Election debate for creative industries

THE future of the creative industries is the subject of a General Election debate next week, with contributions from the Conservative arts spokesman and the former Birmingham MP who wants to be the city’s first elected mayor.

The debate will be held on the evening of Tuesday April 20 at Birmingham Hippodrome, one of the most commercially successful arts venues in the UK.

Shadow Arts Minister Ed Vaizey will be joined by former Erdington MP Sion Simon, who resigned as Creative Industries minister in January to campaign to become elected mayor of Birmingham.

Also on the panel is Marc Reeves, editor of TheBusinessDesk.com, who sat on the panel that advised the Department for Culture Media and Sport on the selection of bidders to run alternative regional news services for ITV.

The debate is expected to centre on the future for funding of the arts as all parties start to line up cuts to public spending.

Investment in culture from the taxpayer and lottery player – at European, national, regional and local levels – has been crucial to Birmingham’s renaissance over the past 20 years, and the debate will ask if the region’s cultural community has built a strong enough case for the tough times ahead.

The debate will take place against the backdrop of Birmingham’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2013, as well as the launch of the International Dance Festival Birmingham which runs up to May 15.

Tickets, which are free of charge, will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Enquiries to communicate@urbancomms.com.