UK government on value of culture for economy drive

Image: courtesy of the Science + Industry Museum Manchester

The newly appointed culture secretary Lisa Nandy has promised to use the cultural and creative industries to drive economic renewal, according to a report by the Museums Association published last week.

It stated:

'In her first national address to industry leaders this week, Nandy outlined her vision for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), saying that drive, creativity, inclusion and a willingness to do things differently would be “the spirit of our new government”.

'Nandy acknowledged the "neglect" of cultural institutions. Speaking at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, she said: “This museum, like so many of your institutions, help to shape and define us as we shape and define them. We pass them down from one generation to the next. And we neglect them at our cost.”

'Nandy pledged to “take the brakes off” the cultural and creative industries. She said: “Through our partnerships with our mayors, councils, businesses and charities, we’re putting rocket boosters under our growing industries – film and theatre, TV, fashion, video games, heritage and tourism – to take the brakes off the economy, create opportunity for every child and to export our incredible talent across the world.”

'She added: “When we turn to face the nation again in five years’ time, it is our ambition that we will face a self-confident country, at ease with itself, where all of our people see themselves in the story we tell ourselves about ourselves as a nation – their contribution seen and valued.”'

The Museums Association also commented:

'Nandy’s speech appears to reflect some of the asks from the culture sector following Labour’s election victory on 4 July.

Last month, Arts Council England chairman Nicholas Serota set out a five-point plan to rescue culture, calling for the return of culture and creativity to the curriculum, culture to be put at the heart of community regeneration, promoting global exchange, and the return to a “free and fearless sector” with an end to the culture wars.

'Museums Association director Sharon Heal, who attended the event, said: "We very much welcome the new secretary of state’s commitment to the value of museums and understanding of the needs of the sector. Her speech was a passionate championing of equality of access and the fact that museums and their collections belong to all of us.

"It was significant that the speech was hosted by the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, in a city with a rich and thriving museum infrastructure that serves communities locally and nationally and demonstrates the many ways in which museums can make a positive difference to people’s lives.

"Museums are in a prime position to deliver against government commitments on economic growth, skills development and fostering resilient and creative communities. But government must recognise and deal with the pressing need for urgent, focussed investment in museums."

Future Cities Forum held a discussion in 2022 on investment in housing, training and jobs with the Director of Science and Industry Museum Manchester, Sally MacDonald.

Encouraging young people into the new jobs of emerging economies, was a topic that Sally MacDonald wanted to expand on in the debate. The Museum occupies a site of global significance as the world's first surviving passenger railway station in Manchester, the world's first industrial city. The Museum - in 2022 - received £2.6 million of funding to transform the Power Hall, improving its energy efficiency and place carbon literacy and zero carbon technology at the heart of the museum's story and visitor experience.

Sally questioned:

'How do you encourage young people to aspire to some of the roles out there in a gentle way? As a museum we need to be more upfront about being part of the regeneration of the city and not just being a great visitor centre. We are a STEM ambassador for the city and we want to open up jobs for young people who might not have considered them, and bring schools and teachers along.

'Manchester has its own historic story to tell about its impact on climate, but how do you take that forward? This will happen through the work we are doing in the Power Hall - the original northern powerhouse - where we are currently drilling a 90 meter bore hole, to install ground source heating to power all those machines by green energy. We also need to tell the story about the skills needed for these new industries.'

Sally stressed the importance of the need to be a permeable site:

'Historically we have always been a bounded site but the practical part of our wider role is to be more permeable. We cover six and a half acres in the city centre and have never been a sustainable site. We are glad that levelling up money is going into creating a new tech hub in the Air and Space Hall, so that we can get on with developing some of our own buildings to be more commercial and in turn re-invest in our historic estate. We have had lots of Covid-19 funding and the government has been good with that but our visitor numbers are only back up to 55% and the international visitors have not yet returned. We have a brilliant attraction but we need to be an institution that washes its face.'