- Posted on July 3rd, 2020
Update: a just, green cultural recovery
On 11th June we wrote to Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State at the DCMS to call for urgent public investment to ensure a green, rapid and just transition for the cultural sector.
We note that the newly formed Cultural Renewal Taskforce contains no representative who speaks to sustainability, biodiversity or social justice amongst its members. We reaffirmed the unique power of culture to catalyse change across society and the ongoing dedication to a cleaner, greener, fairer future.
In a statement of shared intent from UK culture, our letter has now been endorsed by over 800 leading cultural figures and organisations across the sector. These include the organisations and institutions below, along with individuals from across the cultural sector including from the music industry – Nile Rodgers, the CEO of the MOBO’s, Kanya King CBE, Merck Mercuriadis, CEO of Hipgnosis Songs Fund, Neil Tennant, composer Jocelyn Pook, Gilles Peterson, Founder of Browneswood Recordings, musicians John Patrick-Flynn (Johnny Flynn), Drillminister, Beth Orton, Brian Eno and Jon Hopkins; artists Adam Chodzko, Ackroyd & Harvey and Steven Appleby; theatre directors Madani Younis and David Lan CBE; actors Sir Mark Rylance, Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE and Toby Jones; writers Benjamin Zephaniah and Robert Macfarlane and many many more. The full list of endorsements can be found and searched here.
With the backing of voices from across UK culture we look forward to the opportunity to discuss our roadmap for a just and green cultural recovery programme at greater length with the Secretary of State and await a response from the DCMS to our proposals.
Some of the organisations who have supported below:
