Sunday, 5 of February of 2012
Representation and action for students of the arts
See the manifesto I was standing on here, and the video & manifesto of the winning candidate, Usman Ali.
Alas twas not to be, but I’m sure the NUS will go on and serve Arts Group member Unions well regardless in the year to come. Thankfully the Arts Group policies which will mean alot to Arts Students nationwide passed – see the details at http://www.artsgroup.org.uk/2010/04/nus-passes-policy-on-internships-arts-education/
Freshly returned from NUS Annual Conference 2010 it’s my pleasure to report on the Arts Group Policy that was passed by the sovereign body of the largest organization of its kind in the western world.
Safeguarding funding for arts subjects
NUS passed our calls for funding to be specifically identified and ringfenced for the subjects that feed the creative industries, in recognition of the continued and growing contribution that we make to the UK economy. In policy 301 of the Higher Education Zone, the conference acknowledged that:
Despite the substantial and growing contribution the creative and cultural sector makes to the UK economy, the Arts Subjects that feed them consistently face disproportionate cuts.
And in response has mandated the organization to:
For NUS to lobby for additional and protected funding allocation for subjects related to the Creative & Cultural Industries, in addition to any STEM Funding priorities
Fighting the exploitation of Unpaid Interns
After months of the National Executive failing to take any significant action on internships, the Conference passed policy endorsing the work of the Arts Group and other campaigns including Intern Aware and Internocracy. Our amendment (611a) in the Welfare Zone commits the NUS to act as follows:
We can look forward to working with the NUS to make sure that this policy generates tangible activity, despite a poor record from the organization of action on our previous calls for action against Hidden Course Costs, passed at last year’s conference (re-actioned on a wider scale by a motion this year). It’s likely that the best approach for impact on the Internships initially would be the introduction of the Skillset guidelines as a legislative measure, as (despite focussing on National Minimum Wage rather than living wage) they outline a fantastic and clearly thought out system of work-based learning opportunities as well as post-graduation Internships.
In response to their research showing that almost half (44%) of the Creative Media workforce said they had carried out unpaid work to get into the industry, Skillset have released exemplary guidelines for internships and other work-based learning. Involving the Arts Group throughout the consultation process, the sector skills council for Creative Media have broken the widespread ambiguity of many other groups and called for an acceptance of the role of general interns. Put together by Skillset in collaboration Creative & Cultural Skills and Arts Council England, the guidance aims to promote good practice and clarify the various entry routes into the creative industries.
“As the individual is performing as a ‘worker’ and is not in full-time education, employers must adhere fully to National Minimum Wage legislation throughout the duration of their placement.”
Skillset goes on to further elaborate on the broader range of work-based learning opportunities available, providing employers with a thorough opportunity to engage in both paid and unpaid routes with fairness and accessibility at the core. The guidelines place internships (broken down into “student” and “general” modes) within a broader context including Volunteering, Work Experience, Traineeships and Apprenticeships, providing a fantastic model for examining the future of work based learning and vocational education.
The guidelines include recommendations on:
Whilst differing in some minor aspects from the recommendations of the Arts Group’s own Emerging Workers Report – the Skillset approach represents by far the best offer from any organization outside the Student Movement, and if implemented would make a huge difference to thousands of young people and those entering the creative industries for the first time.
“Getting a job in the creative industries should be about talent and potential. Yet this can prove challenging, given the sheer numbers who want a job and how informal entry often is.“We understand that the recession and its impact mean that this is a challenging time for the industry. But by addressing this issue now we are seeking to make sure that the best and brightest talent is given fair access – and securing that talent is one of the best ways that we can ensure our future.”~GMTV Chairman and Skillset chair Clive Jones
“We hope these guidelines will lay solid foundations for employers, setting out responsibilities in a clear and accessible way.”~Skillset chief executive Dinah Caine
Click here for the pdf of the guidelines
Arts Group Chair, Kit Friend, appeared on the BBC last weekend to defend the rights of interns to proper pay and treatment, highlighting specifically the issues with equality and diversity that the current lack of enforcement encourages.
To see the Arts Group’s recommendations on internships read the Emerging Workers Report here
The Draft Programme for our National Arts Student Summit follows. Please register your attendance here
Weds 7th April 2010.
12.00 – 12.30 Coffee and registration
An Arts Education, Policies and Innovation
1.30 – 1.45 Kit Friend Chair of The Arts Group, Welcome and introduction to the
1.45 – 2.15 Professor Maureen Wayman OBE “Delivering the Dream”
2.15 – 2.45 Ian Thompson Sorrel Foundation, ”Design and Innovation where do we start?”
2.45 – 3.00 Questions from the floor to the speakers
3.00 – 3.15 Coffee
3.15 -– 4.4 5 Facilitated Group Discussions
6pm onwards – Dinner and Evening activities
Thurs 8th April 2010.
Creative Industries and University Collaboration Opportunities, Barriers and Solutions
9.30– 10.00 Coffee and registration
10.00 – 10.30 Steve Besley Head of Education Policy Edexcel, speaks on the wider education landscape and what we should prepare for.
10.30 – 11. 00 Marcus Mason, Development Officer, ‘New Deal of the Mind’
11.00 – 11.30 coffee
11.30 – 12.45 Workshops
12.45 – 1.45 lunch
1.45 – 2.00 Mark Crawley, National Arts Learning Network “Response and Responsibility”
2.00 – 2.20 Leanne Manfredi, Victoria & Albert Museum
2.20 – 3.00 Facilitators – report back and discussion
3.00 – 3.20 Tea Break
3.20 Plenary and ways forward
3.45 Closing remarks
Coffee
Arts Group Chair Kit Friend presented at the NALN/UKADIA Conference with Skillset’s Gini Stirling around the issue of unpaid internships and their effect on widening participation in the Arts, following on from the Arts Group’s Emerging Workers Report and subsequent discussion with Skillset and others.
Download the pdf of our presentation: “Internships: Counting the cost”
Download the full draft of the Skillset report here: http://www.skillset.org/uploads/pdf/asset_14315.pdf?1
Pre-Registration is now open.
The National Arts Student Summit is open to all representative (from sabbatical officers to course reps) from creative subjects across the UK.
At the Summit you will have the opportunity to debate and discuss the development of Arts Education and Employment from Primary School to the Workplace.
For more information and to pre-register your delegates please click here
The Liberal Democrats invited the Arts Group Chair, Kit Friend, to attend the launch of their new proposals entitled ‘The Power of Creativity’ . The celebrities were out in abundance with everyone from Imogen Heap to Rory Bremner milling around the tightly packed room at the Lords to hear an address by party leader, Nick Clegg.
Mr Clegg’s speech unfortunately seemed to plaguerise uncredited one of the best known speeches by Sir Ken Robinson but we’ll forgive him this one as it is very good. Perhaps more dubious was his claim the the Arts were ‘a duty’ for any government to support, which again probably had the right sentiments behind it, but could do with a little more work on if he wants to make it party mantra. For the record Nick we’d like to be seen as a strength, an opportunity, a vital contributor to society and at minimum a partner to Government and society – not something you’re obligated to look after.
The Arts team of Don Foster MP and Baronness Jane Bonham-Carter were on hand to introduce and speak to guests, and as usual did a fantastic job of raising the profile of creativity in government. Their approachability and willingness to except input from across the sector (including inviting the Arts Group to contribute to their policy discussions) should be welcomed, and even if we’re not going to see a Liberal government elected any time soon, it’s good to know people like them are on hand to put the pressure on with the other parties.
In terms of the actual content of the proposals, the Lib Dem press release has a capable summary of the highlights, including proposals to:
”
- Change the way the National Lottery is taxed to generate more money for arts and heritage as well as for the Treasury
- Provide support for new start-ups in the creative industries and enable more businesses to offer internships and apprenticeships
- Offer all our children a more creative education by freeing up the curriculum and increasing the amount of time trainee primary school teachers spend learning about the arts and creativity
- Make it easier for small venues to host live music events by reducing bureaucracy that restricts small venues
- Make sure the regions and cities outside London do not miss out by reviewing the Arts Council England’s funding structures and creating a new administrative status for national museums that will enable them to be more enterprising and independent
- Open up the Government Art Collection for greater public use “
The key points the Arts Group pushed in consultation were around our internships work and Further/Higher Education, which both have a mixed presence in the policy.
On internships…
“a new “Paid Internship” for the first year of the next parliament, enabling hundreds of thousands of young people to work for up to three months with any employer, without cost to the business. Each intern would be paid a new “Training Allowance” of £55 per week”
The Paid internship bit and supporting a scheme with little cost to employers is a good call, but £55 a week? Half of this would go on travel in London alone, and it falls dramatically short of National Minimum Wage. In fact, if the young people are ‘to work, and not in study, this is illegal even by current employment standards. Revise it to cover at least National Minimum Wage however, and this sounds like a great idea.
On further/higher education…
Development for either of these in a tangible sense is difficult to find from the policies, but there are some good statements…
“Creativity is undervalued in our education system. All too often cultural learning is seen as an ‘add-on’ while priority is given to what is measurable through exams and league tables. The Liberal Democrats will seek to change this perception and place creativity at the heart of our education system.
Similarly, creative skills have often been inadequately supported in our society. Government needs to offer more support to the creative industries to enable them to offer training opportunities through apprenticeships and internships and to foster greater levels of partnership working to share expertise.”
It’s nice to hear Skillset and other agencies also mentioned explicitly…
“We are fully supportive of the invaluable work being done by Skillset through their academies network and training programmes and advice. We will ensure that government structures and regulation don’t form a barrier to creative organisations working in partnership with higher education providers in setting up academies and training courses.”
FE & HE aren’t mentioned explicitly elsewhere, and our input to the policy to look at making Arts education at this level more accessable by making sure materials and associated costs of study were covered by student finance appear not to have made the cut. However we’ve invited the team to join us at the National Arts Student Summit so with any luck they can be challenged to make some pledges there.
In an effort to define how they will work with artists and arts organisations to create positive change for the arts over the next 10 years, Arts Council provide the following information and ask for your ideas and opinions.
How we sit within a diverse and ever-changing England, taking into account the progression of society, industry, technology and the environment.
Our ambitions for the next 10 years, encompassing diversity, internationalism, strengthened organisations and heightened excellence across the arts.
How we will adapt and change with society and the arts to achieve our ambitions.
Our 2009 review of recent literature relating to the arts in England, developed to inform our 10-year strategic framework.
To give them your feedback you’ll need to register with Arts Council.
Do it.
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/consultation/
The Arts Group is calling for legislation governing the practice of work experience, internships and placements. In its “Emerging Workers” document the Arts Group puts forward the case that Government action is needed in order to protect students and graduates in the arts and creative industries.
Many arts organisations and businesses are reliant upon unpaid workers, both on work experience and on longer term placements. Whilst the Arts Group recognises that some of these organisations are run on low budgets, it is not in the interest of diversity, equality or creativity for internships to remain as the preserve of the well off.
Kit Friend, Chair of the Arts Group commented “Access to the creative professions should be based on ability, not means. As the labour market is near saturated with those financially able to take up unpaid placements, equal access to the creative professions will not be realised unless internships are regulated by government.”
The Arts Group recognises that the creative sector is made up of a large number of small and medium enterprises, and calls for funding and bursaries to be made available to employers so that they are able to continue to offer internships that are genuine training and development opportunities.
>> A pdf of the report can be downloaded by clicking here
Though there have been no major cuts to Arts Council funding just yet, the looming elections are likely to set a new tone. Much has happened over the past two years to dramatically alter its budget. In 2007, the Arts Council placed a large chunk of its funding towards the 2012 Olympics. Last year’s recession meant that public sectors faced major setbacks, and the profits made in the arts were significantly reduced.
This all sounds very gloomy, but is it really? The 2009 budget report in April announced it would cut £4 million out of the previous £467 million, decreasing the budget by less than 1%. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which, along with the Arts Lottery, funds the Arts Council has had its own cuts in 2010 of £20million. The Arts Council, therefore will only be bearing a fifth of DCMS’ losses.
Although these cuts are minimal, they do come as a great disappointment. Since 2002, the Arts Council has had yearly increase in funding. That year, a new spending plan was announced that would make the DCMS budget £257 million higher in 2005-06 than in 2002-03. Furthermore in 2007, the Arts Council was promised £20 million over the following three years.
As for prospective cuts, the Arts Council continues to point out that the revenue from the Arts sector is much higher than its spending. In July last year, MP Andy Burnham told the Stage: “the small – relatively small – amount of funding here, produces a huge benefit not [just] socially, educationally, culturally, but also economically.” Indeed, when Liverpool became Europe’s Capital of Culture in 2008, it generated £176 million from tourism alone and an £800 million boost to regional economy.
No doubt 2010 will see a decrease in Arts Council money. Can a new government change this? Or is it dictated by the recession? Predicting the former, Chief of the Arts Council Alan Davey met with the Conservative Party last October to discuss the importance of funding. Like Burnham, he argued that arts revenue was beneficial to the economy. On the opposite side of the spectrum were the conclusions reached at the Funding Transition conference hosted by arts think tank Missions Models Money in December. Chair of the meeting Clara Miller, CEO of Non-profits Finance Fund, argued that it is the way arts businesses are run that needs to change, rather than government revenue. Can art businesses, as Clara Miller suggests, overcome financial struggle by remodelling? These are questions organisations, as well as art students and artists, will have to face as we draw closer to a new government and a revision of this year’s budgets.
Words by Lemma Shehadi
The Guardian has coverage of announcements from Shadow culture secretary Jerermy Hunt indicating what a Conservative victory at the general election could mean for the shape of the Arts. Contrary to claims (last year at the launch of the National Campaign for the Arts Manifesto launch) by Ed Vaizey, Shadow Minister for Culture, it appears our sector may also be subject to cuts in funding in response to dwindling public finances.
The coverage is led by the Tory aspiration to enter into a “Golden Age” for the Arts, through encouraging the emergence of a culture of philanthropy equivalent to our American equivalents. This would seem to set us up for tax-related benefits as well as other measures recommended by Sir John Tusa’s Arts Task Force in their report (see www.artstaskforce.co.uk ). Whilst undoubtebly a good ideal, this is largely unproven in the UK as a model, and would be a massive step to take from recent year’s reliance of much of the Arts on public subsidy. Whether this would be a phased movement, looking to replace public with private funding is not made clear, though as journalist Polly Toynbee commented at the Bright Blue event in Portcullus House this week – cuts are seldom able to be able to be carried out in the the surgical manner that might be desired to produce the “leaner” organizations Hunt perhaps rightly espouses.
Singled out for criticism by Tory policy is the proportion of state funding that goes on the administration of the Arts grant distributors, with organizations including the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England spending more than 10% of their income in this way. The Arts Council is restructuring to reduce this, but the premise does call in to question the balance of spending across other similar bodies.
The Conservative policy of returning more lottery funding to the Arts is re-emphasised, as is a committment to championing excellence in the arts (perhaps responding to much of the criticism levelled at public art initiatives’ over-emphasis of diversity and localism over quality of practice).
And last but not least, we are assured that free museum entry “is here to stay under a Conservative government”.
Following a warm reception for the Liberal Democrats, who invited us to input on their own Arts Policy, the Arts Group is continuing to speak to the Shadow DCMS team around issues relating to internships and STEM funding following discussions at the Conservative Conservative Arts and Creative Industries Network and other events with Shadow Arts Minister Ed Vaizey. Watch this space for formal responses!
