Scottish Independence: Anish Kapoor, Tracey Emin and Gavin Turk Vote No

Artists against Scottish Independence

Is Nationalism a cultural black hole? This is a question raised time and time again when arguing that Scotland should sever ties with the United Kingdom and declare independence.  Today a group of high profile campaigners from the rest of the UK have signed a letter urging Scotland to vote against independence. It states; “let’s stay together” but the reaction has been mixed.

The no campaign sights Turner Prize winners Douglas Gordon, Martin Creed, Martin Boyce, Susan Philipsz and Richard Wright as justification that Scotland is “better together”, acknowledging that England is not the most creative part of Britain, just the financial capital, which drives the economics of culture. Signatories of the letter include artists: Jeremy Deller,Tracey Emin,Maggi Hambling,Anish Kapoor,Sarah Lucas,Gavin Turk and Richard Wentworth.

The full letter reads:

Dear Voters of Scotland,

The decision on whether to leave our share country is, of course, absolutely yours alone. Nevertheless, that decision will have a huge effect on all of us in the rest of the United Kingdom. We want to let you know how very much we value our bonds of citizenship with you, and to express our hope that you will vote to renew them. What unites us is much greater than what divides us.

Let’s stay together

Yours

David Aaronovitch/ Jenny Agutter/ Sir Ben Ainslie/ Kriss Akabusi/ Roger Allam/ Kirstie Allsop/ Alexander Armstrong/ Sir David Attenborough/ Steve Backley/ Baroness Joan Bakewell/ Frances Barber/Andy Barrow/ John Barrowman/ Mike Batt/ Glen Baxter/ Stanley Baxter/ Martin Bayfield/ Mary Beard/ Sarah Beeny/Antony Beevor/Angellica Bell/ Dickie Bird/ Cilla Black/ Graeme Black/ Roger Black/ Malorie Blackman/ Ranjit Bolt/ Helena Bonham-Carter/ Alain de Botton/ William Boyd/ Tracey Brabin/ Lord Melvyn Bragg/ Jo Brand/ Gyles Brandreth/ Rob Brydon/ Louisa Buck/ Simon Callow/ Will Carling/ Paul Cartledge/ Guy Chambers/ Nick Cohen/ Michelle Collins/ Colonel Tim Collins/ Olivia Colman/ Charlie Condou/ Susannah Constantine/ Steve Coogan/ Dominic Cooper/ Ronnie Corbett/ Simon Cowell/ Jason Cowley/ Sara Cox/ Amanda Craig/ Steve Cram/ Richard Curtis/ Tom Daley/ William Dalrymple/ Richard Dawkins/ Dame Judi Dench/ Jeremy Deller/ Lord Michael Dobbs/ Jimmy Doherty/ Michael Douglas/Simon Easterby/ Gareth Edwards/ Jonathan Edwards/ Tracey Emin/ Sebastian Faulks/ Bryan Ferry/ Ranulph Fiennes/ Ben Fogle/ Amanda Foreman/ Sir Bruce Forsyth/ Neil Fox/ Emma Freud/ Bernard Gallacher/ Kirsty Gallacher/ George Galloway/ Sir John Eliot Gardiner/ Bamber Gascoigne/ David Gilmour/ Harvey Goldsmith/ David Goodhart/ Lachlan Goudie/ David Gower/ AC Grayling/ Will Greenwood/ Tamsin Greig/ Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson/ Lord Charles Guthrie/ Haydn Gwynne/ Maggi Hambling/ Mehdi Hasan/ Sir Max Hastings/ Stephen Hawking/ Peter Hennessy/ James Holland/ Tom Holland/ Tom Hollander/ Gloria Hunniford/ Conn Iggulden/ John Illsley/ Brendan Ingle/ Eddie Izzard/ Betty Jackson/ Sir Mike Jackson/ Howard Jacobson/ Sir Mick Jagger/ Baroness PD James/ Griff Rhys Jones/ Terry Jones/ Christopher Kane/ Sir Anish Kapoor/ Ross Kemp/ Paul Kenny/ Jemima Khan/ India Knight/ Martha Lane Fox/ Baroness Doreen Lawrence/ Tory Lawrence/ Kathy Lette/ Rod Liddle/ Louise Linton/ John Lloyd (journalist)/ John Lloyd (producer)/ Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber/ Gabby Logan/ Kenny Logan/ Sarah Lucas/ Dame Vera Lynn/ James May/ Margaret MacMillan/ Stephen Mangan/ Davina McCall/ Sir Ian McGeechan/ Heather McGregor/ Andy McNab/ John Michie/ David Mitchell/ Lord John Monks/ Lewis Moody/ Michael Morpurgo/ Bill Morris/ David Morrissey/ Philip Mould/ Al Murray/ Sir Paul Nurse/ Andy Nyman/ Peter Oborne/ Sir Michael Parkinson/ Fiona Phillips/ Andy Puddicombe/ Lord David Puttnam/ Anita Rani/ Esther Rantzen/ Sir Steve Redgrave/ Derek Redmond/ Pete Reed/ Lord Martin Rees/ Peter Reid/ Baroness Ruth Rendell/ Sir Cliff Richard/ Hugo Rifkind/ Sir Tony Robinson/ David Rowntree/ Ian Rush/ Greg Rutherford/ CJ Sansom/ June Sarpong/ Simon Schama/ John Sessions/ Sandie Shaw/ Helen Skelton/ Sir Tim Smit/ Dan Snow/ Peter Snow/ Phil Spencer/ David Starkey/Sir Patrick Stewart/ Lord Jock Stirrup/ Neil Stuke/ Sting/ Tallia Storm/ David Suchet/ Alan Sugar/ Graeme Swann/ Stella Tennant/ Daley Thompson/ Alan Titchmarsh/ James Timpson/ Kevin Toolis/ Lynne Truss/ Gavin Turk/ Roger Uttley/ David Walliams/ Zoë Wanamaker/ Robert Webb/ Richard Wentworth/ Sir Alan West/ Dominic West/ Kevin Whateley.

Photo: P C Robinson © Artlyst 2014

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