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Unexpected Solutions: Inequalities, Policy and the Cultural Sector

When: Thursday, October 27, 2022, 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: The Octagon, Queen's Building, Queen Mary University of London

This event asks: against the backdrop of rising inequality and the inequalities within the cultural sector itself: what unexpected solutions, approaches, policies have been effective as interventions, and why? The event will respond to the Levelling Up white paper to think about local and regional inequalities, asking how arts and culture can offer unexpected solutions to, for example, health inequalities or criminal justice issues, while also focussing on inequalities within the arts and culture sector itself in conditions of work and pay.

This event launches Queen Mary's Arts and Culture and the Mile End Institute's unique three-year scheme, establishing a coalition of advocates helping to make the case for the arts and cultural sectors in London and nationally. The event will explore how unexpected solutions might lead to policy change a locally, nationally and internationally – exploring new approaches, possibilities, and transformations in ‘making the case’ for the cultural sector.

Our research fellows are:

  • Munsur Ali, filmmaker and councillor for Portsoken ward, Tower Hamlets Council
  • Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive, Incorporated Society of Musicians 
  • Kazi Ruksana Begum, Arts Development Officer, Tower Hamlets Council 
  • Philippa Childs, Deputy General Secretary, BECTU 
  • Niamh Dowling, Principal, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts 
  • Thorsten Dreyer, cultural policy and arts management consultant
  • Kim Evans OBE, arts consultant and trustee 
  • Paul Fleming, General Secretary, Equity 
  • Ruth Hogarth, Editor, Arts Professional
  • Justin Hunt, Combined Arts and Dance, Arts Council England 
  • Richard Ings, London Area champion for Arts in Health, Wellbeing & Criminal Justice, Arts Council England 
  • Kim Morrison, Head of Programmes, World Heart Beat Academy 
  • Raja Moussaoui, Programme Manager, GLA 
  • Simon Mundy, writer, cultural policy adviser and co-founder, Culture Action Europe
  • Naomi Pohl, General Secretary, Musicians’ Union 
  • Rachael Roe, Senior Policy Officer, GLA 
  • Nicola Solomon, Chief Executive, Society of Authors
  • Deborah Williams, Executive Director, Creative Diversity Network

Our Fellows have been appointed for a three-year period to work with Queen Mary academics to tackle some of the major challenges facing the cultural sector. They will benefit from Mile End Institute’s cutting-edge approach to policy at local and national levels, and the QM Arts and Culture Team’s networks of support for Queen Mary’s work with the cultural sector.

This event celebrates the coalition of advocates working collectively to make the case for the sector through an inquiry into the unexpected solutions to inequality that culture can offer, and the solutions that culture needs to rethink its own practices.

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