Labourists promise to significantly increase arts funding in UK

According to the Labour Party’s manifesto, the fund will invest in culture and creative industries. The project will support emerging artists and art projects. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said in Hull, the UK City of Culture 2017, that the party planned to make music cinema, theatre and visual arts more available for all.

“We want to unleash the potential of every young person not just through education but also through culture. In every one of us there is a poet, a writer, a singer of songs, an artist. But too few of us fulfil our artistic ambition,” the politician said.

Corbyn says artists especially need support at the start of their careers. The Labour Party promises the cultural fund will focus on supporting young artists.

“Our music industry contributes £4bn to our economy a yr. But every Adele or Stormzy has to start somewhere. We need culture for the many,” the Labour leader wrote on Twitter.

Our music industry contributes £4bn to our economy a yr. But every @Adele or @Stormzy1 has to start somewhere. We need culture #ForTheMany

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) May 22, 2017

The cultural capital fund is supposed to help Britain protect its status as a creative hub in the digital age. The fund will invest in upgrading music venues, creating new rehearsal and recording space and buy new instruments and equipment.

Politicians underline the importance of grassroots projects that nature young talents. Labourists promise that the proposed laws will protect existing venues against developers and luxury flat projects. The party plans to support small clubs and concert venues, which number has decreased by 40% in London in the past 10 years.

Speaking about cultural policy, the Labour Party foresees negative consequences of Brexit. Politicians insist that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport should be included in the Brexit negotiations team.

“Labour will place our creative industries at the heart of our industrial strategy and our negotiations as we prepare to leave the European Union. We recognise they give the UK a cultural clout that can open doors to markets that might otherwise remain closed,” the party says in the manifesto.

The party’s other initiatives in culture include introducing an arts pupil premium for primary schools to give children the opportunity to learn an instrument, take dancing and drama lessons, visit theatres and museums. The party also plans to ensure free access to museums and art galleries.