Scottish Budget provides stability but further support needed
We welcome the Scottish Government’s Budget while stressing that further action is needed to secure the museum sector’s long-term resilience.
The Budget confirms continued investment in the Museum Futures programme, which will run for a second year, alongside a near standstill capital settlement for non-national museums.
Giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Committee on January 29th 2026, MGS CEO Lucy Casot set out both the opportunities presented by the Budget and the challenges that remain, saying:
“We and our sector welcome the continued support for Museum Futures. This is a new programme developed in partnership with Scottish Government and National Lottery Heritage Fund which seeks to deliver positive changes in how the sector operates and collaborates, to create the conditions to test new ways of working.
“Early impact research shows that the programme is beginning to meet the needs we tailored it around. It is creating the conditions for growth and resilience that we anticipate will enable museums to innovate, adapt, and thrive. Continued investment is essential to continue momentum and realise the potential of this approach. So while we welcome a second year of funding support, our ambition is to secure a multi-year commitment to enable us, and museums, to plan with confidence.
“Also welcome is the preservation of the capital budget for the museums we directly support. However, that sum of £1.6m – albeit an increase from the £200K we had to distribute the previous year – will not meet the scale of need across the 450 museums we support.
“So there are positives in the budget but we know we need to continue to make the case for a fair proportion of funding – not just to enhance our museums but to empower them to help shape our future in ways that benefit everyone.”
We will continue to make the case for increased support for museums and galleries, including through a new advocacy campaign that highlights the essential role museums play as places of learning, wellbeing, and belonging across Scotland.
