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There’s No Business like Show Business

Outrage has spread across the country after the release of a government retraining ad. The ad depicts a Ballerina who doesn’t know if her “next job could be in cyber”. It has already been parodied a number of times by artists who have not held back in expressing their disgust. 

Disclaimer:

It must be said that the ad is not a stand-alone attack on the arts. It’s part of a campaign which encourages workers in various sectors to “Rethink. Retrain. Reboot”.

Unfortunately, this poster has been a victim of poor timing. The ad has been shared not long after Rishi Sunak’s retraining comments, which were also misconstrued as being aimed directly at the arts industry. Naturally, artists are still riding on that wave of fury.

Ultimately, the ad has left many feeling as though government is failing to see the extent of the arts social and economic value. 

 

The Literal Value of the Arts

Given the current economic trouble which the UK is facing in lockdown, it seems laughable that the government appears to be encouraging artists to retrain. A government press release published earlier this year in February 2020 revealed that the UK’s Creative Industries were feeding almost £13 million into our economy every hour.

In April of last year a report from Arts Council England showed that the Arts and Culture industry contributes over £10.8 Billion to the UK economy each year. A report by the Guardian in the same month claimed that this contribution was more than the agriculture industry.

Featured image courtesy of nattanan23 on Pixabay. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.

The Real Value of the Arts:

Beyond the financial incentives, there are much richer reasons to support the arts. Especially in the ‘new normal’ we find ourselves in, the arts have been a rock for many who have felt lost or scared. People have instinctively flocked to streaming services, bookshelves and Social Media to find an escape from the difficult realities of current life. 

In the health industry, the arts have provided crucial non-medical support. One example among many can be seen in the recent programme, “Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure”. This inspiring BBC docu-series focused on the power of music in helping those suffering in various stages of Dementia. 

In another area of the industry, an article published by the Mental Health Foundation last year shared the urgent need for innovative and effective treatments, claiming that the arts were the answer. They stressed the important of engaging in creative outlets in order to create a space for social connection which subsequently promotes well-being. One quote from the article reads:

Featured image courtesy of FirmBee on Pixabay. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.

Getting involved with the arts can have powerful and lasting effects on health. It can help to protect against a range of mental health conditions, help manage mental ill health and support recovery

In education, the arts have been shown to improve learning skills, enhance social skills, and increase creativity.

Music, art and dance are used across the world as vehicles for social cohesion in areas where tension may exist. On a local level in Northern Ireland, countless community organisations host arts-based workshops as a means of facilitating cross-community efforts between politically-opposed communities.

The list of benefits is endless.

 

The Real Things You Can Do:

Feeling angry yet? Here’s how you can help out:

 

Amy Murray

Featured image courtesy of crica ribeiro on Flickr. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.

Hi! I'm Amy and I'm a 21 year old Journalism MA student at Ulster University, Coleraine. I am a Music graduate and I love writing culture and lifestyle stories.

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