Culture doesn’t exist in a vacuum: this was one of the discussion’s key takeaways. That is, it can’t be decoupled from its impact on local and national economies, communities, or job creation. Impactful change in the sector must therefore transcend a siloed approach, rather sitting at the junction of social, economic and professional arenas. With a more holistic understanding of culture – a “joined up approach” to borrow Councillor Luthfur Rahman’s phrase – we’re better armed to rebuild.
So, what exactly do these “diverse and pervasive” impacts look like?
Boosting economies
To a large extent, the creative industries’ battering during Covid forced many people to face up to the commercial reality of the arts.
More recently, the NCAPGG’s Northern Case for Culture spotlighted how these industries “carry an economic weight that is surprising to many”, in that their annual GVA (Gross Value Added) amounts to £115bn – more than the Life Sciences, Automotive, Aerospace, and Oil and Gas sectors combined.
Not just that, but the sector also provides 2.1m jobs and has grown at three times the rate of the economy overall since 2008.
Our perceptions of what art is or does must move beyond the “mere aesthetic” or “just for pleasure”; culture’s clout in the economic sphere is seriously influential.
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