| “The Arts Arguing Its Case in Language Most of Us Don’t Speak” |
xPublic Culture: Public Communication |
| Arts Professional Commentary , Policy Discussions of Culture , October 19, 1991 |
The article in this sequence of 6th July, titled “What's Wrong with Emotion?”, looked at the language of arts policy-making. It observed that the words, and the motives, used by managers of the arts were not those who attend and participate. An article in “Arts Professional” of 15th September went a step further. The heading for the article by Katie Raines and Alex Newton read “Britain has a case for culture – but it’s not the one we’ve been making.” Their argument rested on a model published by the polling company More in Common. Its report of 2025 was titled "Shattered Britain.” A division between left and right- an observation of many years now- has ceased to be a reliable guide to political attitude and behaviour. (The First Minister of Wales 2018-2024 continues to promulgate an analysis that divides “progressivism” from the rest.) Division, in the analysis of More in Common, is underpinned by four factors: a collapse of trust in national institutions, exhaustion with both politics and daily survival, a sharply rising sense of threat, and a feeling of having no agency over any of it. From this testing of attitudes More in Common models “The Seven Segments of Britain”. It is a schema of segmentation whereby values and world-view form a map to understand the public, both the factors of separation and those of common ground. The model is used regularly in political strategy, say Raines and Newton, but has hitherto has not been applied to arts and culture. The company Indigo has drawn conclusions from audience panels. “The story”, they say, “that emerges shows a mismatch between what the public values and what we talk about.” Good news is not absent. “Attendance is not the problem....more than three-quarters of the public went to at least one art-form – including cinema, museums, theatre, comedy and more – in the last year. And 65% of every segment of the population attended something in the last year.” The authors say that the managers of the arts adhere to a framing that is lacking validity. “The familiar framing of a huge pool of non-attenders waiting to be converted misses the point: most people are already coming – just not very often. The big difference, though, is what they think culture is for.” “The research asked respondents to name the top three benefits of arts and culture to Britain. The top three were: attracting tourists, boosting the economy and preserving Britain’s past.” “Improving wellbeing” comes fourth. Far fewer people selected “bringing communities together” or “improving local areas”. What do the managers of culture speak of? “Wellbeing, community and place-making are the three pillars of almost every case for culture the sector makes.” Only one segment of the population places any value on these concepts. “Progressive Activists” represent 12% of the population but- from the Indigo Share Audience Panel data-, account for half of the engaged arts audience. So, ask Raines and Newton, “Have we been making an argument that lands beautifully with the people already in our buildings, but doesn’t resonate with everyone else?” On attitudes to nation and past they write “Pride is broad, but heritage divides.” “Britain is proud of its culture. Film and TV, national museums and music all score highly – 65% are proud of them – with heritage and theatre close behind...But British heritage and history was the most divisive option across the seven segments with just 37% of Progressive Activists feeling pride compared with 84% of Traditional Conservatives. “This was where Progressive Activists diverged most strongly from the other segments – and remember, these are lots of our audiences. “Are we guilty of being in an echo chamber with regular audiences who confirm our discomfort with issues other segments of the population are proud of?” And thus to an ending that the argument has made inevitable. “And finally – perhaps the most difficult – the sector talks mostly to itself. The four most disengaged segments constitute 58% of Britain and only 18% of the engaged audience. Any strategy tested only against the people who already come will keep us in a bubble that ignores most of the country. And so “the sector is arguing its case in language most of us don’t speak.” The source and full article can be read at: https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/feature/britain-has-a-case-for-culture-but-its-not-the-one-weve-been-making |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
This review has been read 4 times |
