision time to which we now come. There are three questions as a result of today's business. The first question is that amendment number 1 0 0 3 3.1. In the name of Patricia Ferguson, put 6 to mind motion number 1 0 0 3 3. In the name of Fiona Hyslop, on time to shine youth art strategy, be agreed to. Are we all agreed? The amendment is therefore agreed to. The next question is that motion number 1 0 0 3 3. In the name of Fiona Hyslop, as amended, on time to shine youth art strategy, be agreed to. Are we all agreed? The motion is amended is therefore agreed to. The next question is that motion number 1 0 0 3 8. In the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, on lodging and submission dates for various questions, be agreed to. Are we all agreed? The motion is therefore agreed to. That concludes the decision time. We now move to members' business. Members to leave the chamber should do so quickly and quietly.