Desperate times call for desperate measures. The fact that Martin Bright was able to get a group including the likes of Alan Yentob, Munira Mirza and Lord Puttnam to clear their diaries to talk about the recession and its impact on the creative industries is impressive enough, but to get the Chancellor’s wife to host it indicates that he’s not only very well connected, but willing to use his connections for what he believes in.
Focussing on what could be done for the many existing and budding creative professionals in a time of financial crisis, the emphasis seemed to be on going local – getting schemes going with national backing, which would have an impact on communities throughout the UK. Although this is essentially a ‘make-work’ programme, the work could be brilliant and lasting. There are of course problems.
The first is money – whether Trevor Phillips’s grand, and apparently impromptu, gesture might be emulated by others, whether cash can be found or reallocated swiftly enough to be effective, and whose noses – or bank balances – would be put out of joint as a result.
The second is organisational power. The cry will always be to avoid bureaucracy, but someone has to organise the proposed projects. If volunteers are to be deployed, they will have to undergo the new vetting and barring process (p3) before being allowed to work in schools or with community groups. If apprentices are to be hired, creative organisations have to have enough work on their books to make it worthwhile taking one on. And if young people are to be given work and opportunities, there must be no feeling that this is taking work away from an arts sector already struggling to keep its programmes going.
Ruth Mackenzie has called for the arts to be ‘unselfish’ in offering support, placements and mentoring. That may prove to be a bit of a bad joke – mentoring takes staff time and commitment which may simply not be available in these straitened times, except in the largest and best-cushioned organisations. Finding instead a way to mobilise the thousands of micro-businesses and individuals working in the creative sector would be a major challenge. Enormous effort will be required – we wait to see whether it is forthcoming.
Catherine Rose
Editor