Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the level of funding (1) creative freelancers, and (2) arts institutions, receive from the Cultural Recovery Fund is sufficient to meet requirements; and what comparative analysis they have made of the efficacy of such funding distributed in (a) England, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Scotland, and (d) Wales.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As a proportion of the funding is yet to be disbursed we cannot yet comprehensively assess the CRF’s success. However, so far, over £1 billion worth of funding from the Culture Recovery Fund has been allocated, including over £800 million to almost 3800 arts, culture and heritage organisations in England, helping to support at least 75,000 jobs. Freelancers have been supported through the Fund so far and this is on top of support from Arts Council England, who have made over £51 million of awards to individuals through non-CRF funds in this financial year alone.
£400 million was held back from the first round as contingency and now forms the basis of the second round of grant (£300m) and repayable finance (£100m) funding. Applications have been assessed and an announcement will be made in due course.
Additionally, the Chancellor announced in the 2021 Budget an additional £300 million for the Culture Recovery Fund, showing an unprecedented commitment to support the sector during this pandemic. The Culture Recovery Fund as a whole also included £188 million for the devolved administrations via the Barnett formula: Northern Ireland (£33 million), Scotland (£97 million) and Wales (£59 million). We know that Scotland, Wales and NI are also deeply committed to their arts, culture, and heritage sectors and have provided a range of support funding, building on and including the CRF allocation.
Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 3 August 2020 (HL7208), what discussions they have had about the creation of a Government-backed reinsurance scheme for live performance following the launch of the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Government is aware of the concerns which have been raised about the challenge of securing indemnity cover for live events. My officials continue to work closely with the affected sectors to understand all barriers to reopening, including financial support, certainty around the public health situation, and the potential challenges of insurance.
The bar for considering Government intervention is set extremely high, especially in light of the considerable extension to the furlough scheme and local business support as well as the uncertainty when mass gatherings can take place safely.
Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial impact on performance venues resulting from reduced capacity audiences when they reopen whilst restrictions to address the COVID-19 pandemic are in place; and what plans they have to introduce proposals (1) to cover the shortfall in ticket sales, and (2) to assist such venues to remain viable.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Government has been “Here for Culture” throughout the pandemic, and, as we emerge from it, we know that the public will want to be there, too. As our performance venues reopen, we will encourage people to get out there and support them, and we will continue to provide guidance to ensure venues are safe for the public.
DCMS has been working closely with the performing arts sectors to ensure that they are ready for reopening. The government published the roadmap on 22 February, which sets out a step-by-step plan to ease restrictions in England cautiously. The design of the roadmap has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and seeks a balance between our key social and economic priorities, whilst preserving the health and safety of the country. The scientific evidence shows that opening too early or too quickly risks a further lockdown.
Over the spring, the Government will run a scientific Events Research Programme. This will include a series of pilots using enhanced testing approaches and other measures to run events with larger crowd sizes and reduced social distancing to evaluate the scientific outcomes.
Government recognises the significant financial impact of Covid 19 on the performing arts sector and venues. In light of this, the Government is investing an unprecedented £1.57 billion support package for the culture sector, of which over £1 billion has now been allocated, including £800 million to almost 3,800 arts and culture organisations across the country. This includes the many theatres and performing arts venues, which have been supported through this funding. On 4 March, the Chancellor announced £300 million additional funding for the CRF, to continue to support key cultural organisations as audiences begin to return.
The first round of the Culture Recovery Fund supported the sector to survive the immediate impact of the pandemic, whilst the second is supported organisations to transition from the challenging months of lockdowns and social distancing to welcoming audiences and visitors back to the country’s theatres, museums, cinemas, music venues and heritage sites.
Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made to establish a domestic alternative to the Creative Europe's Culture sub-programme, following the announcement by the Chancellor of the Global Screen Fund on 25 November 2020.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Government decided not to seek continued participation in the Creative Europe programme as part of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU but to look at other ways of supporting the UK’s arts and cultural sectors.
We understand the role international cultural partnerships and networking play in driving forwards the very best in leading contemporary practice. This Government will continue to assess the needs of the sector through the continued impacts of COVID-19 and in establishing our place on the world stage outside of the European Union.
So far, we have provided £1.57bn through the Cultural Recovery Fund, ensuring record breaking support is available to support the cultural sector through the COVID-19 crisis.
Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce an insurance scheme for dance and theatre, similar to the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme announced by the Culture Secretary on 28 July 2020.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We are aware of the concerns which have been raised about the insurance cover for live events, including dance and theatre. DCMS officials have been working closely with the sector to understand the challenges and to keep the situation under review.
Understandably, the bar for considering Government intervention is set extremely high, especially in light of recent announcements including the considerable extension to the furlough scheme and local business support as well as the uncertainty when mass gatherings can take place safely.
The evidence of why an indemnity scheme needs to be developed now must be clearly demonstrated and robust evidence must be provided that indemnity cover is the only barrier to staging events.
Given the high costs involved in setting up a scheme we also need to make sure it is the most effective and appropriate use of funds at a time when we are looking at how best to support the sector in facing the wider challenges around recovery and renewal. As such, HM Treasury does not believe that now is the right time for an insurance intervention.
Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provision for the performing arts in the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement; and what financial support they intend to provide, if any, to the performing arts sector to make up for added EU touring costs.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This Government recognises the importance of our world leading creative and cultural industries. That is why it provided an unprecedented £1.57bn package of support to help these sectors through the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, over £1 billion has been awarded to almost 3800 organisations, with at least 75,000 jobs saved so far, and many more freelancers also benefiting from new work that can now be created. At Budget 2021, HMT also announced £300m of additional funding for the Culture Recovery Fund which will be made available to support cultural organisations in England as audiences begin to return. This demonstrates our firm commitment to ensuring that UK culture continues to thrive.
We know that while leaving the EU will bring changes and new processes to touring and working in the EU, it will also bring new opportunities. Leaving the EU has always meant that there would be changes to how practitioners operate in the EU.
UK performers and artists are of course still able to tour and perform in the EU, and vice versa. However, we understand the concerns about the new arrangements and we are committed to supporting the sectors as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes.
We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with cultural and creative industries, including through a new working group, to help address these issues so that touring in Europe can resume with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to negotiate bilateral agreements with all EU member states exempting (1) touring performers, (2) creative teams, and (3) crews, including (a) dancers, (b) choreographers, (c) producers, and (d) technicians, from entry requirements or restrictions on short-term work for 90 days.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This Government recognises the importance of our world leading creative and cultural industries. That is why it provided an unprecedented £1.57bn package of support to help these sectors through the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, over £1 billion has been awarded to almost 3800 organisations, with at least 75,000 jobs saved so far, and many more freelancers also benefiting from new work that can now be created. At Budget 2021, HMT also announced £300m of additional funding for the Culture Recovery Fund which will be made available to support cultural organisations in England as audiences begin to return. This demonstrates our firm commitment to ensuring that UK culture continues to thrive.
We know that while leaving the EU will bring changes and new processes to touring and working in the EU, it will also bring new opportunities. Leaving the EU has always meant that there would be changes to how practitioners operate in the EU.
UK performers and artists are of course still able to tour and perform in the EU, and vice versa. However, we understand the concerns about the new arrangements and we are committed to supporting the sectors as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes.
We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with cultural and creative industries, including through a new working group, to help address these issues so that touring in Europe can resume with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to supporting the Black Cultural Archives as a unique national heritage centre for African and Caribbean communities in Britain.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The Black Cultural Archives (BCA) makes an important contribution to preserving and celebrating the diverse cultural heritage of Britain, as well as supporting the local community in Lambeth.
BCA has received significant support, including over £4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore and develop Raleigh Hall in Brixton as a permanent home and heritage centre for BCA’s archives and collections.
DCMS is working with BCA, alongside The National Archives and other DCMS public bodies, to help it to become financially sustainable and to seek to develop its ambitions to become a national resource.