South West Manifesto for creative and cultural industries Changing the world of work for good The South West Manifesto for Culture Trade unions have a proud record of representing people who work in the creative, cultural and leisure industries. Such vocational employment can be immensely satisfying but it is often precarious and poorly paid. The trade unions can be small but highly specialised and tuned to serve the particular interests of their members. They have come together with the support of the South West TUC to make the case for their sector and the importance of their members’ work for the life of the region. The South West has a rich tradition of creativity and economic planners often herald the sector and its importance. But the sector is fragile and under-resourced. This Cultural Manifesto challenges assumptions about the arts and proposes a number of ideas that would enhance this vital sector. The Tuts Jess Hurd photo: 1 The South West Manifesto for Culture South West Creative Arts Equity, the National Union of Journalists, National The life of everyone in the South West Society for Educators in South West is enriched by Local Authority Art and Design and the the creative arts, culture Writers’ Guild promote the Arts Funding and heritage. The region professionalism of their Investors in arts, museums and heritage has much to celebrate and members and campaign based on figures local authorities be proud of. The arts and against those who expect provide to the Department for creative industries are at the them to work and perform Communities and Local Government. heart of what attracts people for little if anything. to live, work, study and visit the region. Arts education Place £per person per week City of London 70.68 This Manifesto promotes Schools, faced with a Exeter .53 the cultural life of the region devastating squeeze on Cheltenham .40 and values those who work spending, have axed arts Bristol .26 for it. The sector relies on education. Teachers must Swindon .25 a wide range of people concentrate on a narrow Weymouth & Portland .23 often working very long curriculum and the demands Plymouth .19 hours and on precarious of national tests leading to Gloucester .19 employment. Poor pay is a the decline in drama, music Poole .18 feature of the industry and, and art. Instruments, art North Devon .17 sometimes, no pay at all. materials and museum visits Torbay .14 New technology offers some have been sacrificed. This is Cotswold .13 great opportunities but also despite growing evidence on Stroud .12 carries risk of exploitation. the importance of creativity West Dorset .12 in the changing world. The cuts in public spending South Somerset .10 have hit the art world. It Imagination and artistic Christchurch .10 is seen as an easy target talents are predicted to East Dorset .09 with funders having little if be the attributes people Cornwall .08 any statutory duties. South will need more of in the Mendip .08 West councils cluster at future. The Arts Council Wiltshire .08 the bottom of the league highlights that engagement Taunton Deane .06 table in arts funding with in structural arts and culture Bournemouth .06 the region falling a long improves the cognitive Sedgemoor .04 way behind London. Relying abilities of children and West Somerset .04 on commercial interests young people, drama and East Devon .03 can prove fragile and good music improves literacy and West Devon .03 events, festivals, drama, early language acquisition1. North Dorset .03 venues and space where art Teignbridge .02 Funding for adult and can flourish have closed or South Gloucestershire .01 community education has are under severe pressure. Tewkesbury .01 been savaged in the last ten Mid Devon .01 This creative manifesto is years and opportunities for South Hams .01 from the trade unions that people of all ages to learn Bath & NE Somerset .00 represent workers across art subjects or develop their Forest of Dean .00 the cultural and creative passion for art, music and Isles of Scilly .00 industries. Smaller unions drama have been curtailed. such as the Artists’ Union, Source: www.50pforculture.org/statistics BECTU, Musicians’ Union, 1 Arts Council 2014 2 Class and income barriers IDestroy There are many barriers to a career in the creative industries. Social class and income are significant, starting with access to teaching in schools and the reliance on private lessons. A BPI survey found state schools have seen a 21% decrease in music provision over the past five years2. Children from low-income families are half as likely to learn an instrument, according to recent research by the Musicians’ Union3. The cost of equipment, instruments and Jess Hurd materials prevents many from developing their talents. photo: Once embarked on a career Trade unions have supported Families with a total household the costs of travel and initiatives such as the Respect income of less than £28k are performing for little, if any, Festivals, St Paul’s Carnival, half as likely to have a child fees exacerbates the divide Pride events and other learning an instrument as more between those who can afford community led events. affluent peers with a family such a career and those who income of £48k or more. cannot. There is limited capacity of This stark disparity exists community groups, relying despite similar levels of Diversity on volunteers, to cope with the complex aspects of event interest from both groups of Inequality remains a blight organising. This has been children. Cost is currently the on society and a barrier to made worse by the lack of greatest barrier to learning, economic progress. Culture council advice and support with over two-fifths (41%) can provide the most visible as well as the demands of an of those from lower income features of the polarisation under-resourced police force families saying lessons are of society but it can also be who must view such events beyond their household the driving force for diversity for their income-generating budgets. and the advancement of opportunities rather than their marginalised communities. Cost also impacts on how community value. children learn. Those from Public funding for the arts has low and mid-income families been criticised for unequal are more likely to teach support for classical and themselves, missing out on the traditional culture. Parts of benefits of a specialised tutor, the South West have a rich exposing a clear need for base for classical music and music provision in schools. opera. Some make positive The educational attainment and pro-active measures of parents also plays a factor to seek entrants from in whether children will pick disadvantaged backgrounds up an instrument. Nearly half but more is possible. Schools (48%) of children who have need resources to sufficiently parents educated to university encourage children into the level will learn an instrument, arts otherwise this social compared with one-fifth (21%) mobility is further restricted. with only secondary school Activities and events to Jess Hurd education. celebrate diversity have Misty in Roots 2 BPI 2019 3 Musicians Union 2018 struggled under austerity. photo: 3 Trade unions are campaigning enquiry into social mobility in the inspiration, resources to tackle the inequality in the the sector being conducted and networks are generated creative world. The Writers’ by the Performers’ Alliance which lead to creative success. Guild found only 16% of working All-Party Parliamentary Group, Universal and inclusive access film writers in the UK are engaging MPs and Peers to the means of producing, female and only 14% of prime- from across the political viewing and learning about the time TV is written by women. spectrum. It will recommend arts provides the foundation measures that can be taken from which these industries In its ‘Manifesto for Casting’ by government, industry and are forged. the actors’ union Equity others to ensure that everyone Art funding sometimes makes the case for widening has the opportunity to break includes school visits and access to opportunities. It into and progress in these community involvement, but highlights the discrimination careers. that continues in the industry it is often transitory cash, and how social class remains The creative economy here today gone tomorrow. There is a lack of consistency, a barrier to an acting career. Outside London and the South sustainability and project Much of the arts world is East, the South West has legacy. too concentrated in London, the second highest regional reinforced by skewed funding employment in the creative Local authorities, despite patterns. sector. Heritage employment financial pressures, are best Trade unions welcome the in the region is the greatest placed to offer sustenance outside of London4. anchored in the community to provide a long term Local Industrial Strategies, strategy of support. In their Verity by developed by Local Enterprise role as commissioners of Damien Hirst Partnerships and the West local services, planning in Illfracombe of England Mayor champion authorities and landlords creative industries yet show they could do more to help. little understanding of the They could (and sometimes dynamics at the core of do) act as champions of local the creative environment. arts and culture, working as Business support schemes are strategic brokers, advisers welcome but must be seen in and critical friends to create a the context of funding cuts more cohesive culture for all. and art space closures. The However, many of our public creative arts at local level are spaces, where creativity can the essential seedbed from flourish, have been privatised which creative industries grow. and sterilised in the cause The Arts Council calculate for of commercial gain. The every £1 of salary paid by the freedom to perform in city, arts and creative industries, an town and shopping centres additional £2.01 is generated has been reduced by private in the wider economy5.