Lib Dems give boost to Arts (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Lib Dems give boost to Arts

April 30, 2001 12:00 AM

The Lib Dems have alucnhed there Arts manifesto. The policies include greater access to arts at school and reform of funding. Keith Sharp, Parliamentary spokesman for Islington South & Finsbury, said:ìThe arts are central to a strong economy and thriving communities. Our creative industries boost employment through exports and tourism, and enhance Britainís international prestige. ìBut the case for the arts is about more than economics. Promoting equality of opportunity means encouraging everybodyís talents and abilities. Everyone should have the opportunity to explore their creativity through access to the arts.î Laura Willoughby, Parliamentary spokesperson for Islington North added: ìThe priority for increased access to the arts is in our schools. Arts education has been allowed to decline by successive governments. Liberal Democrats will arrest this trend by recruiting more specialist arts teachers and giving all children an entitlement to arts education. Funding for free instrumental tuition will be increased eventually offering every child the right to free instrumental tuition. ìLiberal Democrats will oppose a break-up of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. We oppose plans to abolish Regional Arts Boards ñ we will give them more power over funding decisions, allowing local people to set the priorities. ìWe will also replace the Millennium Commission with a Local Initiatives Fund that will revitalise our ailing libraries, galleries and museums. We aim to make a substantial increase in investment in the arts in the course of the next Parliament. ìAccess to the arts and government support for the arts are not fringe issues. They must be at the heart of the agenda for any government which wants to promote prosperity, health, education, and opportunities to live life to the full. î Key features of the Arts section of the Liberal Democrat General Election manifesto will be to: ? Give all pupils an entitlement to arts education throughout their school careers. We will recruit and train more specialist art teachers and ensure that all primary teachers are well trained in the arts. We will restore funding for free instrumental tuition to at least 1990 levels, giving many more pupils the chance to learn an instrument once again. ? Protect our cultural heritage by lowering the cost of maintaining listed buildings. We will do this by cutting VAT on renovation and repairs, paid for by introducing VAT, at the same low level, on new building. ? Encourage artists and artistic diversity. We will support artists by maintaining the support provided by schedule D taxation. We will establish a fund to bring artists to schools, hospitals and prisons. ? Increase the powers of Regional Arts Boards. We will devolve all funding decisions, except those involving national companies, from the Department of Culture Media and Sport to the Regional Arts Boards. ? Develop the use of libraries by making them centres for free internet access. ? Invest in local libraries, arts and museums by replacing the Millennium Commission with a Local Initiatives Fund which would give grants to support libraries, museums and galleries in communities across Britain. We will restore the principle that Lottery cash should not fund services more properly provided through taxation, and ensure that all Lottery money goes to the arts, charity, sport, heritage and local cultural institutions.