Our panellists warned of the myopia of businesses seeing financial assistance as their only means of involvement. There are manifold alternatives – offering up real estate being a prime example of how to rebuild the sector for the long-term, according to Greg: “a lot of artists struggle with the availability – or rather lack – of spaces in the city. Space needs to be free, or failing that still cheap, not least to make the work more accessible for others.” This approach has its limits however, typically reserved for larger-scale companies with greater capital. It’s also by no means the only way in which businesses can empower arts and culture’s recovery.
People will be more likely to champion their own city, because having businesses visibly involved helps them to recognise it as their own. - Karen Gabay, filmmaker, producer, and BBC radio presenter
It’s a sentiment shared by Cllr Rahman: “We have a lot of space in the city and we need to be creative about how we use it. Sharing space is of mutual benefit – it can put a business on the map while enabling local artists to produce.”
As a result of this “virtuous cycle”, to borrow Chris’s phrase, Karen pointed out that “people will be more likely to champion their own city, because having businesses visibly involved helps them to recognise it as their own."
Not My Business?
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