Mailing Lists

      Arts Policies Pre-Election
                                                 2010

Dear Phil

During such a precarious economic time, it may be unrealistic to expect any government to significantly expand its investment in the arts, or for any voter to support a party that has a strong arts policy but is weak elsewhere. However, there are some significant differences in the approach that the main parties are taking towards the future of the arts, and we’ve tried to capture the salient points of each here in our Arts Policies Pre-Election 2010 document.

This document summarises the main parties’ stance on the arts, and offer some easy links to further information. To read the Arts Policies Pre-Election 2010, click here.

For a quick overview, click here for a video of the Guardian’s Charlotte Higgins interviewing the three main parties’ Culture representatives.

Robin Osterley
Making Music Chief Executive

Main political parties' arts policies

Click here for more details on the Labour’s arts and culture policy.

Click here for more details on the Conservatives’ arts and culture policy.

Click here for more details on the Liberal Democrats’ arts policy.

Highlights

 The Labour party has increased funding for the arts by 73 per cent over 
 the last ten years. Its 2010 budget launched on 24 March confirmed the
 government's commitment to making £11 billion of savings a year by
 2012-13. The Labour Party manifesto can be found here. It contains a
 section entitled Communities and Creative Britain which outlines a number
 of arts policies.

 The Conservative Party proposes in its arts policy to 'return the Lottery
 to its original purpose' and introduce reforms to 'put an end to any further
 government interference and ensure a greater share of Lottery funding
 goes to the arts, sport and heritage, allowing them to prosper and thrive.'
 The Conservative party manifesto can be found here, but it contains
 almost no reference to the arts.

The Liberal Democrats are the only party to have made a commitment to maintain the current level of arts funding, and will also change taxation on the National Lottery to increase revenue. The Liberal Democrat manifesto can be found here.

The Plaid Cymru manifesto can be found here. The words ‘arts’, ‘culture’ and ‘music’ do not appear, and they appear to have no arts policy on their website.

The Scottish National Party manifesto can be read here. The words ‘arts’ and ‘music’ do not appear, and there is a very fleeting reference to promoting culture. They also appear to have no arts policy visible on their website.

Making Music, the National Federation of Music Societies
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