Pleasure not just doing business
There’s not necessarily a shortage of opportunities on offer, the panel agreed, but obstructed access to these opportunities – particularly for marginalised groups.
“This means actively funding different stories,” urged Chris, “which in turn means not shying away from what has conventionally been deemed so-called controversial or beyond obvious or immediate relevancy to business.” Cllr Rahman held up B&M Retail as an example of best practice in this respect, with its “Fund for Freelancers”: a £500,000 hardship fund designed for Mancunian creative freelancers who have been adversely affected by Covid. As Deputy Leader of Manchester Council, which was involved in the administration of the grants, Cllr Rahman made known to the audience the importance of freelancers – in his words, the “life-blood” of the arts and culture scene without which “Manchester simply does not have a cultural offer.” Big players, like Manchester International Festival or HOME, will inevitably soak up commercial sponsorship, even though it is freelancers, solo artists and smaller, grassroots businesses that are more likely to reap the benefits of direct support. “Businesses need to see beyond the glitz and glamour and recognise that grassroots projects can have commercial benefit too,” Cllr Rahman insisted. This will also naturally necessitate a “change of the way businesses think in making business decisions.”
Not My Business?
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