Covid-19: Museums, Galleries and Historic Buildings Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville
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Covid-19: Museums, Galleries and Historic Buildings
Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville Excerpts(3 years, 11 months ago)
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Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (LD)
My Lords, we have heard contributions highlighting large iconic gardens and buildings. I will focus very briefly on the plight of the small, private galleries. Many support emerging artists and are the means by which the cultural community ensures innovation and flair, which are so vital to a varied artistic society.
It is important that such artists are supported, and a wide range of galleries should be able to flourish for this to happen. It is rare, but not unknown, for those working in this sector to receive grant funding, but for the majority that are not on the wider cultural radar the impact of the current Covid-19 crisis is likely to be devastating.
I am sure the Minister will agree that the country needs variety to feed its cultural and artistic heritage. We will all be the poorer if emerging artists have nowhere to exhibit their art and find that they have to abandon their talent to eat. Can the Minister say what the Government are doing to support this vital sector?