Shetland MSP defends hiring ‘artist-in-residence’ with public money

Shetland MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad has defended her decision to hire an “artist in residence” for her constituency, at a cost of £11,000 of public money.

The SNP public finance minister is recruiting a Shetland-based creative, of any discipline, to engage with the community and deliver projects reflecting policy priorities.

The 35 hour-a-week job – a four-month-long contract paid from Goodlad’s parliamentary staff budget, has been criticised by Reform MSP Max Bannerman as “state-funded propaganda.”

Goodlad is also hiring a communications assistant to translate content into the Shetland language. She said the roles are essential to make politics “feel more accessible” across the islands.

The jobs were the subject of the Scottish Daily Mail, external front page voicing concerns over the creative roles.

Speaking to BBC Scotland, Goodlad said: “I don’t take much guidance from the tabloids and I’m pretty sure Shetland listeners don’t either.

“I have also been in politics to do things in a really different way and I’m in this to make sure politics feels different and more accessible.

“So I am very excited to advertise these roles here in Shetland to see what kind of passion we can bring into the team and help communicate our message across Shetland and help us connect with folk across Shetland in a very unique way.”

Goodlad also recently hired a communications assistant. She said she would not be advertising the roles if they were not necessary.

“I wouldn’t be hiring for the role if there wasn’t a need, this is a very specific role that I want to explore different ways of reaching out across Shetland and connecting with different parts of the population.

“There is a job that needs done in terms of reaching out right across the community and making folk feel like politics is for them.

“This is why I am bringing in this more artistic role, but also the Shetland language role as well,” she said.