Labour leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn has expressed his support for a-n/AIR’s Paying Artists campaign as part of his wider plans for the arts.
In his Vision For Britain 2020, announced earlier this week, he offers a national plan for the publicly funded arts, culture and heritage sector. Describing the Paying Artists campaign as ‘commendable’, Corbyn calls for the introduction of national policy and guidelines for minimum standards on artists’ pay, including exhibition fees, and urges the government to address the sector’s exploitation of creative producers.
He says that the Paying Artists campaign’s recommendations should be rolled out across the creative sectors, and calls for a national review of the value and impact of the arts’ contribution to society and culture in the UK.
The plan also calls for increased funding to the arts, restoring appropriate levels for local authorities and reversing the cuts made over the past five years. Corbyn wants a more equal distribution of these funds to address the imbalance between what amounts to £70 per head in London to just £5 per head in the English regions.
Elsewhere in the plan Corbyn argues for a broad cultural education founded on a creative curriculum, and a national creative apprenticeship service paid at the living wage.
Corbyn is one of four candidates standing in the Labour leadership contest along with Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham. Voting is currently underway, with all votes needing to be received by 10 September. The result will be announced on 12 September.
Support Paying Artists www.payingartists.org.uk
