Schools (Arts Education) (Scotland) Act 2019 1

MODEL
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

Schools (Arts Education) (Scotland) Bill

SP Bill 65

(as amended at Stage 2)

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision in connection with the teaching of the arts in
schools.

1 Guidance to education authorities on arts education

(1) The Scottish Ministers may issue guidance to education authorities in relation to the arts
education provided by those authorities in the schools managed by them.
(2) Arts education includes education as to—
(a) creative writing,
(b) critical thinking,
(c) dance,
(d) drama and theatre,
(e) drawing and painting,
(f) music, including the playing of musical instruments,
(g) philosophy.
(3) Such guidance may be issued in relation to, in particular—
(a) what arts education is to be taken to include,
(b) the manner in which arts education is to be provided,
(c) the number of hours of arts education which are to be provided in a school year to
each pupil who is provided with school education by the authority.
(4) An education authority must have regard to such guidance.

2 Arts premiums
(1) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations make a scheme (an “arts premium scheme”) in
accordance with this section.
(2) An arts premium scheme is a scheme under which the Scottish Ministers are to make a grant
to each education authority for the purpose of maintaining the provision of arts education by
that education authority.
(3) The amount of such a grant must be determined by reference to the number of teachers
who are employed by the education authority to provide (or primarily to provide) arts
2 Schools (Arts Education) (Scotland) Act 2019

education.
(4) An arts premium scheme may include such provision as the Scottish Ministers consider
necessary or appropriate for the purposes of the scheme and may make different provision
for different purposes.
(5) Despite any provision in an arts premium scheme, the aggregate amount of grants paid by
the Scottish Ministers under arts premium schemes must not exceed £300 million in any
period of 12 months.
(6) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative procedure.

3 Interpretation
Any expression used in this Act and in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 has the same
meaning in this Act as in that Act.

4 Commencement
This Act comes into force on the day after Royal Assent.

5 Short title
The short title of this Act is the Schools (Arts Education) (Scotland) Act 2019.