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UPDATE: Rishi Sunak now has hissuggested that people in the arts industry, such as musicians, may need to ‘adapt’ to Covid-19 ** although the chancellor has insisted that it has been misinterpreted (see later post) and that his comments apply to all workers. **
The chancellor was speaking on ITV News this morning (while addressing a clean list of media outlets).
When asked about the impact on the creative sector, he argued that the pandemic means that workers may need to ‘adapt and adjust’, and that the government is trying to create new opportunities for them.
ITV explains:
[update, it’s now been reheadlined to “Covid: Rishi Sunak says people in ‘all walks of life’ are having to adapt for employment”]
Rishi Sunak, who was asked whether creatives without work should find another job, said: “I can’t pretend that everyone can do exactly the same job they were doing at the beginning of this crisis.
“That is why we have invested a lot of resources in trying to create new opportunities,” he added.
He told ITV News that the government was “trying to do everything possible to protect as many jobs as possible,” but admitted that unemployment “is likely to increase.”
When asked if he was suggesting that some of the UK’s “fabulous musicians, artists and actors” should get another job, the chancellor suggested that there is still work available in the creative industry, but said “as in all areas of life, everyone has to adapt. “
He added: “Can things happen exactly as they did? No. But everyone has to find ways to adapt and adapt to the new reality. “
During the interview (click the link and watch it), Sunak points to the government’s “cultural recovery program” of £ 1.5 billion for the arts sector announced three months ago, adding that self-employed artistic workers have also been eligible to receive a support salary this year.
He adds that the ‘Kickstart’ scheme will help younger people find new opportunities, and cites the movement towards putting theater performances and even music lessons online, as an example of adaptation to Covid-19.
But even so … the idea that the skills of some art workers may not be necessary is to get stuck online.
SNP Shadow Chancellor Alison Thewliss, says it is a ‘deeply offensive’ suggestion, which ignores the economic contribution made by the creative industries:
Alison thewliss
(@alisonthewliss)This is deeply offensive to people who have worked and trained their entire lives in the arts, and to all who appreciate their skills and the joy they bring.
Incidentally, UK government figures show that creative industries contributed over £ 111bn to the UK economy in 2018. https://t.co/ZUtlPDd03F
Labor MP David Lammy, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice urges Sunak to provide more help to the creative sector:
David Lammy
(@DavidLammy)The UK will be much poorer without the musicians, artists, comedians, actors and other creatives who have made our country a cultural capital of the world.
The government should defend them now, not throw away what makes Britain great. https://t.co/kVhHW9N0Df
Crime writer Ian Rankin points out that the entire country will be poorer without a thriving arts sector:
Ian Rankin
(@Beathhigh)Without the arts, our lives are impoverished. This is crazy. https://t.co/gWeRfQ2iby
Journalist Jane Merrick agrees that the government should do more to help the creative industries, rather than simply concluding that jobs have been lost forever:
Jane merrick
(@ janemerrick23)Oh no. The thing is, there is still a huge popular consumer demand from the arts / creative industries, those industries just need help to weather the pandemic. It is better that there is an effort to find creative ways, with puns, to unite the audience and the artists, in a safe way https://t.co/FJuHhXVdsT
My colleague Aditya Chakraborttand notes that the United States succeeded in supporting its arts industry during the Great Depression of the 1930s, rather than suggesting that Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock retrain …
Aditya Chakrabortty
(@chakrabortty)During the Great Depression, Roosevelt paid thousands of artists to paint and write for their country. Washington paid to keep Rothko, de Kooning and Pollock going. Now let’s talk about famous men was sponsored by the United States government.
This policy on the other hand is philistinism https://t.co/FE0GXftkXo
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