SECTION 1: REMINDING LABOUR WHAT THEY’VE ALREADY PROMISED

TOURING: As per the Labour Party 2024 manifesto, the government must do all it can to break down the barriers for artists touring in the EU.

TICKETS: The government must tackle ticket touting and ticket scams. As per the Labour Party 2024 manifesto, they should impose new regulation on ticket resale companies and strengthen consumer rights around inflated prices.

BUSINESS RATES: Business rates are a crucial source of funding for local authorities, who themselves play a critical role in funding the arts. That said, the current business rate system is contributing to the financial pressures that are closing arts venues. Ultimately Labour must enact its manifesto promise to reform business rates, and do so in such a way that protects the creative economy. In the meantime it should maintain current reduced business rates on venues and studios.

SECTION 2: CUTTING RED TAPE

FUNDING: Since 2023, public funders of the arts now face a needless administrative burden due to new subsidy control regulations. The Government should create a streamlined route for ‘culture and heritage’ funding to eliminate this red tape and redeploy hundreds of thousands of pounds per year from administration to the arts themselves.

VENUES: Agent of Change planning guidance to be brought into legislation, putting the burden of sound proofing on the developers of new properties, not on existing venues. Additionally, a statutory right of consultation for any development around a music venue.

SECTION 3: SHAPING THE FUTURE

COPYRIGHT / GENERATIVE AI: As suggested by the Council for Science and Technology, the Intellectual Property Office should, as a matter of urgency, clearly set out guidance on what standards or regulations AI companies need to adhere to with respect to copyright of creative content.

EDUCATION: At GCSE, arts entries have declined by 47% since 2010. To address this, the Department For Education must ensure that one of the subjects mandated in Progress 8 is an arts subject, so educational institutions are no longer disincentivised to provide them.

CREATIVE DIVERSITY: As recommended in the ‘Creative Majority’ report from 2021, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport should have a plan for creative diversity, published and reviewed annually, with associated key performance indicators.

LEADERSHIP: The Conservatives had twelve Secretaries of State for Culture, Media and Sport in 14 years. The government should commit to taking the cultural economy seriously. There should be an expectation that all secretaries of state across government stay in post for at least three years, and junior ministers for at least two years. Unless they’re shit.