An article said that one way to examine the legacy of New Labour's cultural policies (1997-2010) was through an account of the cultural workforce it had created. The premise of many initiatives had been that the kind of work they provided was inherently progressive, combining demand for high skills with notions of self-expression and determination, in a workplace that was no longer hierarchical. In practice, the cultural labour market remained polarized by gender, ethnicity, and social class. Despite high levels of graduates, wages were low; and class-based exclusion, often reflected in ethnicity, was a defining feature of the sector.
Source: Kate Oakley, 'In its own image: New Labour and the cultural workforce', Cultural Trends, Volume 20 Number 3-4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
An article examined New Labour's cultural policy (1997-2010). Although there had been institutional reforms and substantial investment in the cultural infrastructure, the competing claims of 'access' and 'excellence' had remained unresolved, and policymakers had failed to respond to the rapid technological developments in 'unofficial' culture.
Source: Robert Hewison, '?Creative Britain?: myth or monument?', Cultural Trends, Volume 20 Number 3-4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
A report compared Great Britain with other European countries in relation to public engagement in sport and culture. Cultural attendance and sports participation in GB were both higher than the average for Europe. Rates of attendance across countries seemed to be related to levels of government spend on culture.
Source: Orian Brook, International Comparisons of Public Engagement in Culture and Sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Aug
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport published its annual report for 2010-11.
Source: Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11, HC 1002, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, TSO
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jul
A paper discussed indicators of access to cultural resources, education, and skills for use in a survey of poverty and social exclusion.
Source: Glen Bramley and Kirsten Besemer, Indicators of Access to Cultural Resources, Education and Skills for the PSE Survey, Working Paper 5, Poverty and Social Exclusion in the UK Project
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-Jul
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport published a revised business plan, covering the period 2011-2015.
Source: Business Plan 2011-2015, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Date: 2011-May
A paper examined the evidence on the role of culture in regenerating neighbourhoods.
Source: Nick Ennis and Gordon Douglass, Culture and Regeneration: What evidence is there of a link and how can it be measured?, Working Paper 48, Greater London Authority
Links: Paper
Date: 2011-May
A report provided an overview of the main evaluation findings of the 'Find Your Talent' programme, which aimed to offer high-quality cultural experiences to all children and young people in England through a more co-ordinated and coherent 'offer' and better local area planning of provision. (Both the programme and the evaluation were scrapped by the new coalition government.)
Source: SQW Consulting, Evaluation of Find Your Talent: Overview Report, Research Report RR089, Department for Education
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Mar
A report by a committee of the National Assembly for Wales said that a new law was needed to ensure that people across Wales had access to arts and culture in their local area. A statutory duty should be placed on local authorities to support arts and cultural experiences.
Source: The Accessibility of Arts and Cultural Activities in Wales, Communities and Culture Committee, National Assembly for Wales
Links: Report | NAW press release
Date: 2011-Feb
A study in Scotland found 'consistent evidence' that people who were encouraged to attend and take part in cultural activities as a child were more likely to participate in and attend cultural activities in adulthood, compared with those who were not encouraged to do so This remained true even when other factors such as education, gender, age, income, deprivation, and rurality of an area were accounted for.
Source: Wojciech Hupert, Child's Play: The links between childhood encouragement and adult engagement in arts and culture, Scottish Government
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jan
An article examined evidence relating to the mental health benefits of intensive engagement with creative and cultural activities, and considered the strategic implications for cultural organizations.
Source: Mark O'Neill, 'Cultural attendance and public mental health – from research to practice', Journal of Public Mental Health, Volume 9 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jan