Artist and AIR Council member Joseph Young will be attending a roundtable with Keir Starmer MP, shadow secretary of state for exiting the European Union, next Friday, 10 March. He will be discussing the needs of the cultural sector within Brexit negotiations and sharing the concerns of artists. The aim is to ensure that the cultural sector is not overlooked during the forthcoming negotiations and policy decision.
Starmer was elected as the Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras in the 2015 general election. Prior to taking on the shadow Brexit brief in October 2016, he was shadow minister (Home Office) for Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet. He is known for his work as a human rights lawyer and for his 2008-2013 role as director of public prosecutions for England and Wales.
The roundtable has been organised by the Cultural Campaigning Network, a cross-artform grouping of over 25 cultural campaigning bodies, including a-n/AIR, the Association of British Orchestras, the Museums Association, UK Theatre, Action for Children’s Arts, Voluntary Arts and the Creative Industries Federation. Since its inaugural meeting in January 2013, the network has hosted regularl quarterly meetings where its members are able to share information and form campaigning alliances.
Young is asking artists to send in their questions for Starmer around the arts and Brexit to [email protected]. If your question concerns something that has or may impact your professional practice, please provide details – personal stories and hard facts can often convey policy issues more poignantly. Please provide your full name with your e-mail. Up to three questions will be taken to the meeting.
Said Young: “We were concerned that the cultural argument wasn’t being made to government regarding the impact of Brexit and so, Mark Pemberton, chair of CCN and director of the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) invited Sir Keir Starmer MP to a roundtable discussion with cultural organisations from the visual arts, dance, education and the museums sectors, to discuss the unique challenges that Brexit poses to our cultural sector.”
Submit your questions to [email protected] by 12 noon, Wednesday 8 March
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