Corbyn proposes creating a Cabinet Committee to ensure publicly funded arts sector

Jeremy Corbyn has announced that he will create a Cabinet Committee for the arts and creative industries to ensure there is a publicly funded arts, culture and heritage sector.

The leadership candidate has argued that this committee would make sure that arts policy-making is more effective as ministers would be brought together from across different departments.

“If elected Labour leader, I pledge to work alongside the creative industries to support, develop, and collectively achieve a culturally rich, more prosperous future for our country”, Corbyn said.

Corbyn is calling on the Government to ensure ‘all have access to the arts’. He wants local arts and cultural organisations that receive public funding to collaborate more effectively and ensure a “visible, coherent and accessible offer of extra-curricular activities for all particularly among children, young people and families previously granted less access to creative, cultural opportunities”.

“A successful economy and a healthy, creative, open and vibrant democratic society depend on a flourishing creative sector.  Culture and the arts play an essential role on individual and community wellbeing. If we are to achieve our goal in government of supporting people in leading more enjoyable and fulfilling lives, funding for the arts must be central to that offer”, he said.

The Islington North MP will also argue for establishing of a national creative apprenticeship service with a living wage and introducing guidelines on minimum standards of artists’ pay including exhibition fees.

Corbyn’s team have also said that under his leadership Labour would defend the BBC licence fee.

Corbyn will launch his Arts & Culture Vision for Britain 2020 tonight alongside figures from the arts world, including   actress Julie Hesmondhalgh – who this weekend described Corbyn’s supporters as “a movement of people who give a toss about stuff”.

Author, playwright, screen writer and mastermind of the Olympic opening ceremony Frank Cottrell Boyce has written the introduction to Corbyn’s policy document.