21 July 2020
The SoA has joined with eight other organisations representing over 330,000 members for the second time in a month in tabling detailed evidence to MPs’ post-pandemic economic growth inquiry led by the House of Commons’ committee for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
The move follows submissions to the House of Commons’ committee for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) last month and to the DCMS and BEIS Committees in May.
The latest report, running to over 4,300 words, renews our call for an 'all-encompassing approach' to support our cultural and creative industries – roughly 7.5% of the UK economy – backed by a cross-departmental Cultural Relief Plan.
The submission also sees a further call for the establishment of a UK Creators’ Council to drive DCMS policy ahead of further details being announced about how the Government’s £1.57 bn stimulus for the arts announced on 5 July will be spent.
Looking ahead, the evidence draws on the experience of all nine contributing organisations in warning of the need for clarity on the future of Copyright as we near the end of the Brexit Implementation Period:
- The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS)
- The British Equity Collecting Society (BECS)
- The Design & Artists Copyright Society (DACS)
- Directors UK
- Equity
- The Musicians’ Union (MU)
- The Royal Society of Literature (RSL)
- The Writers Guild of Great Britain (WGGB).
Commenting on the report, SoA Chief Executive Nicola Solomon said:
“This is another really detailed report addressing the needs of publishing, theatre, music and film as we move towards what we all hope will be a period of sustained economic recovery.
“As further details of trade talks with the EU, Australia and the US emerge, I am pleased to see us renew calls for maintenance of world-leading intellectual property standards so that creative professionals can earn a proper living from their work.
“I hope that MPs of all parties will put pressure on the Government to support our cultural and creative industries, and to come forward with further details of how it intends to divide up its £1.57 bn stimulus package as soon as possible.
“I also hope that we can continue to work with ALCS and others in pushing for the Government to be bold in its Autumn spending review so that any ongoing needs across the cultural and creative industries – and among the freelance and self-employed creatives who are so vital to them support – are meaningfully addressed.”
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