The head of Scotland's arts funding body has insisted that it tries to reach all parts of the country after concerns were raised about central-belt bias and bureaucracy.
Andrew Dixon, chief executive of Creative Scotland, addressed the criticism during an appearance before MSPs on the Education and Culture Committee.
Some artists have recently complained that changes to funding will hurt fragile local infrastructure, particularly in areas further from Glasgow and Edinburgh. Public artist Matt Baker had written to the committee with concerns that changes to funding will lead to "wanton destruction".
Appearing in front of the committee, Mr Baker said: "The perception has been that there are five people in a room in Edinburgh making decisions about the country. In some of the rural areas we're really lacking that representation, we're really lacking a route into that situation to understand what portfolio managers are, how we can contact them."
But the organisation is "doing some phenomenal things" and is more transparent in its activities, Mr Baker also noted.
Francis McKee, director of the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow, agreed that Creative Scotland should "get out more". He said: "Trust is being lost and I think that's dangerous. There are good things happening but those things aren't getting out. There's a communications gap that needs to bridged."
Mr Dixon said: "I'm absolutely committed to transparency. Everybody on my team knows that's what I've done in the past and that's what I want to deliver in Creative Scotland."
The organisation has not got it all right yet, he said.
"We've not been good enough about getting information out about change. We have, directly to our organisations we're dealing with but it's people around the edges that have been commentating in the press and elsewhere. Hands up, we need to do more in terms of communicating and also listening to people's concerns."
Responding to concerns about geography, he said: "I am committed totally to Creative Scotland delivering for the geography of Scotland."
