The tendency for people from higher social grades to be more likely to attend arts events is down to a mismatch between current funding priorities and the public’s taste, rather than any lack of demand, an evidence review suggests.
A committee investigating the positive impact of culture and sport on mental and physical health heard that a lack of funding and the absence of a joined-up strategy prevent initiatives becoming more widely available.
The arts are important because they matter to us, and any attempts to further justify them lead to an impoverished and less human life, says Carter Gillies.
Has Arts Council England got cultural democracy wrong? Steven Hadley and Eleonora Belfiore argue for a more thorough questioning of existing hierarchies.
Clinical psychologist Katherine Taylor explains how Greater Manchester is putting the arts at the heart of its mental health strategy, inspired by Finland’s positive experiences.
Laura Bailey explains how Kent County Council is aiming to integrate arts and culture into its commissioned services across the board - even in waste management.
Data from the Government’s Taking Part survey also suggests that 2017/18 saw record levels of arts engagement in England as a whole, though changes to the questionnaire could be skewing the findings.
By taking a robust approach to understanding the social class make-up of the workforce, the cultural sector can address entrenched inequalities. Dave O’Brien suggests a way forward.
The research centre will aim to “pre-empt the needless wheel-spinning, data-churning and combative cross-talking that has characterised much of the past debate” about cultural value.
