A TEN POINT PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS (A thread)

Heavily theatre/ opera focused as that’s what I know, totally asked for and the start not the end of a conversation.

Split into 3 sections: short term, mid term and long term with the big one at the end…

Here we go:

Short term:

1.SHOUT ABOUT HOW THIS INDUSTRY WORKS

How the arts get made is a mystery to most people, so it’s no wonder the government and the public don’t understand why it should preserve its complex and unfathomable ecology. Tell people that the Netflix show they love (1/2)

is totally part of an interconnected world that goes all the way back to grassroots (2/2)

2.OFFER UP THINKING TIME

Forget quickly generated and small thinking made-for-zoom shows. Give all available resources to allow artist time and space for deep thought. This will lead to richer artistic responses, and to the creation of better artists.

3.PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY FOR ARTISTS (URGENT)

Learn from Classical Music and create a scheme that co-ordinates private benefactors supporting artists. This is not pretty, but people need to eat and some people have lots of money.

Mid term:

1.GIVE UP SPACE WHEN YOU CAN

In the no-man’s land between theatres re-opening with a skeleton staff and before audiences are allowed back in, give the space up to artists. Throw open the doors and let people use the space – with social distancing measures.

2. TOTAL CULTURE BLACKOUT

24 Hours no radio, television, music streaming. Turn off all computer games at the router, remove all images from the web, embargo book sales. If the government can’t understand what they’re investing in, make them understand.

3. EXTRAORDINARY LEARNING

Now is a perfect time for mentorship. We need a Tindr/grindr that pairs artists with each other to start conversations that need to be had. Swipe right on the director who wants to talk about access. Swipe right on mentoring a young director etc

Long term:

http://1.FIRE  ALL BOARDS

And replace them with artists. The resourcefulness, creativity, motivation and utopian visioning of artists is what will birth the post-Covid arts world.

2.INVEST IN FREELANCE ARTISTS

More associate positions all round, even if just part time or less than part time. Buildings and companies need to build in an obligation to their gang of freelancers and offer up a plan to protect them in times of crisis.

3.ARTS COUNCILS NEEDS TO KNOW THEIR ARTISTS BETTER

ACE, ACW, Creative Scotland and everyone else – know who your artists are and be pro-active in supporting people before they even realise they need. It. Know where the deficits are in the ecology and get there first. (1/2)

Make funding applications easier to apply for and driven by the creative vision not your arbitrary goals. You should never make an artist come grovelling. You should rejoice serving artists. (2/2)

And the big one:

NEVER APOLOGISE FOR THE ARTS

Beyond the huge economic reasons why the arts are essential, the arts are at the heart of British international identity. There is a conversation that has been happening for 2,000 years which is too delicate to stop now. (1/2)

If we start apologising for arts, even while everything around us makes us doubt ourselves, we might as well shut the doors now. We need to fight for artists right now. (2/2)

Thank you for reading!

*A quick post script - this is not just theatre but freelance specific really. I've tried to articulate some of the conversation that isn't happening as publicly as, say, conversation about the future of arts buildings*