Experimentation is the word of the moment, temporarily usurping ‘unprecedented’ as a word we’re hearing constantly. One industry well-versed in experimentation is, of course, the arts. Artists in their broadness and diversity make something, often from nothing. We turn the imagined into a reality. We adapt. We are alchemists.
Despite this, we are being told our jobs are not ‘viable’.
October will be remembered for many things, including being the month when the Chancellor made it crystal clear to all that this government believes arts and creative jobs are a luxurious hobby. And for all the talk of this £1.57 billion rescue package, the vast majority of freelancers making up the creative workforce have still not been able to access it!
From musicians to performers to actors to all the backstage and off-stage roles that provide the necessary infrastructure to our creative industries, people are feeling dismissed and undervalued. It feels like Rishi Sunak and co. do not seem to take into account the fact that musicians and actors have been working other jobs for years — as baristas, chefs, sales assistants, roadies, graphic designers, bartenders, Uber drivers and facilitators. In fact, it’s almost a rite of passage.