UK General Election | Art World Hopes and Fears for the Vote
The upcoming General Election in the UK on 4 July is being closely watched by the art and culture sector. We asked key figures in the art world three important questions to gather their perspectives on the matter.
Charles Saumarez Smith, the former secretary and chief executive of the Royal Academy of Arts, expressed his concerns about the decline in arts funding and the importance of recognizing art and creativity in schools.
Frances Morris, the former director of Tate Modern, highlighted the need for a transformative vision in the arts and a renewed focus on public engagement and arts education.
Cultural historian Robert Hewison emphasized the role of the arts in society and the need for increased investment in arts education to nurture future talent.
Bruce Boucher, the former director of the Sir John Soane’s Museum, called for more state investment in the arts and a departure from the reliance on private funding.
Former Conservative arts minister Ed Vaizey stressed the importance of long-term funding and tax credits for the arts and urged for greater engagement with the arts across different sectors.
In a final note, artist Tracey Emin shared her voting history and her decision to support Labour in the upcoming election.
These insights shed light on the various perspectives within the art world regarding the upcoming election and its implications for the cultural sector in the UK.
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Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.