Does Your View Count ?

By Rachel Boden – Creative Lets

It is my opinion that over the past 10 years, and from experiences related to me by colleagues and arts practitioners that for the past 30 years, Merseyside’s artists have been and still are disillusioned, disenfranchised and without a voice to express their opinions.

They therefore have no influence over the government policies that affect their work and practices. Most creative/cultural workers are self-employed, surviving on one-off grants or volunteering to ‘heighten their profile’. Events, exhibitions, festivals etc. rely on ‘goodwill’ and sometimes the promise of paid work in the future. Many agencies in the sector strive to reverse this trend, many arts administrators work voluntarily or for wages below the norm of other sector workers.

You are a Priority?
The government and it’s administrators target the creative sector as a priority on Merseyside; as worthy of investment. So why does the practitioner’s voice remain unheard? And what can be done to affect change?

In one’s humble opinion it has continued for many reasons, which are all very tedious; political, social, economic, strategic etc. None of which I wish to bore you about now! Personally, I have seen many people try and effect change - making a stand, if you like, or quietly working to influence ‘from the outside’.

I have seen these people come and go. Tired of the old promises, sceptical of the new ones. As artists we have been through the public sector machinery and produced awareness, colour, sound. We have inspired children, adults and community, and changed our way of looking and hearing. Artists who have affected people in whatever way leave the area or even leave their creative practice to join the 9 to 5ers because of disillusionment, lack of funds etc., leaving other young hopefuls to take their place, tread the same path and the cycle begins again.

The Reason it can Change
The Capital of Culture award means that for the first time there is a real reason for you to be listened to by government agencies. In the past, our uncoordinated and incoherent approach has been put forward in a way that cannot affect policy. This chaotic throng of opinion cannot be represented by agencies who are underfunded, and have many priorities and have never needed your ‘permission’ to formulate policy and programme.

So please put aside your disillusionment, please put aside your disillusion, I can’t promise anything, but what I do know is that policy and budgets are being decided now for how to deliver Capital of Culture. If you want to participate you must tell them what you need, or it will be decided for you.

Manifesto?
Creative LETS is an established organisation and it needs your support to continue. Without you there is no organisation, so become a member of the steering group and relaunch the organisation! Without Graphic House you need to keep in touch and organise your own manifesto for the Capital of Culture. The factor that swung the culture bid in Liverpool’s favour was community participation. You are part of that community, so you have the right to be heard. The city now needs to deliver on the promises made in the bid and should listen to you.

Organise!
There are thousands of artists in Merseyside. If you work together and organise you cannot be ignored, you can influence. It hasn’t been tried before on such a mass scale, you could effect each other and create change.

Make it easy, have those opinions ready and voice them from now on until they are heard and acted upon. I hope to see you soon.

With North West Arts gone - we believe local artists need to get themselves organized. The only established forum at the moment to do this is Creative Lets. By all means get involved, have your say – meet other grassroots artists/writers. Being an Artist is only part of it, you have to get out there, make the contacts, meet others in the same boat - and get your work shown & known.

CREATIVE LETS
85 - 89 Duke Street
L1 5AP
Tel: 07759525075