The National Campaign for the Arts and Public Campaign for the Arts Join Forces

The National Campaign for the Arts and the Public Campaign for the Arts have today (24 October) joined forces to create one organisation, Campaign for the Arts, with a combined supporter-base of over a quarter of a million people.

Campaign for the Arts aims to champion, defend and expand access to the arts and culture, for and with the public. It launches in the aftermath of a pandemic which has left the cultural sector especially exposed; in the midst of an energy and cost-of-living crisis affecting artists, audiences and organisations alike; and ahead of Government plans for a further round of austerity cuts.

Campaign for the Arts will use digital tools and its UK-wide network to inform the public, express support and engage more and new people. Its supporter base already spans all of the UK's 650 Parliamentary constituencies, and includes household names such as Stephen Fry, Meera Syal, Gary Lineker, Grayson Perry, Lauren Laverne and Philip Pullman.

Alongside new initiatives at both national and local levels, Campaign for the Arts will continue the Hearts for the Arts awards, which have recognised exceptional arts initiatives in local government since 2017, and the Arts Index, which has analysed the health of the nation's arts and culture since 2011. It will further develop the Arts Map, which was conceived during the pandemic for people to check the reopening status of cultural organisations near them.

Samuel West, formerly Chair of the NCA, becomes a Trustee of Campaign for the Arts; Jack Gamble, formerly Director of the PCA, becomes CEO.

Samuel West said: "The impact of the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis and the prospect of further austerity are just some of the pressing challenges facing the arts. But this merger puts us in the strongest possible place. Together, we will campaign to ensure that the arts are available from childhood, accessible to all and thriving everywhere."

Jack Gamble said: "This merger gives me hope at an extremely difficult time. Creative subjects are being stripped from our state schools, inequality of opportunity is rife and the arts sector is having to contend with unprecedented challenges. No one person can turn the tide - we need to do it together. That's why we're joining up to form the Campaign for the Arts, and why every supporter of our campaign really matters."

Alongside today's announcement, Campaign for the Arts has opened applications for new people to join its Board of Trustees.

Photo Credit: Zoë Birkbeck