SUMMER | THE COLUMNISTS
Access’ regular
columnists talk
creative funding,
partnerships and
‘woke washing’ ...
Jonathan Emmins, founder,
Amplify Can I make a creative living?
Josephine Burns, chair, Without
Walls Being collaboration concious
Simeon Aldred, group creative
director, Vibration Group
It’s Pride – so cue the onslaught
of corporate sponsorship. Never
has there been a time where
representation is more vital but
communities worry that issues are
being masked by a rainbow swirl of
LGBT+ branding. We’re not here for
‘woke washing’, the phenomenon
that sees brands use social issues
to show their credibility without
making changes deeper in their
working culture or supply chains.
Audiences can spot lifeless
gestures by brands that jump on an
LGBT+ cause only to leave it for dust
a few weeks later (think: the M&S
‘LGBT Sandwich’). But sometimes,
it works. When Netflix sent its
Orange is the New Black barge down
an Amsterdam canal, they focused
on a fan favourite that champions
LGBT+ visibility in the show.
We’ve even come around to
Gillette’s recent interventions. After
years of deploying a narrow version
of masculinity, they’re now part
of an evolving definition of male
identity. Gillette should comment
because of, not in spite of, its
propagation of a narrow view of the
male experience. Its latest ad was
powerful, poignant and (crucially)
centred on the experiences of trans
activist Samson Bonkeabantu
Brown. But taking a stance for
LGBT+ and gender rights should
mean more than putting out
content or sponsoring an event. There was a climbdown by the
Russell Group of universities
last month when it scrapped its
controversial list of preferred
A-levels, after long-running
criticism that this contributed to a
devaluation of arts/technology.
It’s a response to concern about
the proportion of 15/16 year-olds
in England studying subjects
like music and drama falling to
the lowest level in a decade as a
result of government policies and
education cuts. Reforms like ebacc’s
introduction have pushed pupils
towards ‘traditional’ academic
subjects. The Incorporated Society
of Musicians, the UK’s professional
body for musicians said the list
of ‘facilitating subjects’ – code for
‘desired by universities’ which
hitherto excluded arts – has had
“a devastating effect” on A-level
uptakes.
The perception that studying
these areas won’t get you a ‘proper
job’ is despite masses of evidence.
Jobs in the creative industries
are growing at four times the UK
average, but there are currently
around 77,000 roles that are either
unfilled or that require additional
skills. Skills shortages and gaps
in the workforce threaten the
remarkable success that the UK’s
£101.5bn creative industries have
seen to date. Listen up, everybody -
it’s a proper job! For the last 10 weeks I have been
on a mission that has reminded
me of what is possible if you openly
and honestly embrace the value of
partnerships to pull off a project.
Vibration Group and our partners
Broadwick Venues have taken on
the commercial management of
the Old Mayfield railway station in
Manchester, owned by visionary
developers U+I, and partnered by
LCR and Manchester City council.
In the last three months we have
managed to take a derelict railway
station and turn it into a stunning
10,000-capacity culture space and
theatre which opened its doors with
a world premiere performance by
Rambert ballet company.
From the planning department
in the Council through to licensing
authorities everyone has taken the
swiftest, most direct and honest
route to ensure that the cultural
space can open its doors on time
and on budget.
Suppliers in every discipline from
Acorn Structures, White Light,
DBN Audible, and Manchester
International Festival have worked
in full partnership. And, moving
forward we have partnered with the
Warehouse Project to present the
next series of concerts in the space.
Never try and do this stuff on
your own. Stand together and you
can achieve the impossible.
The Pride wagon
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