Culture Enriches Life, Yes, But It Should Enrich All Lives

Maria Miller’s long-awaited speech at the British Museum ignited a debate around the value of art in economic settings. Show us the money, he said – and this month’s Center for Economics and Business research report does well, showing that the arts generate more for every pound invested than the business sector. But if the economic value of technology is to be celebrated, it is only an example of their value. We can add the financial contributions of the arts to our success as a nation, but that misses their larger purpose: they are a fundamental part of the social fabric that holds our nation together.

The arts make people’s lives meaningful, help them feel part of society and celebrate the UK’s diverse culture. The work of the Cultural Education Alliance provides ample evidence of the benefits of arts participation for young people, and What’s Next? campaign defends the sector effectively.

But the reality is that fewer people are able to participate in and benefit from art all the time, and outside the London art industry in a world of cutbacks they are struggling to keep their heads. The barriers are broad and significant: access, travel, cost, even demand. This effort to expand opportunities in the arts is met with a wall of skepticism, and many areas of art continue to be considered “not for me”. At the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, we know that culture and the arts already enrich people’s lives, but we also believe that they should enrich all lives. That’s why, as part of our ongoing 25th anniversary celebrations, we recently announced the Paul Hamlyn Club grant: £500,000 over five years, to five organizations across the UK ( but not in London), who will work to develop programs to increase access. live show.

This award covers different types of art – theater, opera, musical theater – and will lead to a variety of ways, in which the regions work with their local partners. But the main point of reference is that these awards will bring new groups of people of all ages into contact with the arts. It’s not hot in the pan. At the heart of our approach is support – funding for five years will help participating organizations implement their new systems. But more than that, we want to support and inspire a sea change in the concept of art and a sea change in the demographics of who can access and enjoy art.

By partnering with other community groups, the people we support will go into their communities, put down roots, and have good, lasting relationships with local people. Partnerships that respond to the needs of the communities in which they operate, develop programs in the context of those needs and focus those programs on groups that previously did not have the opportunity, desire or means to benefit all involved in art. giving. We hope this will be a model for the rest of the UK, both for funders and the arts industry.

We should rightly celebrate the economic contribution the arts make to the UK. There is no doubt that this is an important and valuable gift that is often overlooked. Yet, at the same time, we must promote the great cultural and social benefits that art can bring to both society, but more importantly to people from all walks of life.