Culture In The Time Of Covid: The Destruction Of The UK Arts And Night Time Economy
Unless you have been under a rock for the whole of 2020, you may have noticed the entire cultural year has been cancelled. Back in March, when venues closed their doors, festivals slowly started announcing that they were postponing our yearly pilgrimages of debauchery and excess until next summer, and artists deferred their scheduled gigs and exhibitions until ‘later in the year’, there was a lot of disappointment amongst us culture consumers.
But there was also an overarching, buoyant feeling of solidarity with the creative industries. It would all be okay wouldn’t it? We would be back out there partying, gigging and consuming again by winter, and in the meantime we would donate, stream online, support our favourite venues and artists from our homes, and just manage, wouldn’t we?
But, amongst those working in the industry, the threat of a few months of absolutely no revenue caused more than just disappointment, it caused a hell of a lot of worry and stress. Of course it did. And now, thinking back to the rescheduling of gigs and events to October, November, December, the positive reassurances that it would all get back to normal soon, seems naive at best. As we approach winter many of those venue doors will be staying closed indefinitely, and for many this means long term unemployment.
There are tens of thousands of people in the UK who depend on the entertainment industry for their wages to survive, not just as an outlet for creativity. For every band, artist, venue owner, actor or DJ having to adjust to the new normal and unable to perform, for every gallery, nightclub, live music venue, or theatre with closed doors, there are hundreds of festival workers, bar staff, riggers, roadies, curators, events managers and session musicians who were facing a long spring and summer of little or no work, and now face a possible end to their career.
The arts and entertainment industry in the UK is massive. In April 2019 the Arts Council England published a report stating that the arts and culture industry contributes £10.8billion a year to the UK economy, £2.8billion a year to the Treasury via taxation, and generates a further £23billion a year and 363,700 jobs. Compare this to agriculture as a whole, which in the same month was reported as bringing in £10.1 billion a year.
So, why aren’t the government taking this seriously?
The furlough scheme, introduced in March, has run its course. Grants for self employed and freelance people are being given, but many, especially those not earning much, are falling through the net. The £1.57 billion promised by the government to help the UK arts economy stay afloat in July just doesn’t seem to have materialised yet. Also, take into account, this money is for the whole of our arts and culture sector, including museums and heritage sites. And it sounds generous, until you look at the money the government spend on other things, such as the £2-£3 billion a year it costs just to maintain the Trident nuclear submarine.
As lockdown continues in one form or another, and the opening of music venues, the viability of any events going ahead anytime soon looks less and less likely, people who work in the creative industries are getting angry. This anger and desperation blew up when Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, set the internet baying for his blood on 6th October after ITV reported that in an interview with them he suggested that those in ‘unviable’ industries need to diversify and retrain; basically, get another, better job. He backpedalled later that day, and said that isn’t what he meant at all, but imagine how it would go down if he suggested that all farmers just need to "diversify"?
Where are these ‘different jobs’ for the 1000’s of skilled, talented people working behind the scenes who can no longer find employment in a non-existent or greatly shrunk arts industry? We are accelerating into what will probably be the biggest recession in decades, across all sectors. On what planet do the government live, if they don’t think that most of the creatives providing the artistic output do it as a side-line anyway, for the love of it, and most of them are facing the threat of unemployment when it comes to their day jobs as well? Why can’t the government see that keeping the creative industries alive is essential for the future of the UK, to ensure we remain global leaders on the world’s creative stage, as well as keeping that £10 billion plus a year coming in?
We are seen worldwide as a cultural behemoth; our music, festivals, nightlife, venues and artists are known as being one of our best and biggest exports, both now and historically. The rich and varied culture and artistic output of this small island is our soul and our heartbeat. And covid 19, without support from the government, could fold the lot.
The sad truth is (and this isn’t just my opinion, but one firmly held by a lot of the people I have talked to over the last few weeks, and the one I see everywhere on public platforms) that our government does not think that arts and culture are that necessary to the UK. We have already seen this over the last decade or so, with funding cuts and a lack of investment across the board. It is seen as something for the elite, or the lefty hippies, or the pesky youth going out and getting off their tits every weekend. Ar best, this is shortsighted, at worst, a direct attack on what keeps our country vibrant, colourful and alive. And as an aside, can you imagine getting through full lockdown earlier this year with no books, films, music or art?
I went to the pub last night. It was a strange experience; sterile and quiet. The landlady spoke about her fear for pubs and venues, and how she felt the government were not that bothered about them, because once venues close down they can be sold for huge amounts of money to property developers. I was waiting for a taxi home by 9.45; I asked my taxi driver as he drove me home how things are for him. He is barely making any money; he used to work five night shifts a week, but people just aren’t going out any more, and now he is working seven days a week for twelve hours or more, fighting for fares alongside at least twice as many taxi drivers on the day shifts. He can barely make the repayments on his car, let alone actually take money home to support his family. He told me that Bristol runs on it’s night-time economy, it is just not viable for him to carry on in this way for much longer; the future looks bleak for him and his colleagues.
But it’s not just looking bleak for taxi drivers and others who depend on the night time economy and cultural economy for their bread and butter; the future looks bleak on this small island for all of us, without all of the beauty, colour and fun culture injects into our lives. It’s going to be a long, cold winter. This country without art and music looks grey, a rainy wasteland, it is what we have always done best and what makes life bearable, and for all of their words and promises, it seems right now that the government couldn’t care less about protecting it.
Written by Arts editor Kerry Mead
Kerry is a long term resident of Bristol. Music obsessive, book obsessive, social butterfly, escaper of responsibilities, self diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, full time single parent and registered carer to her oldest child who has autism, works part time in communications for a local charity.