or
I wonder if anyone will ever realise how wonderful it all was?
Mimi, Chinchilla, Robert David MacDonald, 1977
The biggest mystery of the last few weeks is how passive civil society has been about the cuts in public expenditure. The reasons usually proffered for this are, first, the complete absence of political opposition and second, a compliant media, generally supportive of the coalition government. Third, the trade union movement has industrial muscle in some sectors, but little political clout. And this is not the whole story– as Joyce Macmillan, one of the finest journalists in Scotland has pointed out in her blog: the SNP is also rolling over to the cuts agenda despite having the power to raise taxes and with no Tory/LibDem support left in Scotland. http://joycemcmillan.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/the-dog-that-did-not-bark-or-the-strange-silence-of-the-snp-column-31-7-10
It could be, of course, that wholesale public sector cuts is the correct response to our desperate financial situation. This is indeed the triumph of the Cameron/Osborne strategy: having bought off the LibDems, and with Labour in a post election stupor, not only have they the political clout, they also have succeeded in persuading us to believe a new story. For, it’s not all the fault of greedy bankers. No, it’s public sector workers who are to blame. In a twinkle of an eye the ‘public sector’ has changed meaning from ‘the services needed by us all’ to ‘leeches living off the state’. Never has a term been so completely transformed since ‘asylum seeker’ stopped meaning fleeing ballet dancers and became ‘economic migrants taking our jobs’. And many do believe cuts in public sector jobs and services are inevitable but the severity and brutality and long term nature of these is perhaps not yet apparent. Of course the other great change in rhetoric is around taxes- remember when LibDems advocated 1p in the pound tax rise to support the NHS?
Which brings me back to the question, when will the fightback begin? Where is the focus for opposition? This has become more and more urgent critical over the last few weeks as the in-year cuts were implemented, and announcements are made about the closure of some key agencies particularly those working on enterprise, job creation and skills. I am sitting here in the real world of the West Midlands — as opposed to the virtual one –and seen the near complete dismantling of all regional bodies. This region no longer exists.
The arts and wider creative industries is the main interest of this blog and we already have witnessed some dramatic closure announcement in MLA and UK Film. The Arts Council has asked for organisations to plan on 10% cuts as a minimum for next year and local authorities are battling to balance the needs of the most vulnerable and needy against the obvious advantages of a buzzy cultural scene serving all citizens. So bad times are ahead whether or not you were thinking of a career in museum service, setting up a new creative company and looking for some enterprise support or wishing to work in arts education.
We must, we are told, look to private sector patronage to fill the gap. Let’s look to the US. Bank of America Merrill Lynch spends $40m globally, less than Arts Council Wales.
The problem is we are relying on old arguments: the economic impact of our cultural sector- jobs created, tourists attracted, GVA generated, the link between the creative artists and multi million earners like Harry Potter. Doesn’t wash. We point to kids who are inspired, old people engaged, disabled people who find new ways of communicating, prisoners who repent — on it goes but does not chime with the new politics. Even heritage preserved, traditions cherished, does not seem to work with this government.
Maybe batten down the hatches and wait until tidal wave has swept all away and then start re-building is the only response. But surely there is a better one than that?
I would like to think so. Some of us can start by responding to the invitations to contribute to the Parliamentary Select Committee http://fb.me/EJmvKRBU and pick up and use the information provided by the Arts Council. http://fb.me/EPjj8OI8
But it has to go beyond that and really engage some creative people out there with finding new ways of campaigning and, as artists do, bear witness to what is happening.. The fight back has to start now and here.
Loving this Christine – clear arguments shot through with passion.
Do you have any examples from past crises for arts funding for us newbies? (and maybe remind others)
Economic cycles come and go, but each one is experienced differently so I’m not suggesting we copy but it might be useful to have inspiration!
Thanks
David
Well, so interesting to respond to this on the day Scotland said goodbye to its great trade union orator, thinker and commentator Jimmy Reid. He was a shop steward and one of the leaders of the work in at Upper Clyde Shipyards in early 70s, became Rector at Glasgow University and made a famous speech at his inauguration which was subsequently re-published in the NY Times. It went global before the days of Twitter and blogging. I was at that event and it did have a profound effect. I can recall the image he conjured up of high rise flats being architectural equivalent of filing cabinets. Anyway back to the point. I am not sure what will work- which is my point really. There is a machismo around on the cuts front and ‘scorch earth’ policy the coalition has adopted leaves little room for political lobbying or persuasion. (Although I did notice that Ed Vaisey has been stung by criticism of the dissolution of UK Film– and has accused the organisation of using its resources to lobby for its survival. And your point is, Minister? What else would it do now? And since when can you give daily direction to a non-departmental public body? Welcome to the messy world of politics.) But if they cannot be persuaded by cultural, social and economic argument, then what?
Well, let’s think today of Jimmy Reid, champion of the working class, equality, fairness and also a lover of culture. Like the UCS of the 1970s we are a success story the Government wants to shut us down because it has taken a short term view that the public purse cannot afford us. Can we adopt the tactics of the shipyards and not have a strike nor a sit in, but a work in? The creativity goes on with or without public funding- but it won’t be as easily realised, made accessible or have the same economic impact. Is there an alternative market? Can the show go on? I have no idea where this is taking me but I will think on. Off to Edinburgh where I no doubt will hear more about art and politics.