Nick Clegg Commits To Arts Funding As A Duty Not An Option

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg,  launching his party's cultural policy paper The Power of Creativity at a House of Lords reception last week, pledged to maintain investment in the arts and creative industries (unlike both the main parties who have intimated otherwise.)

Whilst stating that no department should be ‘ring-fenced’ as if every single thing they do is sacrosanct he went on to say that "I can promise you that there will be no big cuts to arts spending in our manifesto. Arts funding is a duty, not an option for any government.” The document itself states that “the Liberal Democrats will maintain current levels of investment in the arts and creative industries.”

The party would strengthen the role of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in championing the arts across national and local government and establish a cabinet committee on creativity and ensure that the creative industries are considered across government policy

Other specific proposals include:

• Placing greater emphasis on supporting excellence and recognising achievement in the arts, so that they are no longer seen as an after-thought or added extra
• Making the most of the UK’s cultural wealth both in economic and diplomatic terms
• Reviewing  the Points-Based visa System to ensure that it doesn’t discriminate against legitimate visiting artists and performers vital to ongoing cultural exchange
• Ensuring that Arts Council England (ACE) finances risk and innovation as well as established organisations
• Working  with ACE to improve the distribution of funding and the reach of the arts in the regions and cities outside London
• Developing  a Cultural Development Model for local government, offering suggestions and examples of best practice in using cultural activity to improve regeneration, community cohesion, educational attainment, health, crime reduction, economic development and tourist numbers
• Embedding culture and creativity as a key part of every child’s education
• Introducing a new “Paid Internship” enabling hundreds of thousands of young people to work for up to three months with any employer, without cost to the business.