This unprecedented moment [the coronavirus outbreak] has forced us all to think about what’s happening right now across the world but particularly what’s happening in our own countries, cities, towns, villages and communities. Whilst I’ve been busy working with colleagues in my full-time role to navigate and guide our organisation through this ever changing situation I’ve also been thinking about what happens when we come out the other side.
I decided I wanted to document some of this thinking because it’s actually better just out of my head. With the contact restrictions in place it also means I haven’t got my usual group of friends to moan at down the pub. Whilst I do have contact with them they’ve got their own things to deal with right now and I want to ensure the contact we do have is light-hearted, fun and focused on all the things we’re planning once this is over (and it will be).
I’m also documenting and sharing my thoughts because it might resonate with someone but it’s a way of creating a permanent record of what I’m thinking in this historic moment. This for me is something I can return and look at when perhaps things get tougher, and remind me of what I was thinking in this moment and what I was hoping to do for a sector that I really care about, and I’m right now very concerned about.
I’ve been thinking about how fragile our precious creative sector is and will continue to become as this pandemic continues to impose itself amongst us. So many freelancers and small companies are going to severely suffer (and already are) due to lost work and opportunities. The impact of COVID-19 is going to be felt for some time and way beyond the creative sector.
The creative sector is worth £110 billion (the last time I checked) to the economy and we can’t let this situation we find ourselves totally ruin it. It also has an intangible value of course which can’t be counted in pounds and pence. It changes people’s lives; it teaches us how to cope with the world and each other. It allows us to express things in ways words can’t and it has a direct positive impact upon health and well-being, social isolation, learning and so much more.
This unprecedented time we find ourselves in is going to mean investment and opportunities will contract due to the need to redirect monies and resource but we must not go inwards [with investment and opportunities] but we must reach out… further than we have before.
And what can I do about it? I’m going to challenge every single thing I do in my day job (and ask others to do the same). I’ve already had many brilliant conversations with people I work with (not going to name names) who’ve really started thinking about this and its truly encouraging and inspiring. I want to ensure opportunities are created for as many people as possible like never before... and yes its likely with the same or less resource.
It will take new ways of thinking, challenging ‘processes’ and the usual way of doing things. For example, a project that would be offered traditionally to one person or one organisation how about insisting its delivered through building a new working model with 10/20 talented individuals? It’s doable even if it doesn’t fit some of the ways that organisations currently approach things but it’s time we challenge that. It will take more effort, better project management and new levels of focus but it’s going to be needed more than we think. Where do we turn when we need our dancers, choreographers, directors, producers, illustrators, animators, videographers, photographers etc if they’re not here because we didn’t help in a time when they need it more than ever.
My newly launched venture (mlkmen.com) is something I’ve built up over a period of time but I am feeling the impact of the last few weeks. It’s not going to stop me moving forward at all but make me work harder and change the way I’m developing it. I will engage with more artists and designers to be part of something that is fun, exciting and needs creative talent to make it work (and of course pay them). I’m also going to try and collaborate with as many people as I can from new creative disciplines as well as connecting with completely different sectors. I’m grateful to have been able to work with some extraordinary artists / creatives already (Nik Pate, Northern Visuals and the multi-talented models) but there are so many more possibilities.
A couple of years ago I also dreamt up a new event called The Great British Gala. Think Met Gala (Google it if you don’t know what I’m talking about) but uniquely ours. The Great British Gala is designed for the UK dance sector but it’s also about how we bring creative talent together, show off that amazing talent and stage a whopper of a show.
The Great British Gala would create hundreds (if not thousands) of jobs. It would create a moment in our cultural calendar that is impactful and supports us to rise again after all this over is.
It will provide entertainment for the masses (as does our industry in the darkest of times) and allow the dance sector (hugely important within the overall creative industries) to show off the breadth of talent from all over the world who are part of making dance in our country so good, and give the UK dance sector the stage it deserves. This new event is an opportunity to instigate new and never-seen-before collaborations and reach thousands of young people through participation initiatives. It’s something which would take place in different cities each year in the UK (because it isn’t just thought about, made and staged in our capital city) to spread the economical, creative and access opportunities throughout communities.
This project needs investment (approx £600k which is small compared to other similar large-scale events such as the BRITS, MOBOs, The Met Gala, Olivier Awards etc. ) and it’s going to be even more challenging to convince anyone to invest with everything that is going on right now. This shouldn’t and doesn’t need to be a conversation about either / or. There is space for more than one large-scale event; it’s already the case and we have many amazing moments in our cultural calendar.
I’m going to revisit my plans and I’m going to go and find the right partner to make this happen. When I started out a few years back I did find a bit of a snootiness from some organisations I approached for support because it wasn’t football, basketball, F1 or something else of that nature. I want a sponsor who shares values, understands the true importance of dance in society (and its contribution to the British economy) and genuinely wants to embark on something different.
Whilst the audience for dance isn’t hundreds of millions perhaps like football you really shouldn’t turn your nose up at the millions that love dance; whether they are dancers, choreographers, designers, teachers, students and importantly fans. Strictly Come Dancing is one of the most popular programmes on TV and we have more dance representation and content littered across all of our media output but its not enough.
I was convinced this was needed before but I’m even more certain that we need this more today than we did last month and last year. It won’t be the solution to all the challenges and job losses we face following COVID-19 which I outline but it certainly would go a very long way.
If I’ve learnt anything from working on things like London 2012 Olympics and Hull UK City of Culture 2017 is that it takes an army to make these things happen. Oh lordy it’s so magical to be part of (and yes sometimes stressful) but I’ve seen first-hand how being stupidly ambitious can have such a positive impact on people, how it can change lives, transform communities, enhance sectors and how it can bring together and create extraordinary opportunities for people to be the best version of themselves and unleash their talent to its fullest. It creates thousands of jobs (directly and indirectly) and if I could create a little bit of this magic with The Great British Gala then I would be extremely happy.
If you value the creative industries then I suppose I’m asking you to consider if you’re doing enough to ensure this important part of our every day lives is thriving in 12 months time?