Hansard

1. Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab) Lab Chamber

07 Dec 2022

Portfolio Question Time · Cinemas and Edinburgh Film Festival (Closures)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress that has been made in finding a solution to save the Belmont Filmhouse in Aberdeen and the Edinburgh Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival from permanent closure. (S6O-01644)

Foysol Choudhury Lab Chamber

07 Dec 2022

Portfolio Question Time · Cinemas and Edinburgh Film Festival (Closures)

I appreciate all the efforts that have been made through various avenues to find solutions to the problem for Edinburgh Filmhouse, in particular, but its closure illustrates that the culture sector faces a much wider problem. The perfect storm that the sector faces this winter...

Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab) Lab Chamber

20 Sep 2023

Portfolio Question Time · Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023

The arts and culture sector suffered immensely during the pandemic and is now suffering once more due to economic pressure, which has seen the sad closure of institutions such as the Edinburgh Filmhouse. Although it is now hoped that the Filmhouse will reopen, the same might n...

Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab) Lab Chamber

25 Oct 2023

Culture Sector

The value of Scotland’s culture sector cannot be denied—in Edinburgh alone, upwards of 3 million people flock to the capital every August for the festival—yet our culture sector is in desperate need of help and support. Scotland is world renowned for its culture and arts, but ...

Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab) Lab Chamber

16 Nov 2022

Portfolio Question Time · Winter Festivals Fund

We have seen the closure of Edinburgh Filmhouse and the loss of the Edinburgh International Film Festival. The current economic crisis is affecting Scotland’s cultural landscape, and the withdrawal of this year’s winter festival fund will only intensify the problem for the cul...

Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab) Lab Chamber

22 Mar 2023

BBC in Scotland (100 Years)

I thank and congratulate Jenni Minto for bringing a celebration of 100 years of the BBC to the Scottish Parliament. In November last year, alongside Jenni Minto, I was a co-sponsor of an event in the Parliament to mark the 90th anniversary of the BBC World Service. I am happy...

Foysol Choudhury Lab Committee

27 Apr 2023

Culture in Communities

Good morning. I will ask a question on what you have just said, but I also have another question. Are we using the spaces that we have in schools? You have mentioned the Filmhouse’s difficulties and that you always find it difficult to attract people from ethnic minority back...

Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab) Lab Chamber

17 May 2023

Portfolio Question Time · Arts Sector (Support)

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the culture and arts sector hard. Cherished and well-respected arts venues such as the Filmhouse in Edinburgh have been forced to close. Other venues such as Leith theatre are in disrepair due to a lack of support and funding. What funding can be ...

Foysol Choudhury Lab Chamber

16 Apr 2024

Scotland’s International Culture Strategy

I will in a minute. I have a lot to go through. Today, however, the warm platitudes that the culture sector is given do not reflect the situation on the ground. Last year, the Scotland + Venice project, which facilitates Scotland’s participation in the Venice biennale, had it...