Cultural democracy [Blog post]

The article covers the history of the idea, its seeds in the beliefs of William Morris, how it was subsequently taken up by Jennie Lee through the first white paper for the arts, which she produced for the Wilson government, and the founding of the Arts Council. It then looks at how the ideas developed through the community arts movement in the 1970s and 1980s and found a home in the policy and practice of the Greater London Council. Coming up to date, current cultural policy is explored, including the present day under a Conservative government, but also how the Labour Party, re-formed under Jeremy Corbyn and reinvigorated by Momentum, is looking again at what cultural democracy means in the 21 century. Finally, a look at some of the challenges, a glimpse into the work of the strategy group Arts for Labour, and also how these ideas have fed into Middlesex’s own MA Art and Social Practice and new exit degree BA Fine Art Social Practice.

Dr Loraine Leeson, Senior Lecturer in Fine Art, explores the idea that art is a vital part of civilised society and should be a method of self-expression for everyone rather than the privileged few.