Culture Clubbed

By Emma Kane

There are very few people who aren’t currently dreaming of all the exciting things they will do once vaccines have been fully rolled out and the lockdown is lifted.  People are counting down the days until they can fill the void that a lack of cultural interaction has created.  What many may not have appreciated is that it is not a matter of lights, camera, action… the cultural sector has been decimated by Covid-19.

Pre-Covid-19 in 2019, there were an estimated 226,000 jobs in the arts and culture sector in 2019, 40% of whom were based in London.  The concern is not that all the talent took Government advice and retrained as boxers...  But these people don’t typically sit on company payrolls, or enjoy large incomes, but are self-employed and have really been in dire straits over the last year. 

Then there are the cultural institutions – the museums, opera houses, theatres, and galleries across the length and breadth of the UK that have also not been spared.  The sector needs far more than it has received in support to date.

The sector needs to be shown respect for the immense contribution it makes to our lives – emotionally and financially - and the role we need it to play going forwards. 

In 2019, arts and culture contributed to £10.47 billion to the UK economy.  The Arts Council has proved that culture pays £2.6bn in taxes, £5 for every £1 of public funding.  The brilliance of British culture was showcased in the spectacular show we put on for the Olympics. 

Culture is a huge draw for tourists and without it the hospitality sector will not recover.  Cultural content also plays an invaluable role in mental health and wellbeing.

Hopefully the powers that be realise that box sets can only sustain us for so long – I think a year is definitely the limit!  The Chancellor pledged another £300m to support theatres, museums and other cultural organisations in England through the Culture Recovery Fund in last week’s Spring Budget. 

So, my vote is let’s do much more than that. Let’s start by lighting the blue touch paper to reignite of passion and support of the arts by marking the end of this nightmare by holding an enormous festival.  The events should stretch across the length and breadth of our nations an eruption of creative expression as we celebrate our freedom and are reminded of what makes us human.