Culture secretary Lisa Nandy “determined” to ensure arts is accessible to all children
Lisa Nandy, the Labour MP and Secretary for Culture, Media, and Sport, recently spoke at an event and revealed she is “absolutely determined” that every child in the UK has access to the arts.
Nandy’s pledge came when she presented artist Denzil Forrester with the Robson Orr TenTen Award at an event in Westminster and praised him for getting “great art works out of the basement and into communities where they belong.”
Forrester was born in Grenada but lives in Cornwall. His winning piece, Altar, presents a scene from a reggae festival in Cornwall, showcasing the poignancy and impact of cross-cultural convergence.
The Robson Orr TenTen Award is a ten-year scheme launched in 2018. It sees 15 hopefuls apply each year for a chance to create a unique print for the Government Art Collection. The sold prints raise funds to support more artists in getting involved in the Government Art Collection.
Presenting this year’s award to Forrester, Nandy explained the move to ensure “that people in every part of the country can see what [the Government Art Collection is],” but recognised the opportunities that fall short for some children from diverse backgrounds.
She continued, “While talent is everywhere in our country, we are aware that opportunity is not,” adding, “It is down to people like Sybil today that that is beginning to change, because not only do they support emerging artists, but they also work tirelessly to take us back into our schools and into our classrooms where they move it along to a whole new generation of young people.”
Nandy also said that culture and creativity have been “erased” from classrooms over the last few years and stated that the Labour Party plans to address this by remaining “absolutely determined” to ensure every child has access to the arts.
“That ability to live a richer, larger life belongs to every child in our country as part of their birth, and we are determined to ensure that that becomes a reality for them again,” she said, “And who knows? Maybe one of them then goes on to share their gifts with all of us and with the world as today’s winner has already done.”
Forrester echoed this sentiment in Altar, presenting a scene he described as a celebration of Cornwall nightlife. In order to do this, he incorporated many of his usual styles, including light and sound distortion and aerial views to show the scene unfolding from above.
Previous artists who have taken part in the scheme contribute to an impressive roster, including the likes of Hurvin Anderson, Tacita Dean, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Lubaina Himid, Rachel Whiteread DBE and Michael Armitage. With Nandy’s pledge, more esteemed names are expected to join that list, ensuring that the arts remain a significant and inextricable aspect of UK culture.
