"NOT MY BUSINESS?"

"NOT MY BUSINESS?"

HOW CAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT MANCHESTER'S ARTS & CULTURE RECOVERY? NOT MY BUSINESS?

What’s so special about Northern culture? What about Manchester in particular? Moreover, why should the private sector care?

Law firm Slater Heelis and PR firm Galibier, co-hosts of this event, are both based here. Neither business depends on the arts and culture sector for revenue, but both agreed that our need for culture goes far deeper than that. Why do the best people come to this city to live and work in businesses like ours? Because Manchester is bursting with creativity. From the Hacienda to HOME, Lemn Sissay to L.S. Lowry, Warehouse Project to the Whitworth, Manchester is known nationally and globally for its rich arts and culture scene. The same goes for Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield… cities that would not contribute to the UK economy anywhere near as much if they weren’t so culturally diverse and vivacious. And yet, when Covid entered our lives, the flourishing of Northern culture was suddenly plunged into jeopardy. We gathered a panel of the city’s arts and culture experts to explore what Covid recovery looks like for the sector, and if there is an ethical and economic imperative for the private sector to step up and support this. Taking the NCAPPG’s “Northern Case for Culture” as a starter for ten, policymakers, practitioners and business and community leaders chewed over questions such as, “How can culture carve a place for itself within policy agendas?” and “How could private-public sector collaboration work in this space?”. In the process, they advocated for greater, more long-term investment in Northern cultural infrastructure, as well as for a more complex kind of private sector involvement beyond “business-as-cash cow”.

Not My Business?

THE PANELLISTS:

Compere, Karen Gabay

Karen is an award-winning filmmaker, TV producer and radio presenter of one of the BBC’s longest running radio shows, The People, on BBC Radio Manchester. Karen is also host of HOME’s film podcast, a trustee of Band on the Wall, and is known for her work around and passion for “Manchester’s diverse musical heritage and its impact on culture”.

Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE

As Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council and Councillor for Longsight Ward, Cllr Luthfur Rahman has made his mark with initiatives focused on skills, culture, leisure, young people and race and diversity. Arts Council England has described him as “a passionate advocate for art and culture’s place in cities and wider communities” and “integral to making The Festival of Manchester and helping Manchester achieve the UNESCO City of Literature status.”

Princess Arinola Adegbite (PA Bitez)

Following the successful debut of her poetry collection Soft Tortures at age 16, poet, writer and filmmaker Princess has gone on to be a member of the Manchester-based spoken word collective Young Identity and to win multiple accolades, including “Young Creative of the Year” at the 2021 Manchester Culture Awards.

Greg Thorpe

Greg is a freelance creative producer, writer, curator and artist, among others things responsible for directing Manchester Pride’s year-round LGBTQ+ cultural programme Superbia and offering operational and creative support at Salford’s independent arts venue Islington Mill.

Chris Bishop

Slater Heelis is a full-service law firm based in Greater Manchester and a long supporter of arts organisations including HOME and Contact Theatre. Chris, its Managing Partner and a keen consumer of the arts, is also a Board member at local theatre company Quarantine.

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There’s a certain bitter-sweetness to Covid.

On the one hand, we’ve seen a nationwide resurgence in appetite for the arts; the spotlighting of inequalities – particularly around health and disability; and new artists emerging across a spectrum of ages.

Many survived the lockdowns because of art, turning to beloved films, freshly released music or new crafting hobbies for solace in turmoil.

And yet, at the same time, artists felt incredible uncertainty; many, in fact, felt like they’d been forgotten.

That’s why, as Freelance Creative Producer Greg Thorpe reminded us, it’s critical to remember that even as the UK population wakes up to the extent of their dependence on arts and culture, “lots of change still needs to happen. Artists who are part of the production line must be compensated for their time.”

After all, Covid was a prolific period for many artists – artists such as Princess Arinola Adegbite:

“Covid-19 regenerated my career, because it gave me the chance to explore my talent more deeply – for example via the BBC Worlds First programme. It was a time to reset, reflect on my practice and make a plan of what I want to achieve.”

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The main questions to address are – if there’s an exodus of talent out of London, how do we ensure that it thrives here, in Manchester? . - Greg Thorpe, freelance curator, writer, and creative producer

By Princess’s own admission, such chances for creative clarity are not universally doled out, but rather a luxury unavailable to many artists. Put simply, Covid-19 discriminates.

By Princess’s own admission, such chances for creative clarity are not universally doled out, but rather a luxury unavailable to many artists. Put simply, Covid-19 discriminates. In particular, freelancers have been left behind, passed over for funding and excluded in Government grants. That’s why the funding of talent from diverse sources is critical to recovery: “businesses must get involved,” Princess continued. “We can’t just look to the Arts Council.”

Many would argue that the pandemic has also compounded pre-existing divides – between the institutional and the grassroots, the South and the North.

The North cannot become “another London”, Greg explained, but must instead “provide an alternative which is in a reciprocal relationship” with the capital. “The main questions to address are – if there’s an exodus of talent out of London, how do we ensure that it thrives here, in Manchester? How do we tackle the challenge of nurturing this talent longer-term? And how do we not make the same mistakes that London has, particularly around gentrification?”.

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Culture doesn’t exist in a vacuum: this was one of the discussion’s key takeaways. That is, it can’t be decoupled from its impact on local and national economies, communities, or job creation. Impactful change in the sector must therefore transcend a siloed approach, rather sitting at the junction of social, economic and professional arenas. With a more holistic understanding of culture – a “joined up approach” to borrow Councillor Luthfur Rahman’s phrase – we’re better armed to rebuild.

So, what exactly do these “diverse and pervasive” impacts look like?

Boosting economies

To a large extent, the creative industries’ battering during Covid forced many people to face up to the commercial reality of the arts.

More recently, the NCAPGG’s Northern Case for Culture spotlighted how these industries “carry an economic weight that is surprising to many”, in that their annual GVA (Gross Value Added) amounts to £115bn – more than the Life Sciences, Automotive, Aerospace, and Oil and Gas sectors combined.

Not just that, but the sector also provides 2.1m jobs and has grown at three times the rate of the economy overall since 2008.

Our perceptions of what art is or does must move beyond the “mere aesthetic” or “just for pleasure”; culture’s clout in the economic sphere is seriously influential.

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Taking our host HOME as an example, Cllr Rahman explained how “lots of people come to this venue to enjoy cinema, but don’t see the supply chain that makes this experience possible. We should be asking ourselves – what does culture mean to us as a community? How does everyone benefit? – because the knock-on effects are massive.” Lots of people come to this venue to enjoy cinema, but don’t see the supply chain that makes this experience possible. We should be asking ourselves – what does culture mean to us as a community? How does everyone benefit? – because the knock- on effects are massive. - Cllr Luthfur Rahman OBE,Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council and Councillor for Longsight Ward

Empowering communities

For Cllr Rahman, appreciation of the arts came only in adulthood; before this, growing up with only a limited exposure to the arts in Longsight, he admitted he “didn’t realise the social and professional impact” of the scene on both himself and the surrounding area. “Sometimes, we don’t realise that we are consuming art or are participating in culture. There’s a persistent perception of “this isn’t for me”, and many consider the arts as a middle-class vocation or exclusively stage-facing career.” There are several things that can be done to plug this cognitive disconnect and widen access. We must, the panel explained, demystify cultural institutions (grandiose museums are for everyone!), and link up local communities to taster or free events. Currently, this gap acts as a double whammy, because - as Karen pointed out - artists are unable to do their work and connect with audiences, and this in turn serves as a barrier to people entering their world.

“If someone would have simply walked into my school and told me that a museum was free,” said Greg, “it would have been a massive bridge to the world of the arts.”

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Educating everyone

The consensus emerged therefore, that raising awareness of the universal value of culture is key, and this must start early. Cllr Rahman touched on the fact that there’s been a “race to the bottom” that “has taken much of the creativity out of education – a culture of ‘working to the exam’”. Research has shown though, that kids are much more likely to attain greater levels of success if they have exposure to arts and culture, which is in part why Manchester City Council launched its cultural skills consortium and Cultural Educational Partnerships. It’s a matter of education: educating parents or carers about the viability of the arts as a career; educating young people about art and culture beyond the institutional or “canonical”; businesses educating themselves on the role they can play.

There’s much to learn, and we’re just getting started…

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The benefits of UK creative industries to businesses are irrefutable. But the relationship must be mutually beneficial. How do we marry the commercial and the cultural? Where do businesses fit in? Instinct leads many of us to the private sector’s deep pockets, with support taking the form of donations or the financial backing of initiatives – including those that are public sector-led, like the Arts Impact Fund.

Over the years, we’ve all seen lots of potential in Sale, but the businesses seemed tired…now that we’re working towards the regeneration, both businesses and the local community are energised by the fact that investment is on the way. - Chis Bishop, Managing Partner at Slater Heelis and Board Member of Quarantine Theatre

“Over the years, we’ve all seen lots of potential in Sale, but the businesses seemed tired…now that we’re working towards the regeneration, both businesses and the local community are energised by the fact that investment is on the way.” Coughing up sizeable sums has undoubtable, tangible value for underfunded arts organisations – something that Chris Bishop, Slater Heelis’ Managing Partner, explained he’d seen as a Board member of the Sale Regeneration Project.

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Our panellists warned of the myopia of businesses seeing financial assistance as their only means of involvement. There are manifold alternatives – offering up real estate being a prime example of how to rebuild the sector for the long-term, according to Greg: “a lot of artists struggle with the availability – or rather lack – of spaces in the city. Space needs to be free, or failing that still cheap, not least to make the work more accessible for others.” This approach has its limits however, typically reserved for larger-scale companies with greater capital. It’s also by no means the only way in which businesses can empower arts and culture’s recovery.

People will be more likely to champion their own city, because having businesses visibly involved helps them to recognise it as their own. - Karen Gabay, filmmaker, producer, and BBC radio presenter

It’s a sentiment shared by Cllr Rahman: “We have a lot of space in the city and we need to be creative about how we use it. Sharing space is of mutual benefit – it can put a business on the map while enabling local artists to produce.”

As a result of this “virtuous cycle”, to borrow Chris’s phrase, Karen pointed out that “people will be more likely to champion their own city, because having businesses visibly involved helps them to recognise it as their own."

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How can businesses help?

Looking beyond traditional means of support could lead us for instance towards business mentorships or pro-rata skills-sharing.

Time is a precious resource for artists, with many working second jobs, so having access to someone’s expertise – be it legal, financial, administrative – could be game-changing. Princess referred to the “dark art of bid writing” – an offputtingly challenging and highly technical application process for which she was supported by Young Identity, while Greg spoke of filing taxes – a chronic headache for freelancers made easier by accountancy workshops set up at Islington Mill. These are just two examples of how private sector support or counsel can make a meaningful difference. As a particularly well-connected segment of society, the private sector could also contribute by networking creative professionals with their contacts or by brokering introductions – especially since, as Princess pointed out, “so much about being an artist is about luck in the first place.” It’s a lottery knowing where to go or who to follow on socials, which circles to move in, or where the up-and-coming opportunities and grants are. Often, it just takes meeting one key individual to change all of that. Chris, who sits as a Board member at Quarantine theatre, testified to this, sharing how the trustees each bring their varied experiences, backgrounds and subject matter specialisms to their role and as a result, can provide artists with a wealth of practical support.

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Corporate sponsorship of the arts: a fad doomed to fade?

Often people go for the least political artists, but we need to allow people to tell their stories authentically, awkwardly, and with complexities. There needs to be more variety in the narratives; you need to give people chances.

The panel discussed how many businesses are culprits of showboating “palatable provocativeness” – a kind of commercially permissible pushing of the boundaries. Businesses can then point to this as engagement with social activism as a free pass, without having necessarily made any internal changes or taken any kind of meaningful risk.

- Princess Arinola Adegbite, poet, writer, and filmmaker

In Princess’s words, “often people go for the least political artists, but we need to allow people to tell their stories authentically, awkwardly, and with complexities. There needs to be more variety in the narratives; you need to give people chances.” Managing risk is after all a corporate commonplace, but for artists it’s an emotionally demanding and unrelenting part of the day job: “there are so many parts to being an artist that people don’t see,” explained Princess. “So much unpaid labour, so much “good exposure” we’re expected to be grateful for. But let’s be real, what safety nets are there for artists to continue their practice?”

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Pleasure not just doing business

There’s not necessarily a shortage of opportunities on offer, the panel agreed, but obstructed access to these opportunities – particularly for marginalised groups.

“This means actively funding different stories,” urged Chris, “which in turn means not shying away from what has conventionally been deemed so-called controversial or beyond obvious or immediate relevancy to business.” Cllr Rahman held up B&M Retail as an example of best practice in this respect, with its “Fund for Freelancers”: a £500,000 hardship fund designed for Mancunian creative freelancers who have been adversely affected by Covid. As Deputy Leader of Manchester Council, which was involved in the administration of the grants, Cllr Rahman made known to the audience the importance of freelancers – in his words, the “life-blood” of the arts and culture scene without which “Manchester simply does not have a cultural offer.” Big players, like Manchester International Festival or HOME, will inevitably soak up commercial sponsorship, even though it is freelancers, solo artists and smaller, grassroots businesses that are more likely to reap the benefits of direct support. “Businesses need to see beyond the glitz and glamour and recognise that grassroots projects can have commercial benefit too,” Cllr Rahman insisted. This will also naturally necessitate a “change of the way businesses think in making business decisions.”

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Is Manchester ready for these two worlds to come together – even if they may not be poles apart as many originally thought? Can the cultural be at home with the commercial and vice versa?

“It already is,” according to Cllr Rahman.

“Manchester already exists in a cultural exchange with the private sector. Now, it’s about amplifying this, involving more businesses, making more of what we have. It’s not just the hard cash we need.” His call to action, echoed by the room, was clear: “businesses, there’s a role for you in this recovery” – whether that be by offering up office space; writing a funding application; or dedicating time, advice or expertise. Covid has left an indelible mark on Greater Manchester’s cultural landscape, but it’s also woken people up to the realisation that we can and must be doing more to protect the experiences, individuals and institutions that shape our city and make it so special.

In any case, as Greg put it, “going back to normal life is not an option.”

And, if our audience’s responses are anything to go by, this won’t be the case:

Nancy Hopkins, marketing and audience development consultant, shared how she thinks “we have a real opportunity to change how cultural institutions function in Manchester post-pandemic, and for this reason I’m excited.

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“In conjunction with venues, cultural leaders and funders across the city region, we have a chance to genuinely engage with residents across the city from all walks of life, and to create a cultural programme that truly reflects the diversity of Greater Manchester.”

As cultural venues, artists, and communities, we need to be open to asking and advocating for ourselves more actively with the businesses that we share our city with.

Creative UK, the independent network for the UK’s creative industries, added how it was important it was to see “discussion around the power of creativity and the creative industries to change lives, placing creativity at the heart of the UK’s culture, economy and education system.”

- Esme Ward, Manchester Museum's Director

And finally, Esme Ward, Manchester Museum’s Director, echoed the sentiment that businesses are showing great appetite to “support cultural organisations, artists, and creativity in the city - whether that be from sponsorship, skills sharing or in-kind support”, but that this is “not a surprise considering the city was built on civic pride and philanthropy.” “As we emerge from the pandemic, that civic pride and support will be more critical than ever. As cultural venues, artists, and communities, we need to be open to asking and advocating for ourselves more actively with the businesses that we share our city with.”

Let this be the beginning of that conversation…

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