A new £400,000 pilot programme has been established to help safeguard Scotland's cultural and creative buildings against the escalating risks of climate change.

Funded by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland and managed by the Scottish Futures Trust, the initiative will provide grants of up to £80,000 to support pioneering resilience projects across the country.

The fund aims to support between eight and ten pathfinder projects that can implement practical interventions at pace. These demonstration projects are intended to ensure that cultural assets remain resilient and fit for purpose while providing a blueprint for future investment decisions across Scotland's creative estate. Priority will be given to schemes that can be delivered quickly and offer transferable lessons for other organisations facing similar environmental challenges.

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Successful applicants must complete their projects within the 2026-2027 financial year. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 25 March 2026.

Marc Cairns, associate director at the Scottish Futures Trust, said: "Scotland's cultural and creative places are vital to our communities and heritage. This fund will support practical and deliverable solutions that strengthen resilience in the face of climate change. By prioritising projects that can be delivered quickly and generate real learning, the aim of the programme is to unlock insights that will inform future investment and help protect Scotland's treasured assets for many generations to come."

Karen Ridgewell, Climate Emergency and Sustainability Lead from Creative Scotland, explained: "This inaugural funding from a brand-new collaboration between Creative Scotland and Scottish Futures Trust will drive tangible results and increased understanding of the impact of the changing climate on Scotland's cultural and creative estate. Adapting to our changing climate is essential to enable a thriving Scotland and these pathfinder projects will pave the way in doing so. We hope that this first step together will provide insight into current and future challenges of creative and cultural buildings, the organisations and activities they host, and the joint effort needed to address them."