Image Credit: Samuel Charron
Laura Caldow
Senior Consultant
Laura has over 20 years of experience across the cultural sector as a consultant, producer, researcher and creative artist.
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Brighton and Hove's high living costs, compounded by the pandemic's impact, increasingly are driving creative talents away. Celebrated for its vibrant creative and cultural scene, it now sits at a crossroads, risking the loss of its unique identity without targeted interventions.
Universal Basic Income as an Intervention
Universal Basic Income (UBI) initiatives have been given greater policy attention and emphasis since the Covid-19 pandemic, including for creative workers. Schemes such as the Basic Income for Artists in Ireland, Creatives Rebuild New York's Guaranteed Income Programme, and Yerba Buena Centre for the Arts' Guaranteed Income Pilot for Artists in San Francisco have adopted various approaches to support creative workers through income guarantee schemes. These initiatives, differing in scale, target groups, funding sources, and duration, have all aimed to bolster the financial stability of artists and creative workers under deteriorating conditions.
However, despite the growing attention towards these Creative Worker Income Guarantee schemes, their implementation is not always straightforward, and the costs can escalate rapidly - raising questions about their feasibility for Brighton and Hove.
A Case for Brighton and Hove
Through our research we explored how a Creative Worker Income Guarantee could directly support individual Brighton creatives, fostering a more diverse, genuinely innovative, creative economy. Our engagement with the sector told us that a basic income scheme for creative workers could be effective, provided it encompasses four key elements:
The scheme caters to creative professionals at all stages of their careers.
It strikes a balance between targeted support for specific groups and a randomised selection process to ensure fairness.
Includes various stakeholders across the city in its implementation.
Is viewed as an investment into the broader creative sector with social and economic benefits for the city.
However, there are challenges translating this into practice, and the costs of would rapidly become prohibitive. International examples suggest that a large, most likely national, fund would be needed, or the programme would need to be incredibly targeted.
For these reasons it is unsurprising that such programmes have typically been initiated by national governments or in countries with robust philanthropic traditions. However, a pilot programme, informed by this research, could be uniquely tailored to Brighton and Hove's specific context and needs, serving as a much-needed blueprint for wider application.
Read the full paper below, presented on the Brighton Festival panel 'Cultural, Creative and Collective Recovery: Exploring a Creative Worker Income Guarantee’ and since been published by Taylor and Francis.
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ABOUT US
EXPERTISE
A global research and consulting practice for culture and the creative economy
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BOP Consulting, in collaboration with Raybel Charters and Santra Consulting, was commissioned by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), and National Historic Ships-UK (NHS-UK) to conduct a research study on the current state and needs of the UK’s historic ships sector.
Future Proofing Heritage
Our report for the British Arts Festivals Association paints a picture of a resilient sector that is surviving rather than thriving.
Festivals Forward
BAFA
BOP Consulting was appointed to outline a pilot for a Creative Worker Income Guarantee for Brighton & Hove, working on behalf of the University of Sussex and the ABCD Cultural Recovery Programme.
Cultural, Creative and Collective Recovery: Exploring a Creative Worker Income Guarantee
University of Sussex
The report on how global cities tackle climate change with cultural policies and programmes. Insights from the World Cities Culture Forum's latest report.
The Green World Cities of Tomorrow: Culture and Sustainability – Special Report Prepared for WCCF Global Conversation
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
Unique case guide is co-produced with the participating cities of WCCF, highlighting city examples and a global cities approach to evidenced-based policymaking.
Culture Counts: New Approaches to Evidence Based Cultural Policymaking in World Cities
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
Working alongside CRAIC, a new research and collaboration centre at Loughborough University, we conducted an extensive survey of virtual production assets throughout the United Kingdom to map the country’s growing ecosystem.
Mapping the UK's Virtual Production Ecosystem
Loughborough University
The World Cities Culture Report (WCCR) 2022 builds on the ground-breaking 2018 and 2015 Reports. It gives insights on the major challenges world cities facing.
World Cities Culture Report 2022
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
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BOP's contribution to the 2nd edition of the report UNESCO's Global Creativity Report, examining policies safeguarding the creative and cultural sectors.
UNESCO's Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity Report – Addressing culture as a global public good
UNESCO
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BOP’s updated Handbook for the Inter-American Development Bank sets out strategies for sustainability and urban resilience
Creative and Cultural Industries and Urban Revitalisation in the post-COVID era
Inter-American Development Bank - IDB
We investigated the potential impact of AI for European cultural and creative businesses. Explore the transformative opportunities AI brings to industries.
Opportunities and Challenges of AI for the Cultural and Creative Industries
European Commission
Research in the Gulf Co-operation Council States in collaboration with British Council and BOP Consulting helps identify opportunities for festival development.
An evidence-base for the growing Gulf festivals sector
British Council
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BOP’s report on creating a healthy night-time economy for the Nanjing City Government demonstrates the importance of cross-cutting policies.
Creating Healthy Night-time Economies in World Cities
Nanjing Creative Center
Findings from our work at Great Ormond Street Hospital reveals how visual arts enhance the patient, visitor, and staff experience.
Creativity in health settings
GOSH Arts
Our new report for UNESCO sets out the huge global impact of COVID-19 on the cultural sector. We estimate $750 billion lost for the CCI and 10 million job cuts.
Economic impact of COVID-19 on the Cultural and Creative Industries
UNESCO
New handbook 'Making Space for Culture' explores how world cities address the challenge of preserving cultural infrastructure while promoting growth.
How can cities make space for culture?
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
Our research for the National Trust suggests approximately 3,000 Grade II buildings at risk in urban areas and discusses the impact on heritage and communities.
Protect urban heritage to prevent growth in inequality
National Trust
Our review of the Scottish Animation Sector, commissioned by Creative Scotland, has just been published
Review of the Scottish Animation Sector
Creative Scotland
UK-wide study of visitor experience practice provides new benchmarks for cultural and visitor attractions
Sharing Operations and Visitor Experience insight
VE:Forum
Our ‘blueprint for growth’ strategy has just been published for the video games sector in the West Midlands.
What's next for a video games cluster?
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