Cultural unions submit freedom of information request to West Midlands mayor

Midlands cultural sector trade unions have called upon West Midlands Mayor Andy Street to declare what discussions he has had with The Department For Culture Media & Sport Minister, Oliver Dowden, in order to protect the local cultural sector.

TUC Midlands Culture & Leisure Industries Committee (CLIC) chairperson Stephen Brown has written to the Mayor with a Freedom Of Information (FOI) request.

The request asks “please provide copies of any formal/informal proposals, meeting minutes, including correspondence with DCMS/Culture Minister Oliver Dowden to find out what WMCA, CLB & CRU, and the Mayor’s office, is doing in real terms, to address this existential threat to our cultural economy?”

Brown says the FOI request also refers to the issues facing the sector, particularly the self-employed, 47% of whom and according to Government statistics, have received no help under any of the Government schemes like the Self Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

Brown said: “Too many of our members have endured months of no work, and reduced income. Whilst those fortunate enough to have kept a job may have been furloughed at 80% pay, others have been made redundant despite huge grants being awarded to organisations from the Cultural Recovery Fund. Where’s that money going?

“Our freelance members are now hanging up their instruments or leaving the profession to drive mini-cabs, work in care homes, or deliver for supermarkets.

“Our cultural workforce is being decimated and without urgent action to address it, we may be in no fit state to recover from these losses to kick-start our cultural economy when we are finally through to the other side of this crisis. We want to know what the Mayor is doing to address this matter in real terms.”

Labour MP Liam Byrne said: “The restrictions for our region have devastated the arts and culture community which works round the year to bring our communities together.
“Arts and culture are the secret ingredient in our community spirit and we can’t afford to lose either. We know that the self employed income support scheme simply isn’t fit for purpose. It leaves out nearly half the self employed, many of whom work in the arts and culture sector.”

A spokesman for the Mayor of the West Midlands said: “We can confirm we have received a FOI and will be responding appropriately in detail.

“Over the past few months the Mayor has been working with the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Cultural Leadership Board and the WMCA Cultural Officers Group to support the industry’s response to the challenges of Coronavirus. In April, the WMCA joined the West Midlands Cultural Response Unit (WM CRU), led by Culture Central, to develop and deliver an action-orientated, sector led response to the pandemic. The WMCA also allocated a full-time post to help with the administration and other activities of the WM CRU.

“In the early stages of the crisis, Andy recognised that financial support for freelancers and self-employed workers in the cultural sector would be needed. Over the past few months the Mayor has called on the Chancellor to reconsider how further support could be given to the self-employed and freelancers who have not previously qualified. The Mayor has also urged the DCMS to work to address gaps in support. In addition, in order to make sure that representatives of the sector were able to express their concerns direct to government, the Mayor recently co-hosted a roundtable for representatives from the tourism industry with DCMS Minister Nigel Huddleston MP.

“Finding support for these businesses remains an active priority for the Mayor and he is continuing to lobby senior ministers on this issue.

“The Mayor and WMCA officers are in ongoing conversations with DCMS and the Government’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce to ensure our local arts sector is recognised and supported.

“Cultural organisations in the WMCA constituent areas have now received £26.5m through the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund, and we are working closely with Arts Council England to explore new ways of maximising the impact of any future funding for the region.”