Survey shows cultural sector braced for cuts
Workers in the cultural sector are bracing themselves for a Conservative win in the general election which they believe will mean a tougher time for the arts. They think funding for the creative industries should be ring-fenced.
They think David Cameron is most likely to be prime minister in May 7, but that Gordon Brown is by far the leader most sympathetic to the arts. But they also believe that the arts will experience significant cuts after the election.
The findings are the result of a survey by Arts Quarter, the independent survey consultancy that works with the arts and not-for-profit sector.
The survey was carried between April 6 and April 16 among 2,558 named contacts from whom there were 854 completed organisational responses and assessed before the first leaders’ TV debate. It found that 20.5% of those questioned thought Labour had been most explicit in its manifesto pledges for the arts sector, compared with 13% for the Conservatives and 8% for the Liberal Democrats.
It is clear that nobody expects the cultural sector to be free of cuts. “It would seem evident that arts professionals remain sceptical of support for the sector irrespective of outcome” says the AQ report, “but perhaps fear a Conservative win above victory by either of the other major parties in terms of empathy and clarity on policy”.
The most popular response to a question about the post-election impact on the arts was that efforts to generate money from private sources would have to be stepped up, and the next most popular that cuts may have to be made to public programme. Beyond the first year of the new government, preferences were reversed with more believing that cuts in public programmes could be necessary.
But in answer the question “Which of the leaders of the major political parties do you feel is most likely to empathise with the issues relating to your sector in the course of the election campaign”, 36 % said Gordon Brown, 11.6% Nick Clegg and only 3.8% David Cameron.
Opinions have been narrowing. AQ last carried out a survey in September when 81% of respondents predicted a clear Conservative win. Now just 45% do, and most of them expect the majority will be less than 25 seats.
More significantly, 31% of respondents now think a hung parliament is most likely, compared with 4% seven months ago. Now, 12% believe a small Labour majority might be the result, whereas in September none did.
In personal statements in the returns, a recurrent theme was that funding for creative industries should be protected. “Our key message as a sector should be to argue that, as per the Dutch model, funding for the arts should be ring-fenced. It is proportionately a tiny % of the budget” the report summarises. “This country enjoys a rich cultural life and a hugely successful creative economy. We punch well above our weight. But that economy is fragile and any hit to funding will jeopardise it”.
Respondents were powerfully in favour of maintaining the arm’s length principle with the Arts Council, and there is a call for a pledge to keep the Arts Council “as there are rumour of the Conservatives wanting to axe it”. The Conservatives have, in fact, said there are no plans to abolish ACE.
There was also overwhelming support for new tax arrangements to encourage individual philanthropic support for the arts.
UK General Election: The Cultural Sector’s Viewpoint is published by Arts Quarter LLP, www.artsquarter.co.uk
What the manifestos say
Labour is the only main party to include the arts in their election manifesto, and for the first time. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats published separate arts manifestos as long ago as February.
Accusations have flown between the arts spokesmen, with Labour’s Ben Bradshaw using an interview win The Stage to claim that the Tories will make “savage” cuts in government funding for the arts despite promises, and he Conservatives’ Ed Vaizey saying Labour “continue to lie about our policies, but it won’t work”.
Labour are promising to make nation al museums and galleries more independent; they will introduce a £10 theatre ticket scheme to encourage younger play-goers; there is to be a biennial Festival of Britain to celebrate Britain’s cultural achievements; and there will be more lottery money for the arts after the 2012 Olympics.
The Conservatives will seek to secure long term funding for the arts based on the mixed economy and the arm’s length principle, which ensures they have he resources to carry them through the good time and the bad; they will give more independence to subsidised arts organizations; they will encourage a more coherent approach to arts funding in schools to enable access performance; the National Lottery will be returned to supplying four good causes, increasing funding to the arts and heritage each by £50m a year; they will change the rules for acceptance-in-lieu procedures to allow living giving of works of art.
The Liberal Democrats will put more emphasis on recognising achievement in the arts; introduce a cabinet committee on creativity; review the via system so that it doesn’t militate against visiting artists; it will more to the arts economically and diplomatically; ensure the Arts Council finances risk and innovation, and distribute more subsidy to the regions; encourage local authorities to maintain their arts support; give more recognition to arts philanthropists; embed culture and creativity in the school curriculum.
