Harman is right to champion the arts – now we need to centre our approach around artists

Harriet Harman delivered an incredibly important speech on Monday at London’s Roundhouse, a gorgeous, historic venue with an innovative programme dedicated to engaging young people in the arts. She declared “the arts are fundamental to what it is to be human” and I couldn’t agree more. As a human working in the arts, it’s my livelihood.

The arts are a major source of money for the UK’s economy – over 2.5 million jobs £70billion a year, and £15.5 billion of exports. Creative industries are growing faster than any other sector. But the arts are more than just economics… it’s about people.

Harman rightly questioned the value the general public receives – via subsidy – from some top level arts institutions. The exclusivity of the Royal Opera House is a perfect example.

But the focus has been too sharp in creating rifts between institutions and the general public. The argument has taken people out of the equation. I’m not talking about those sitting in the audience, but rather those on stage, in the orchestra pit, at the lighting desk and in the costume department. The individual artists creating small scale theatre shows, the directors, illustrators, designers, writers, sound technicians… I could go on. I am worried that in the current economic climate too many people will wrongly believe the arts are expendable. And if the arts are expendable, then those that work in the industry are expendable too.

Without investment we are setting ourselves up for economic disaster. Harman is consulting on what should be included in the Labour manifesto to address the arts. I have dozens or recommendations, but here are just a few:

• Create a direct link between the Lottery – those of us who buy scratchcards and draw ticket s- and the arts.  Lottery revenue money goes to fund the arts, but I doubt many make the connection that by purchasing a scratchcard they are enabling their local arts centre to exist. Why not make theatre, concert or exhibition tickets a lottery prize?

• Greater support for artists.  The error of any policy would be to see only the arts institutions and not the people who are actually making and producing art.  I would like to see Labour engaging directly with the Federation of Entertainment Unions – to meet creative people trying to earn a living in an industry that has experienced deep cuts and deeper suspicion. If you have no idea how precarious earning a living can be for an artist, check out the brilliant Bryony Kimmings blog Show Me Yours, in which she details just how much she (doesn’t) earn as a self employed award winning internationally touring theatre artist.

• On a personal note, as an Equity member and Equity Council candidate I would like to see the union affiliated to the Labour Party. With almost 40,000 on its books, the expertise and experiences of Equity members could be a huge resource for the party in learning what working in the creative industries is really like.

• Look to France for a progressive approach to supporting artists.  Their system of social security for self employed and freelance artists aligns the support creative are entitled to with those working in more traditional 9-5 type jobs (or whatever those crazy working hours are they have on the continent). This area is the silent shame of our industry and is ripe for reform under a Labour government. Until artists and creatives are recognized as working people and not just doing it for “fun”, young people won’t see it as a viable career option.

Labour needs to have an artist – and future artist – centred approach to its arts policy. Yes, we need to ensure access to the arts reach far and wide across the UK, but we also need to keep the arts buoyant and fresh. With cuts to EMA, a rise in tuition fees, only rich kids getting access to internships, private rents through the roof against a backdrop of public suspicion of the arts, we are doomed. Unless Labour win in 2015, what hope do aspiring artists have in creating a practice and developing into the Danny Boyles or Tracey Emins of the future?