Like any new calendar year, September brings a clean slate and mindset, together with a new academic focus. Summer gave us time to rest and restore, and with that, new ideas and perspectives for some. So, as we begin a new term, it’s time to ‘sharpen our pencils’ and apply all we have been processing over the last few months – and the upcoming Autumn Budget is reason to get focused on what matters most, writes Nina Plowman.
Public arts funding is at an all-time low with significant decreases thanks to Brexit and the pandemic. Charlotte and I are passionate about this topic; she wrote about the lack of political interest in the arts ahead of the most recent election, but the stakes are even higher as we approach the October Autumn Budget. For too long, the arts have not been taken seriously as a vital learning tool, a form of expression, a cultural soft power in diplomacy terms, and as a fabric of our society. There is work to be done as we are missing out on a huge opportunity for generations of creativity to follow.
At the Art Business Conference, set up by Louise Hamlin for the arts industry this week, there were many questions posed, including:
- Why aren’t we encouraging arts education in schools?
- Why aren’t we championing arts careers?
- Why are we so far behind our European counterparts?
- How can we quantify creativity and what it can it provide to our nation? Currently we categorise creative labour in the same way as economic labour
- Funding the arts is modelled on supporting only the “exceptional”. It is drilled into our psyche that only the best deserve the funding. How can creativity be seen as a positive process to education, learning and therapy?
Institutions like the Royal Academy of Arts rely solely on ticket sales, merchandise, membership, private donations and major gifts. There is no public funding. Corporate sponsorship is a tougher market and the the philanthropic incentives to invest in the arts has reduced. Charlotte Appleyard at the RA commented: “The ‘currency of the KPI’ informs many sponsorship applications, companies and government bodies are looking for KPIs and I have never heard of an artist talking about a KPI. Creative labour is not defined by productivity and efficiency, the language which governments and companies speak.” When did this shift happen and why do corporates no longer invest in art for its own sake?
It seems that we need to find a balance between finding a return on investment measure of success, and the pure uniqueness of an art commissions or creativity’s soft power and reach.
Can Sir Keir Starmer revive some sort of new ‘Cool Britannia’, as seen during the Blair years?
These years defined a more positive attitude towards the arts. How can art and culture be integrated back into society as a UK soft power? How can we learn from US’s philanthropic model whereby we are all giving? “We need to bring back the UK’s ‘muscle memory for giving to the arts”, says Appleyard.
At Frieze Seoul and in Asia more generally – where there is strong growth potential due to rising disposable incomes, increased interest in art as investment, and expanding middle classes, especially in China and India, with China's market valued at $14.3 billion in 2019 (Worldmetrics; Artsy) – there is a freshness and excitement around art that once existed in the UK.
Institutions need greater government support; our children need to have the time and space for creativity in the curriculum; and our politicians must be seen to attend and enjoy exhibitions. Arts charities and institutions need to radically change their approach and embrace the power of collaboration more and more, appeal to wider and diverse audiences and revisit private income sources. Not only does it benefit the institution financially but it educates and immerses the wider public in wholesome, outward looking learning opportunities and experiences.
On that note, on the eve of the next Autumn Budget, I wonder if the government has considered the devastating impact of the mooted wealth tax changes if implemented? It’s not a vote winner but the deep groove left in arts funding could well be the result. The more wealthy individuals that leave London due to unfavourable tax conditions, the more this will erode arts funding for the many arts and charitable organisations relying upon private donations. We need to incentivise the wealthy to give and we want our museums wide open for as many as possible to experience, to be inspired, to generate conversation, and to power free thinking.
The participants of this panel featuring at the Art Business Conference: The Future of Creativity – Why the Government Really Should Care, included:
Charlotte Appleyard, Director of Development at the Royal Academy of Arts
Charlene Prempeh, Founder of A Vibe Called Tech
Fatos Üstek, curator and writer at FRANK Fair Artist Pay
Jennifer Schipf, Global Chief Underwriter for Fine Art & Specie at AXA XL
