Creative Renaissance: Why Labour’s New Vision Makes This the Moment for the Arts to Shine
Words by Michelle Kazi
Image: Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, speech at Labour Conference 2024 Credit: Michelle Kazi
The stage is set, the spotlight is on, and Labour’s General Election manifesto, alongside the powerful speeches from Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy last week at the Labour Party Conference, make one thing clear: Britain’s arts, culture, and creative industries are poised for their moment to shine. After years of underinvestment and what Nandy termed “cultural vandalism,” the creative sector is set for a renaissance. But why now, and what makes this the perfect time for the arts to take centre stage?
A Vision of Cultural Renewal
Lisa Nandy, Labour’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, captured the urgency of the moment in her conference speech. She spoke passionately about reversing the damage inflicted on the nation’s cultural landscape over the past decade and restoring what has been lost. “This is what cultural vandalism looks like. And Conference, it ends today,” she declared, delivering a rallying cry for a new era of creative empowerment.
This commitment is more than rhetoric. Labour’s manifesto outlines a comprehensive strategy for the creative industries, placing them at the heart of its vision for a revitalised Britain. From film and gaming to music and fashion, every creative avenue is getting a boost through policies designed to create jobs, inspire future generations, and ensure that the arts are accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Restoring the Arts to the Classroom
One of the standout commitments is Labour’s pledge to put the arts back into education. As Nandy highlighted, the creative sector’s decline began when arts and music were stripped from school curriculam. “Running down the arts subjects, narrowing the curriculum and slashing council funding so parts of the country became cultural deserts… They choked off choices and chances for a generation,” she said.
In response, Labour’s manifesto promises a review of the school curriculum to “put arts, sports, and music back at the heart of our schools and communities where it belongs.” This initiative aims to nurture the talents of a new generation, ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has the chance to experience the transformative power of creativity.
Powering Local Economies Through Creative Investment
Labour’s strategy doesn’t stop at education. Nandy’s speech made it clear that the creative industries are also central to Labour’s plan for economic renewal. By investing in film, gaming, and music industries in cities like Sunderland, Blackpool, Birmingham, and Dundee, Labour is laying the groundwork for a thriving local creative economy. “We will put rocket boosters under tourism, film, gaming – growing creative industries… so people in every part of our country have not just good jobs in their own community, but the chance to write the next chapter of our national story,” she explained.
This push is further reinforced by Labour’s commitment to supporting public service broadcasters like the BBC, ensuring they remain vibrant and representative of the nation’s diverse voices. Nandy announced that Labour is “about to kickstart the charter review to ensure the BBC survives and thrives well into the latter half of this century.” This shows a clear understanding of the role public broadcasters play in supporting creative economies and showcasing British talent on the world stage.
Bringing Communities Back into the Cultural Fold
For too long, communities outside of major metropolitan areas have been starved of the resources needed to support vibrant cultural scenes. Labour’s manifesto seeks to address this imbalance by empowering local communities to reclaim their cultural assets. “We will hand back power to communities to reclaim their cultural assets and historic buildings so they have a vibrant future, not a forgotten past,” Nandy promised.
This shift is about more than restoring lost heritage—it’s about giving communities the tools to shape their own cultural futures. By supporting local museums, theatres, and galleries, Labour aims to transform “cultural deserts” into hubs of creative activity, fuelling local pride and engagement.
A Nation’s Identity Reflected in Its Art
Keir Starmer, too, made the case for why the arts are essential to Labour’s vision for national renewal. In his conference speech, he painted a picture of Britain’s creative prowess: “A nation known for our creativity. Our artistic skill. Our scientific genius… qualities that, combined with the industry and pride of working people, have not just rewritten our own story but also that of the world.” This sense of a shared cultural legacy is something Labour wants to safeguard and expand.
Starmer acknowledged the transformative power of creative education, recounting his own experience with the flute. “The flute gave me so many opportunities… early encounters with art and culture, they change us forever, and we are brilliant at them in this country,” he said, underlining the importance of making these opportunities available to all.
A Manifesto for Creative Growth
Labour’s manifesto is packed with tangible policies designed to lift the arts and creative industries out of the shadows. The centrepiece is a Creative Industries Sector Plan, aimed at creating good jobs and accelerating growth in sectors such as film, music, gaming, and fashion. This initiative is about more than just economic prosperity; it’s about positioning Britain as a global leader in creative innovation.
Additionally, Labour plans to improve access to cultural assets by requiring publicly funded national museums and galleries to increase the loans they make from their collections to communities across the country. The goal is to ensure that the arts aren’t confined to London or a select few institutions but are accessible to everyone, reinforcing Labour’s mantra of “arts for everyone, everywhere.”
Fashion Roundtable: A Natural Partner for Labour’s Vision
At Fashion Roundtable, our focus has long been on advocating for a stronger and more sustainable fashion industry that complements many of Labour’s ambitions. Our Sector Vision Report outlines key recommendations that align closely with Labour’s goals:
STEAM Education: Labour’s promise to reintroduce arts and music into the curriculum echoes our own call for a return to a STEAM curriculum—Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths—to equip young people with the skills they need for future creative industries.
Support for British Manufacturing: Labour’s focus on growing local creative economies dovetails with our call for greater investment in UK manufacturing. We advocate for initiatives that support consistent, long-term orders for British fashion manufacturers, ensuring a robust supply chain that contributes to local economies.
Creative Wellbeing: Labour’s commitment to arts and culture as part of national renewal aligns with our vision for a Creative Wellbeing Economy—an approach that places creativity, community, and inclusivity at the heart of policy-making.
International Talent and Trade: With Labour in government, there’s an opportunity to address key challenges like restriction-free movement for UK talent, ensuring that our industry remains globally competitive and connected post-Brexit.
Inclusivity and Access: Nandy’s emphasis on “arts for everyone, everywhere” mirrors our push for greater inclusivity within the fashion industry, ensuring that opportunities in creative fields are open to all, regardless of background or geography.
The Call to Action: Let’s Make Creativity the Cornerstone of Britain’s Future
Labour’s victory in July 2024 and their subsequent policies for culture and the arts are not just promises on paper—they represent a genuine opportunity to reshape Britain’s creative landscape. But for this vision to become a reality, we must work together, championing our sector at every opportunity. This is not just a matter of supporting the arts—it’s about recognising that the creative industries are fundamental to our country’s identity and future prosperity.
So let’s make our voices heard. Every action counts, every partnership matters, and every step forward will help create a country where creativity and culture are not sidelined but celebrated. As campaigners, industry leaders, and advocates, we know that change doesn’t happen by sitting on the sidelines.
Now is the time to engage constructively with the government, push for the policies we need, and ensure that our sector is at the heart of Britain’s cultural renaissance. Because when we champion the arts, we don’t just enrich lives—we build a stronger, more vibrant, and united nation. Let’s seize this moment and shape the future of creativity together.