Creative Crafts Petition

[jomifl]

go to e-petition 49537(link below) if you want to sign the petition

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49537

Petition to stop the government reclassifying craft as non-creative

Responsible department: Department for Culture, Media and Sport


We request the Government reconsider the proposal that craft no longer be considered part of the creative industries, as part of the 30 April proposed changes set out in Classifying and Measuring the Creative Industries consultation paper.
The craft industry and those who work in it, over 88,000 people making a £3bn annual contribution to the UK economy, are inherently and by their very nature creative. We want the UK Government to stop ignoring The Crafts Council and the thousands of mostly sole trading craftsmen and women who consider themselves to be and indeed are creatives.
The Government should be proud & supportive of our vibrant creative craft industry & celebrate the unique, rich diversity of skills & craftsmanship, not seek to declassify, dismiss & undermine it.
Calling an IT Business Analyst a creative but refusing the title to a skilled potter or ceramicist shows the level of understanding that those proposing the change have of what is and isn't creative.

[jomifl]

Thanks DTC & Nungate, faith in humanity restored :-)

[wiltsman]

Signed

[jomifl]

Daisy, As I understand it the government is proposing to change the way that the turnover/output of various sectors of of industry are measured. Because crafts are mostly very small individual businesses it is proposed to drop them from the category of creative businesses as they are deemed insignificant. They therefore, presumably will not be included in any planning for promotion, development or startup schemes. They will effectively become invisible. Apart from the obvious irony that one of the most creative areas of business activity will be dropped from the sector of creative business, if it is considered at all it will be as a commodity which is how the new culture minister views art.
The sinister side of this is that if there is no visible craft industry then the government may try to sideline the Craft Council and it's promotion of the crafts as an aid to money saving.

[jno]

I think that was the explanation people have been asking for all along, jomifl; for some reason you've previously just been shrugging and saying "Don't sign if you don't want to". And they've taken you at your word.

[lady-janine]

signed and circulated

[jomifl]

jno, What I was doing initially was just informing people that the petition was there to be signed or not signed as they saw fit. They don't need me or anyone else to tell them what to do or what not to do. However as the only information posted on here to date (not by me)gives the impression that the petition is an 'arty flounce' I thought that I ought to redress the balance a little.
Link to the Craft Council
http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/about-us/

[jno]

the objectors were just trying to find out what it was all about, which seems the responsible approach to me before I sign stuff. I'm glad you've finally made clear what your concerns are (I'm not bothered that you do or don't know someone affected), but you could have done it sooner.

[tonyav]

Done.

[DaisyNonna]

Thanks jom. One flake of snow is not very big but.....
Will sign.