Nandy sets out priorities as Culture Secretary

Newly-appointed Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has said, during her first interviews in the role, that the Labour government will review how public funding for the arts is spent.

Speaking on the podcast The Rest of Politics, Nandy discussed the impact of shrinking council budgets on the arts outside London and committed to finding “a way of making sure the funding that is there goes to the right places and supports a diversity of things”.

She revealed she has already asked civil servants to “look at where all that money is, who is being appointed to boards, where they come from in the country, so that decisions are being made by people who understand the richness and diversity of the arts, our cultural heritage and the importance of that to our communities”.

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Nandy's comments followed an interview with Manchester Evening News, in which she said the Labour government is “determined that we're going to look at funding in the round”.

She said: “We're committed in our manifesto to looking at a review of Arts Council England and the way that that works, but we don't want to do that in isolation because if all you do is ask for private funders to come in and fill the gap, what you could very quickly find is that you increase regional inequality rather than break down those barriers everywhere, which is our intention.”

In the same interview, Nandy said the Labour government currently has no plans to introduce a ticket levy and outlined growing the economy as the number one priority, using the success of the North of England’s creative corridor as a way the creative industries can drive such growth.

Nationwide support

On The Rest of Politics podcast, Nandy added that said she is already working “to get more of our art, culture, heritage from every part of the country reflected in our national story”.

She explained that the new government’s focus will be on respecting the contribution that people in different areas of the country have to make, rather than redistribution.

“We have to put people back at the centre of their own story,” Nandy said. “That was very much the message I gave to our amazing civil services at DCMS when I took over a few days ago, because actually governments don't change things, people do.”

“That is my mission over the next five years, I'm going to make sure that we do everything we can from this department, that is the beating heart of the soul of the country, to enable people to tell that story again.”

While the podcast focused largely on the sport and media side of Nandy’s departmental remit, the Labour MP said some of her priorities for the arts of culture sector include supporting theatre, tackling the disappearance of music venues and a Brexit deal for touring musicians.

When asked about the BBC, Nandy said she is a “big supporter” of the broadcaster and the “notion of public service broadcasting”, but declined to say whether or not her department will look into reforming its funding model.

‘Thrilled’

Across both interviews, Nandy repeated her enthusiasm for her new role several times.

Speaking on The Rest of Politics, Nandy admitting to having an “inkling” she may receive a cabinet position, but thought it may be a development role having previously worked as Shadow Minister for International Development.

“I honestly can’t tell you how thrilled I was,” she said. “I had a hint I might be moving to a domestic brief beforehand and when I found out it was culture, media and sport, I don't even know how to describe the feeling to be honest.”

During her appointment meeting after the election results, Nandy said that newly-appointed Prime Minister Kier Starmer said to her: “I really want you to walk into this government with your own department, your own team. I know you love the development brief, but I’m asking you to move because I need you to make an impact and we need to have a legacy in this, so I want you to do culture, media and sport.”