First Minister holds out hope of ‘potential support’ for axed book festival

Humza Yousaf has pledged to look at what “potential support” the Scottish Government could give to a “fantastic” book festival which has been cancelled due to funding issues.

The Aye Write festival will not go ahead this year in Glasgow after arts body Creative Scotland turned down its bid for cash – with former first minister Nicola Sturgeon branding the cancellation “really bad news”.

Mr Yousaf, who last year succeeded Ms Sturgeon as First Minister, hailed the event as a “cultural icon”.

He told MSPs: “Having been alerted to the news I will look at potential support the Scottish Government can provide.”

Aye Write is organised by Glasgow Life, the arm’s length leisure body of Glasgow City Council.

The decision will also mean the cancellation of the event’s sister festival aimed at children, Wee Write.

Mr Yousaf added that Aye Write was a “fantastic festival”, with the First Minister adding: “I would say it is something of a cultural icon, an institution within our festival and cultural landscape.”

His comments come after his predecessor Ms Sturgeon, a well-known book lover, took to social media to complain about the event’s cancellation.

She wrote on X: “Really bad news. I know money is tight but very much hope that a way is found to get @AyeWrite back on track.”

The former first minister added: “Books, culture generally, are so vital to our wellbeing – and never more so than in the troubled times we live in today.

“Book festivals are opportunities to celebrate the wonder of literature and those who create it. We mustn’t lose that.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative MSP for Glasgow Annie Wells pressed Mr Yousaf on the issue at First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament.

She noted that while Creative Scotland had turned down a funding request from the book festival, the arts body had initially approved money for the sexually explicit Rein project – although it later reversed this decision.

As a result, the Tory called on Mr Yousaf to “clarify Creative Scotland’s prioritisation process in cultural funding decisions”.

The First Minister stated: “Of course Annie Wells would be aware these decisions are for Creative Scotland to make, and they make them independently of Scottish Government ministers.”

Glasgow Life meanwhile said that some events “inevitably miss out” when funding is being awarded due to tight budgets, adding that it hopes the event will return in 2025 after an application for multi-year funding.

A spokeswoman said: “The festivals’ delivery is dependent on securing external funding, and while bids for funding support continue to exceed monies available, especially during the current difficult economic climate, some events will inevitably miss out.

“Aye Write and Wee Write have developed and grown over the years thanks, in part, to support through Creative Scotland.

“Our 2024 funding application to Creative Scotland was not successful, so Aye Write and Wee Write will not be able to take place as festivals this year.

“We appreciate this will cause considerable disappointment.

“Glasgow Life will organise some pop-up Aye Write events during 2024 and will develop an application for multi-year funding starting in 2025, which, if successful, means a return for the festivals next year.”

A spokeswoman for Creative Scotland said: “We recognise the significance of Aye Write to audiences and the literature sector and understand that this is disappointing news.

“We are currently only able to support around 30% of applications to our open fund due to limitations on the money available to us and difficult decisions need to be made on a daily basis.

“As demand for these funds continues to increase, Creative Scotland continues to advocate for more resources to support culture and creativity across Scotland.”