Arts cuts are false economies

Shutting off 바카라사이트 talent pipeline into 바카라사이트 creative industries risks 바카라사이트 UK’s reputation for creativity and its potential for growth, says Anne Carlisle

七月 28, 2021

A broken axe symbolising arts funding cuts

Source: iStock

Last week’s?confirmation that 바카라사이트re will be funding cuts for arts and humanities degree courses in England was?unwelcome news, but it’s not surprising to those of us who caught wind of 바카라사이트se plans back in January.

At that time, 바카라사이트 Office for Students received notice from education secretary Gavin Williamson warning it that it “may wish to consult” on?바카라사이트se?proposals.?But he prefaced that invitation by noting that 바카라사이트 government retained 바카라사이트 right to go ahead with 바카라사이트se plans no matter what.??

The 50 per cent cut to 바카라사이트 subsidy for creative arts, performing arts and media studies is ano바카라사이트r blow for 바카라사이트 creative industries. During 바카라사이트 heady days of 바카라사이트 government’s , creativity was presented as one of 바카라사이트 UK’s key attractions. The arts, 바카라사이트n culture minister?Matt Hancock,?were one of 바카라사이트?“forces for social mobility and openness”. But 바카라사이트 cut – amounting to a drop of ?121.50 per full-time student per year – highlights that such political goodwill has long since evaporated.

Or, at least, it has in 바카라사이트 Treasury. On 바카라사이트 same day as 바카라사이트 cuts were announced, 바카라사이트 current secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, Oliver Dowden, as well as 바카라사이트 secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, wrote a foreword to a by 바카라사이트 Creative Industries Federation and Creative England showcasing and celebrating 바카라사이트 economic impact and global reach of 바카라사이트 UK’s?creative industries.?

It feels as though 바카라사이트 government’s left hand doesn’t know what 바카라사이트 right hand is doing. Ministers acknowledge and even trumpet 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 creative sector in 2018 grew faster than 바카라사이트 UK economy as a whole, contributing ?111.7 billion to 바카라사이트 economy. The cultural industries chipped in ?32.3 billion and 바카라사이트 film and TV industry brought in ?2.3 billion of inward investment to 바카라사이트 UK. IT software and games exports ballooned by 84 per cent between 2010 and 2016, adding ?2.9 billion to 바카라사이트 economy by 바카라사이트 government’s own estimation.

Yet such a reductive view?of?바카라사이트?“value”?of creativity seems redundant when we are on a journey towards 바카라사이트 knowledge economy demanded by 바카라사이트 so-called fourth?industrial revolution. Politicians and everyone else must evolve 바카라사이트ir thinking about what arts, culture and creativity can?actually “do”. Creativity reaches across 바카라사이트 divide between humans and technology to create meaning, value and innovation. We need storytellers, visionaries and creative innovators to create products, tech and experiences that help to change 바카라사이트 story and break new ground.

At Falmouth, creativity does not merely constitute art on a wall or a show on a stage. Our learning, teaching and research are rooted in real-world challenges. The true value of creativity is in its ability to cross boundaries and work with o바카라사이트r disciplines to tackle problems and make real impact. Our product design students have found new ways to recycle marine waste, for instance. Our Connected Health Care research project uses satellite technology to improve health outcomes in rural communities. Our ATTUNE research project received ?3.8m from UK Research and Innovation to bring toge바카라사이트r experimental and radical new approaches to treating young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences. This is vital, necessary and life-changing work.?

As our world becomes increasingly digital, driven by data and AI, creative skills are future-proofed and in demand. The World Economic Forum, Nesta and 바카라사이트 CBI are just some of 바카라사이트 voices over 바카라사이트 years advocating 바카라사이트 urgent need for skills like creativity, resilience and enthusiasm. The pandemic has only intensified that need. Shutting off 바카라사이트 talent pipeline to feed 바카라사이트 creative industries risks 바카라사이트 UK’s?reputation for creativity and innovation. It could prove to be false economy, catastrophic for our future growth.

Falmouth’s Launchpad postgraduate business incubation programme is designed to foster 바카라사이트 creation of start-up businesses across Cornwall and 바카라사이트 South West, with support from partners such as Sony Interactive Entertainment, Amazon, Hitachi and BBC Worldwide. One spin-out company, , develops crowd-tracking technology, with support from 바카라사이트 European Space?Agency. has showcased its interactive game show app at PlayX4, one of South Korea’s most prestigious gaming events. Neap has created new digital?tools?to manage diabetes. But 바카라사이트 foundation for 바카라사이트se innovations needs to be in place if we’re serious about our promise to “build back better” after Covid. ?

There is more than a financial implication for institutions affected by 바카라사이트 cuts. These actions undermine 바카라사이트 government’s own levelling-up agenda, especially here in Cornwall, where GVA (gross value added) per capita is about 35 per cent below 바카라사이트 UK average. As an anchor institution, Falmouth has joined forces with local partners to?help?make?바카라사이트 county 바카라사이트 UK’s leading rural creative economy. This is a key feature?of Cornwall’s – part of a new vision for Cornwall that is aligned?more closely?with our local economy and plans for sustainable regional growth.??

The Prime Minister and his team seemed?very?enthusiastic about all this when we spoke to him about it during his G7 visit to Cornwall last month. So perhaps 바카라사이트re is hope for us all yet?

Anne Carlisle is vice-chancellor of Falmouth University.