Wordy but worthy, this regular column focuses on Resfm. Due out 23rd July, in time for the 29th July ‘A Month of Sundays’.What would you do as King/Queen for a day?
If the queen had any real power on the world outside her estate, my concern would be for current trends in the economy. As an artist, I know that those at the foundation of society’s pyramid unfailingly feel the effects of value shifts from the top, shifts which have happened throughout history.
Since massive funding cuts to our arts and heritage are now providing for the Olympics, it is clear that we are living in one of those the times.
One of the results will be that the 53,000 voluntary arts groups in England whose only support is from the Arts Council will suffer. The government could cripple and close these unopposed by the constituents they are meant to represent.
The sale of the analogue spectrum (fm radio space) to businesses will be adminstered by Ofcom in the next two years and takes effect in 2012. Labour quote this move as a possible solution to some of the ever-increasing Olympic costs. This is unconfirmed, though for Arts-Council-funded station Resonancefm, broadcasting on 104.4fm, it poses yet another threat.
As increasing importance is put on business in today’s world, everyday households and resident tax-payers’ concerns are disregarded while foreign investors and huge commercial bodies appear to be those for whom the government work.
The opaqueness of the whole venture showed up on 15th March, when Government announced their second raid on lottery good causes to support the Olympics. Edward Miliband (the Minister responsiblefor the third sector) said
“today’s funding settlement protects both existing programmes and future resources”
for the voluntary sector (1). There was no acknowledgement of the effect of these grab tactics on arts and heritage. It seems the office of the third sector disregards the very organisations that it should be nurturing.
Labour claim the new Olympic Lottery will help fund the Olympics, however they do not mention the knock on effect of this new lottery on existing lottery sales, which many arts and heritage bodies rely on. With these new developments in government values, where will charities like The London Musician’s Collective and Resonancefm find funds? Our listeners and programme makers have dug into their pockets and raised 18,000 of the £60,000 we need this year. They recognise the importance of a forum for creative radio. Where does government stop representing them?
We know is that £675 million is going from lottery good causes to the Olympics. We know that the Arts Council of England will lose £112.5 million, a hugely significant sum considering the total arts budget, and that the Heritage Lottery Fund, another vitally important arts funder, will lose £161.2 million. Also the arts in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland will lose £25 million and the Film Council will lose £28 million. Almost £1 billion in total.
As mentioned, the new Olympic lottery games will have some effect on arts funding as they will cannibalise the existing lottery: the people who play the news games will not play other lottery games, so their money will not go to the lottery. The National Audit Office has increased the estimate of the cannibalisation effect from the Government’s figure of 59% to 77%, which equates to £575 million. That is the kind of money that will no longer be available to good causes, probably about £1.5 billion.
Resonancefm, as a sound art community, may not survive. No matter that The Guillemots can sell out Brixton Academy but volunteered a performance supporting Resonancefm for free. They know the importance of art for art’s sake. Like other arts bodies, Resonance faces the overwhelming burden of generating profits while making art. As has already happened with universities and other previously government funded services, and is soon to happen with not-for-profits in these times of change, we are threatened with quality compromise and commercialisation.
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Support Resonancefm’s last A Month of Sundays’ event, 29th July, Corsica Studios, Elephant & Castle for a stimulating evening of live radio broadcasts from stage. 7.30-12pm £5
Comedy, sound, music, debate for art’s sake.
www.resonancefm.com
(1)Hansard Westminster Hall Debates - 6th June 2007
