Reframed: A new policy agenda for the visual arts

19th June 2024
\ News & Events

CVAN sets out an important agenda for change in the visual arts, calling on all policy makers to improve their understanding of the specific needs of the sector, and those who work within it

You can explore the wider context and details of each priority in the full document Reframed: A new policy agenda for the visual arts.

CVAN’s Reframed policy priorities:

1. INVEST IN ART AND ARTISTS.

  • Commission an independent review into investment in culture.
  • Provide new funding to support the grassroots visual arts ecosystem.
  • Explore the potential of a Tourist Levy to fund culture.
  • Optimise the benefits of Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief.
  • Introduce legislation that will generate additional revenue for artists via The Smart Fund.

2. SUPPORT THE VISUAL ARTS WORKFORCE TO THRIVE.

  • Introduce a Freelancer Commissioner.
  • Tackle late payments by encouraging the adoption of the Prompt Payment Code.
  • Promote the use of contracts for all work and improve contract clarity and transparency.
  • Publish artist pay policies and fee structures.
  • Expand Arts Council England’s ‘Developing Your Creative Practice’ fund.
  • Convene an expert advisory group to explore the challenges facing disabled artists.
  • Protect artists from the threats posed by unregulated AI Text and Data Mining.

3. CULTIVATE THE CREATIVE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE.

  • Review the national curriculum to ensure a greater focus on creative subjects.
  • Reform the EBaccalaureate to include creative subjects.
  • Overhaul the Progress 8 accountability measure to ensure the inclusion of creative subjects.
  • Expand the Ofsted inspection framework to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum is achieved.
  • Provide subsidised visits for school pupils to cultural venues, including galleries and museums.
  • Reinstate the Creative Partnerships programme to increase school links with artists.
  • Reverse real-terms cuts to specialist Higher Education Institution funding.

4. ENSURE THE SECTOR HAS THE RIGHT RESOURCES FOR THE JOB.

  • Implement a long-term strategy to increase affordable studio space for artists.
  • Optimise the use of planning rules to better protect and grow affordable workspace for artists.
  • Boost capital investment for individual galleries and visual arts spaces.
  • Open up access to ‘meanwhile’ spaces for artists through planning reforms.
  • Provide financial support for maintaining and retrofitting existing buildings.
  • Provide a business rate exemption for galleries and artist studios.

5. ENABLE ARTISTIC EXCHANGE ACROSS BORDERS.

  • Rejoin Creative Europe.
  • Implement a new creative and cultural agreement with the EU, enabling reciprocal freedom of movement for artists and other creative workers.

6. CREATE A COMMON LANGUAGE OF VISUAL ARTS VALUE.

  • Formally define the visual arts sector and develop a baseline set of metrics.
  • Work with the visual arts sector to embed the Culture and Heritage Capital Framework.