In this blog, Director of OutdoorArtsUK Sho Shibata writes about the power of Outdoor Arts as the unifier of communities in the face of civic unrest, reminding the Government and the Arts Councils of UK the true value of the vibrant and diverse sector.
Lisa Nandy, our new Secretary of State for DCMS, made her maiden speech to culture, media and sport sectors on 31st July in Manchester, and it was immediately challenged spectacularly by widespread civil unrest. In the speech, Nandy said:
“I asked [Danny Boyle] how a country that could unite so decisively around the inspiring and inclusive story of the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony could descend so quickly into anger and polarisation and division. I asked him where has that country gone. And he said simply, that it is still there. But it is waiting for someone to give voice to it again.”
Outdoor Arts Events Amidst Unrest
Misinformation about the brutal murder of children in Southport kick-started aggressive, racially motivated disturbances across the country fuelled by the far-right predominantly targeting Muslim, South Asian and black communities.
In the same week that violence spiralled out in nearby Middlesborough, Sunderland and Hartlepool, Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) took place in Tees Valley. The 3-day festival included a carnival that showcased the diversity of local communities, and performances by a wide range of national and international artists from across the UK, France and Spain. There were some obvious targets for attack within this programme. OutdoorArtsUK were there to witness colleagues from Stockton Borough Council, Tees Valley Combined Authority, local police and security services all keeping a watchful eye on any hint of trouble throughout the weekend…
The same tension was present all around the Outdoor Arts sector, and some felt the pressure more than others.
For example, OutdoorArtsUK member Nutkhut was working on the Bula Festival in Aldershot two days after trouble broke out in town, and Cohesion Plus delivered a Mela in Crawley on the same weekend. The commitment that our artists, organisers, participants, and volunteers showed in going ahead with their planned events is commendable. Particular gratitude must be shown to the experienced, broad shoulders of leaders like Ajay Chhabra from Nutkhut, Gurvinder Sandher from Cohesion Plus and many others. Like all other Creative Industries, there is an enormous way to go for Outdoor Arts to achieve true equality, and the outbreak of violence very much proves how racism is still pervasive in our society. Leaders like Ajay and Gurvinder have long provided the foundation for a vibrant and diverse Outdoor Arts sector in the face of all this, and any progress we make is built on their confidence, resolve, and defiance.
But these leaders will all agree that their events are nothing without an audience, and it is on them who the sector places its hope.
Despite the unrest only 12 miles down the road, there was palpable civic pride in SIRF and a sense that the audience of Stockton will not let trouble scupper the joy of the festival. In the height of trouble, Outdoor Arts provided a sanctuary, even if temporary. 37 years of continuous delivery has led to SIRF attracting 60,000 people per year, where 87% of attendees are locals. The festival brings £1m of economic impact in a region where a typical weekend sees much reduced trade.
Upcoming Outdoor Arts Events and Sector Guidance
OutdoorArtsUK were privileged to witness SIRF demonstrating the wide-ranging value that Outdoor Arts brings to a place this weekend, and earlier this week, we sent our message of support and advice to colleagues across the country who are running programmes in the days and weeks to come.
There will be events in Leicester, Middlesborough, Manchester, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent, Belfast and many other places. Outdoor Arts may not be the solution to social unrest, but it will provide affected communities the chance for collective healing. The mass cross-community clear-ups and anti-racism gatherings show people’s desire to come together, which the Outdoor Arts can respond to and celebrate. Like OutdoorArtsUK’s message to the sector stated:
Carnivals, Festivals, and Melas are strong showings of togetherness, joy, and understanding. They will always be the beacon for opposition to hate.
All the upcoming outdoor events are on our website listings here.
OutdoorArtsUK’s Response to the New Government
Lisa Nandy closed her speech with a promise:
“My message to each and every one of you is that if you share that belief in our country. If you have that zest to make change. If you want to challenge us and are willing to be challenged in turn. Then I promise you that we will walk alongside you.”
In the week this speech was made, Outdoor Arts more than proved our zest to make change and that we can withstand challenges. And if I was to pick one immediate response the sector has to the new Government, it is this:
Reverse the disinvestment that the arts have suffered under the Conservatives as soon as possible.
In the same week Nandy made her speech, the Local Government Association released a report showing that Council spending on culture and leisure services has fallen by £2.3bn in real terms since 2010/11. A report by Campaign for the Arts was released in the previous week too, showing that Arts Councils’ core DCMS funding dropped by 18% in England, 22% in Scotland, 25% in Wales and 66% in Northern Ireland.
Local Authorities and Arts Councils have been the bedrock of the Outdoor Arts sector because we offer free, non-ticketed creative experiences right in the heart of communities. We reach tens of thousands of people every week, many of whom are from underserved areas. When it comes to levelling access to high-quality art, we are the most effective sector. Outdoor Arts must be seen as an important service to the public, and they demonstrated their worth last weekend.
But our sector’s impact has been seriously eroded by the scale of these cuts. Many of my colleagues have clearly said they cannot go on like this.
Too many of our events have been cancelled this year, and too little funding is coming through to our artists and producers. Local Authorities and the Arts Councils require reinvestment, and the Outdoor Arts sector must then see our fair share of resources.
– Sho Shibata, OAUK Director
Image Credits: Community Carnival at Stockton International Riverside Festival 2024 (featuring North East Migration Project and Refugee and Asylum Seekers Project Stockton); Nutkhut’s giant Bride and Groom puppets at Bula Festival; cover image for The State of The Arts report by Campaign for the Arts and Warwick University.
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