September 2022
This month we cover:
- Advocacy with the new government
- Participation in craft, participation in craft education
Advocacy with the new government
Crafts Council wrote to Michelle Donelan MP, the new Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. We highlighted in particular our work to increase connections between further and higher education craft providers to strengthen career pathways for young people from all backgrounds.
Julia Lopez MP was re-appointed to her role as Minister of State at DCMS. Kit Malthouse MP was appointed Education Secretary, the fifth person to occupy this role in just over a year.
Crafts Council also supported and signed Creative UK’s open letter to new Prime Minister. Priorities included calls to reaffirm the commitment to
- Creative Industries Tax Reliefs;
- the removal of the Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions Tax Relief sunset clause; and
- action to support freelancers [including sole traders] and the next generation of talent.
A new briefing from the Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) recommends where the new Government should focus support for the creative industries -
- Expand investment in the Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP)
- Help creative businesses on the international stage
- Encourage creative organisations to innovate by reforming the UK’s R+D system
Participation in craft, participation in craft education
DCMS has released its most recent arts and culture participation statistics (including craft) in England, covering the period October 2021 to June 2022. The survey method has changed since the Taking Part survey and data are now no longer comparable with historical data. The new data show that:
- Of the 24 categories of arts engagement monitored, crafts is the 6th most popular activity, after reading, cinema, playing video games and live theatrical performance (see fig 2.2). It is more popular than art exhibitions and making art.
- 6% of respondents attended a craft exhibition (not a crafts market; crafts include for example textiles, woodworking) in the last 12 months
- 15% of respondents participated in a crafts activity (textile, ceramic, sculpting, carving, woodwork).
There has been no change in the level of crafts engagement and/or participation over this period.
This is also consistent with Audience Agency data over the last two years which show a consistent level of participation in crafts, painting and sculpture at 18% of respondents across the UK. Any increases in participation from 2020-2021 was mainly driven by young people.
As a once-off separate release, DCMS have published data on cultural participation including the percentage of 16 to 24 year olds who engaged in culture at least 3 times in the 12 months, October 2021 to March 2022.
Analysis by the Cultural Learning Alliance shows that far fewer Arts GCSEs and A Levels are studied across England’s schools than a decade ago. Here are the headlines from 2022:
- GCSE Arts Entries declined by 4% from 2021 to 2022 and by 40% 2010 to 2022. Design & Technology GCSE entries have fallen 5% and 71% respectively.
- Art A Level entries increased from 2021 to 2022 in line with the number of students and it’s heartening to see an 15% increase in Design & Technology A Level entries.
And also..
- The Welsh government has set out a new action plan to boost creative skills.
- Arts, Culture & the Brain’ from University College London shows that taking part in creativity and culture with health benefits ranging from increased life satisfaction to reductions in criminal behaviour by teenagers.
- The Government Art Collection is launching a new five-year acquisitions project with contemporary visual arts networks from across the country.
- Baroness Bull CBE has been appointed as Chair of the Expert Advisory Panel for the Government’s Cultural Education Plan which will set out next year how to ensure all children and young people have access to a diverse range of cultural education and activities. Crafts Council has written to offer support in its development.
- Jay Blades MBE and David Clarke are the new Co-Chairs of the Heritage Crafts Association.
- Craft Scotland is starting a new study of the craft sector to understand how makers’ creative and business practices are being affected by the cost of living crisis, Brexit, post-pandemic recovery. The results of the survey will inform the Strategic Plan 2023-28.
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has highlighted the creative industries as one of the high-growth sectors which will be critical to the UK's future economy. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (part of UKRI) has outlined in its vision how it will put research and innovation at the heart of the UK’s creative economy and create an environment where culture can be better conserved, curated and deployed.
- A new report from the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre says creative firms in Devon and Cornwall were resilient and agile during the pandemic, but like many other rural UK areas, these regions need investment in infrastructure to help small businesses scale up, innovate and grow.
- The Mayor of London has pledged £1.2m funding to enable workspaces in London’s nine Creative Enterprise Zones to become more energy efficient.
- Evaluation by the University of South Australia of Mentor = Mentee, Guildhouse’s 2018-20 Catapult mentorship programme, demonstrates the importance of having access to a respected colleague and the strong sense it give mentors of giving back to the creative community. Areas identified for growth include bringing international mentors to Australia, develop more diverse, culturally appropriate model of mentorship.
- The British Council’s Crafting Futures programme supports a more sustainable future for crafts around the world. It provided education and training opportunities, connects artisans from rural communities with international designers, creates international partnerships and increases access to new markets and audiences. The final report includes a toolkit to help makers plan for the future and grow your business.
