Extracts from Lords
debate on Covid-19: Economy
(Non-Afl):...I
want to make two brief points. First, I endorse what the noble
Lord, Lord Hunt, touched on. One of the most important parts of our
economy and our national life is the cultural sector and the
creative arts, but they have been hit fiercely by the pandemic and
the lockdown. This is especially true for the performing
arts—theatre, Music dance and opera—which rely on
large audiences for their income. It will be months before they can
open up again. They are, quite simply, bleeding to death, yet they
are vital to our well-being, to our intellectual and emotional
life, to our standing in the world and to our economy. The Arts
Council has provided some emergency relief. Furloughing has
assisted, but there is a desperate need for further help. I urge
the Government to bring forward a package of emergency support,
because it is so urgently needed...
(CB):...One of the
lessons that we should learn from this is that the greatest
vulnerability lies in the commercial component. In the case of
theatres, museums and live Music the loss of
ticket revenue is disastrous, and many private museums are also
under threat of closure—and we have to add to this the fact that
our theatres and Music venues are going to be
among the last out of the lockdown.
I applaud the setting up of a cultural renewal task force, but
that should not be a substitute for new emergency funding or an
excuse for delaying such help. The task force needs to be a
vehicle for the targeting of such funding. In that sense,
Music the book trade and local government are
among those that also need representation.
From our great theatres and dance companies to individual
performers, including authors, musicians and
comedians, in the last few months we have enjoyed on YouTube,
radio and TikTok wonderful performances entirely for free from
those who are currently earning nothing. It is time that we gave
back in a big way.
(Lab):...This is personal for me: theatre and
Music have been my entire professional life. I
cannot be dispassionate, and none of us should be. As the song
says, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”.
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Extract from DCMS
Questions: Covid-19: Tourism Sector
(Rhondda) (Lab): Theatres, art
galleries, Musicvenues and concert halls are all
really struggling, and without culture, we are nothing; our life is
nothing and we are not an attraction for international visitors.
Will the Secretary of State ensure that the amount of money that
has so far been made available is at least doubled? Otherwise, we
are simply not going to keep some of these major institutions,
whether it is the Parc and Dare Theatre in Treorchy, the Royal
Academy in London or the Old Vic. Will he seriously consider the
idea of a 5% VAT rate for all arts organisations?
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
(): The hon. Gentleman is
absolutely right to highlight the rich value of culture both to
individuals and to our wider economy in the creative industries.
I have been engaging extensively with arts organisations and
others. That is why I have appointed Neil Mendoza as a cultural
renewal commissioner to come up with proposals in this area. I am
absolutely determined that, as we go through this crisis, we
ensure that we retain the huge strength we have in this nation in
the cultural sector.
