Policy Paper

Culture and Commons is a statement by Connective Action for the Commons, a Europe-wide network of cultural organisations. It is inspired by the emergence of ‘commoning’ practices across Europe and beyond – as collective ventures of co-development and co-government – which have a potential to challenge the duopoly of the state and the market. This policy paper appraises culture as a key factor in terms of encouraging equality and experience, as well as accepting diversity and negotiating participation in these inclusive, collaborative and co-creating practices and urges European decision-makers to embed culture as an important perspective and practice contributing to the commons in their policy deliberations by presenting various good practices.

Shaping the next ten years is a policy report prepared through three months of consultation, between October 2018 and January 2019, to determine the Arts Council England's ten-year strategy until 2030. It presents broad range of opinions from arts organisations, museums and libraries of all scales, to funders and policy makers, local authorities and children, young people and their parents and careers.

Why Do We Expect Artists to Work For Free? Here's How We Can Change the System is a mapping report by American artist William Powhida. He argues that these maps display the institutional structures that keep most artists broke, and shares strategies for spreading the wealth. He also refers to examples of projects that are part of larger solidarity movement which implicitly aim to shift the discussion from artists’ individual responsibilities to the ways in which artist can act collectively.

The City of London developed Area Enhancement Strategies for improving the streets and public spaces in the Square Mile. These strategies focus on sustainable growth and consultation with stakeholders and reflect the City and Mayor of London planning and transportation policies. It also draws attention to the formation of city cluster vision, which is an expanding part of the City with an increasing working population and a growing number of visitors. It aims to help to maintain the area’s attractiveness as a world-class business destination and increasingly as a hub for culture and leisure.

Boundless Creativity was set up as a joint research project by UK Research and Innovation’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). The project has examined the role of innovation in shaping cultural experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and generated a new evidence base to inform the recovery, renewal and future growth of the UK’s cultural and creative sectors.

The growth of the creative industries has impacted most towns, cities and regions in the UK, bringing place-based economic, social and cultural benefits. Creative networks create value which enhances the development of the creative industries in places across the UK. While recognition and support from policy-makers is increasing, it remains peripheral to public funding in the creative industries. This report provides evidence that creative networks are of significant importance to industry, policy and academic stakeholders, making a case for their playing a more central role in public policy.

The Culture White Paper delineates the vision of culture and also culture in action, building on what has been done before. As the Minister of State puts it in his introduction, ‘it is not a revolution but an evaluation’, which focuses on rejuvenating role of culture in society and economy, and primarily supporting creative industries; increasing opportunities for children and young people; the role of culture in place-making; contribution of culture as soft power. It is the first white paper for culture in 50 years.

Cultural and creative sectors are important in their own right in terms of their economic footprint and employment. They also spur innovation across the economy, as well as contribute to numerous other channels for positive social impact (well-being and health, education, inclusion, urban regeneration, etc.). They are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, with large cities often containing the greatest share of jobs at risk. The dynamics vary across sub-sectors, with venue-based activities and the related supply chains most affected. Policies to support firms and workers during the pandemic can be ill-adapted to the non-traditional business models and forms of employment in the sector. In addition to short-term support for artists and firms, which comes from both the public and private sector, policies can also leverage the economic and social impacts of culture in their broader recovery packages and efforts to transform local economies.

Arts-based Social Enterprises fulfill an important social and economic role, supporting young people’s transition into employment and education, and promoting social inclusion and well-being through participation in artistic and cultural activities.2 This policy brief outlines key findings from an Australian Research Council funded study of ASEs undertaken by researchers from RMIT and Charles Sturt University.

This Manifesto on Arts Management, Cultural Management and Policy (ACMP) Education is intended to be a tool to reflect and advocate the shared values of three major networks - ENCATC, AAAE and TACPS - which represent a collective of arts and cultural management educational networks from Europe, North America and Asia. It manifests 6 statements as a starting point, aiming to draw attention to the role of ACMP education to amplify the essential need to balance local needs with global challenges.

The Fribourg Declaration on Cultural Rights underlines that cultural rights are part of human rights. The text was presented in 2007 by the Observatory of Diversity and Cultural Rights, together with the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and UNESCO. The site displays link to translations of the Declaration in 13 different languages, but it also serves as a valuable source to search cultural rights and its related issues.

EU Gender Equality Law provides a general overview of gender equality law at the EU level. The publication is aimed at a broad – but not necessarily legal – public and explains the most important issues of the EU gender equality acquis. It provides a brief historical development of EU gender equality law, followed by a discussion of the central concepts such as equal pay, equal treatment at work, occupational and statutory social security and self-employment.

Gender Parity in the Canadian Arts sector and the Barriers to Women’s Leadership policy paper was written by The Canadian Arts Coalition, a collaborative non-partisan movement spearheaded by a group of national arts service and membership organizations, with a volunteer Steering Committee comprised of artists and arts administrators. It draws attention to gender parity and barriers to women leadership by demonstrating the relevant data and advocates for a change via series of recommendations.

Culture is Digital is a policy a paper sets out a vision for digital culture in UK. It focuses on the UK’s creative and technological capacity and builds on Government’s digital and industrial strategy. It contains research, evidence and commitments across three key themes: audiences, skills and digital capabilities and future strategy. The follow up progress report for 2019 can be accessed via same link.

Industrial Strategy- Creative Industries Sector Deal is a white paper outlines the UK Government's commitment to invest to the lifecycle of creative businesses including: the places of the future by funding leading creative clusters to complete globally; the technologies and content of the future via research into augmented reality and virtual reality; and the creative skills of the future via a careers programme that will open up creative jobs to people of every background.

Funding Arts and Culture in a Time of Austerity This policy paper focuses on local authorities’ funding of arts and culture. It sets out recent trends in local government’s funding for arts and culture and the prospects for the near future. Using Arts Council England figures we also assess the impact that these cuts are having on the viability of the sector, and finally suggests entrepreneurial and community based approaches as new ways of working.

This policy paper explores insights into philanthropic engagement for Europe – an idea they refer to as philanthropy with a European purpose. The report is based on a literature review and 20 interviews with cultural activists, policy makers, academic experts, leading foundation staff and representatives of philanthropic umbrella organisations. The paper concludes with a set of ideas about how to move philanthropy with a European purpose forward. These will be part of a follow-up exercise designing a high-level blueprint with concrete new instruments for philanthropy for Europe.

The Independent Theatre Council displays yearly updated rates of pay for the theatre sector to be used for budgeting, which include different rates from performance to rehearsal, residency, workshop and recordings etc.

Reshaping Cultural Policies: Advancing Creativity for Development Report analyses further progress achieved in implementing the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. It highlights the strategic frameworks best adapted to the digital environment, the emergence of exchange platforms and the dynamism of artistic incubators in the global South. It also points to the persistent inequalities and under-representation of women in the culture sector, trade barriers on cultural goods and services from the global South and the vulnerability of artists at risk.

Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society a.k.a. offers Details of Treaty No.199 that emphasise the important aspects of heritage as they relate to human rights and democracy. It promotes a wider understanding of heritage, both as a resource for human development and also a part of economic development model based on principles of sustainable resource use, and its relationship to communities and society.

The City of London developed Area Enhancement Strategies for improving the streets and public spaces in the Square Mile. These strategies focus on sustainable growth and consultation with stakeholders and reflect the City and Mayor of London planning and transportation policies. It also draws attention to the formation of city cluster vision, which is an expanding part of the City with an increasing working population and a growing number of visitors. It aims to help to maintain the area’s attractiveness as a world-class business destination and increasingly as a hub for culture and leisure.

The Independent Theatre Council displays yearly updated rates of pay for the theatre sector to be used for budgeting, which include different rates from performance to rehearsal, residency, workshop and recordings etc.