Culture can help make sense of dangerous world – Swinney

Culture can help to “make sense of this increasingly dangerous, angry and uncertain world”, First Minister John Swinney will say in a speech on Thursday highlighting Scotland’s creative industries.

Speaking ahead of the beginning of the Edinburgh Fringe, the book festival and international festival, the First Minister will tout Scotland’s cultural significance.

He is set to pledge to do “all that I can” to help cultural and creative industries across the country.

Speaking in the capital, the First Minister is expected to say: “Culture gets to the very heart of our shared history and our national identity.

“It shapes our public spaces and our environments. It contributes to education, to social dialogue and social justice.

“Galleries and museums tell our story. Music and dance bring us together. Poetry and literature move us, and inspire us to take action.

“Ceilidhs and concerts uplift us, and invite others to join in with us.

“But how can we make sense of this increasingly dangerous, angry and uncertain world? The answer – as it always has been – comes through the means of creative expression.

“Culture that holds up a mirror and allows us to see Scotland as it truly is – in all its glorious diversity.

“Culture that helps us to understand ourselves, to understand each other and to understand the world around us. To appreciate the things we have in common – but also to build bridges between us.

“Scotland’s creative economy enhances our reputation globally and is our unique selling point – every bit as powerful as our landscapes and food and drink.

“I want to do all that I can to help our interlinked culture and creative industries flourish because it is the right and the smart thing to do.”