“Fifty-five of Scotland’s best-known musicians, authors and artists have signed an open letter to the country’s First Minister in which they argue that ‘a void’ has opened up where an arts strategy should exist. The signatories include the composer laureate Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, authors Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith and Alasdair Gray, and opera singer Jane Irwin. Dozens of theatre directors, poets, critics and administrators have also put their name to the letter, which represents an unprecedented revolt against government arts policy.”