PUBLIC money will no longer be given to an explicit sex project after a furious backlash.
Scottish Government agency Creative Scotland awarded £84,555 to the Rein project in January, which recruited actors to participate in “non-simulated” and “hardcore” sex scenes.
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However, there were demands for the funding to be pulled after the issue was highlighted by The Scottish Sun.
And following a review, Creative Scotland today confirmed that it will seek to recover the cash.
A statement from Creative Scotland said: “Following a review of the application, assessment, and contractual agreement regarding the project Rein, Creative Scotland has made the decision to withdraw support for this project and will be seeking recovery of funding paid in respect of this award to date.
“What has emerged in the latest phase of the project represents a breach of the conditions of funding award, as the nature of the project has changed.
“The central role that ‘non-simulated’ (i.e real) sex acts now play in the project, marks a significant change to the nature of the work presented in the original application which was assessed for funding.
“This significant change to the nature of the work has been evidenced in the most recent announcement on the project’s website, without the agreement of Creative Scotland.
“Creative Scotland makes in the region of 2,000 funding awards each year.
“We support artists and projects across all art-forms, some of which are challenging in content, and push creative and social boundaries.
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“However, Creative Scotland has important responsibilities to the public for the appropriate use of public funding, and, as recipients of that public funding, award recipients also have legal responsibilities as reflected in their funding contract.”
It came as Tory minister Penny Mordaunt compared the art installation to a “hardcore porn movie”.
During business questions, the Commons Leader told MPs: “The SNP never fails to disappoint.
“Asking a question today about sound administration and morality, or money over morality, in a week when it has been discovered that the Scottish Government has presided over a six-figure sum of Scottish taxpayers’ money being spent on art installation that promises and I quote ‘a magical, erotic journey, through a distinctly Scottish landscape’.
“Otherwise known to the rest of us as a hardcore porn movie.”
Her comment came in response to SNP MP Deirdre Brock referencing the Diane Abbott racism row by telling MPs the Tory party had “distinguished itself once again this week by choosing money over morality with its grubby handling of the racist comments allegedly made about one of our colleagues in this House”.