Letters ? Unite and fight

From Victoria Todd, Director, National Campaign for the Arts
The tough choices made by the Arts Council have, as you say (AP issue 94, 28 March), highlighted the need for the sector to pull together and convince politicians of its value. In the run up to the general election ? and, indeed, after it ? the arts constituency will do itself no favours by appearing divided.

To unite the forces of the arts sector, the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA) has produced an Arts Manifesto as a lobbying document for the sector in the run up to the general election. It was written in consultation with NCA members, who range from individual artists to national institutions, professional unions to amateur organisations. Everyone?s view has been included.

To be really effective, the Arts Manifesto needs to be used. It has been distributed to government departments, MPs, and party policy makers at the top of the system, but they will act quicker if they feel pressure from below. The arts must become an electoral issue on the doorstep which, as every candidate knows, is where a vote is ultimately won or lost. For a copy of the Arts Manifesto,

w: http://www.artscampaign.org.uk; t: 020 7333 0375.