A coalition of UK arts organizations, including Contemporary Visual Arts England (CVAN) and the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS), has presented a new report titled 'Framing the Future: The Political Case for Strengthening the Visual Arts Ecosystem' to parliament. Written by Eliza Easton of the Erskine Analysis think tank, the report calls for a £5m grassroots visual arts fund to address the shortage of affordable studio spaces, a UK Cultural Investment Partnership Fund to encourage philanthropic donations, expanded funding for the Art & Design National Saturday Club, and reinstatement of high-cost funding for creative subjects in higher education. Artists including Tracey Emin and Larry Achiampong have voiced support, warning that arts are disappearing from state education.
The report matters because it consolidates urgent demands from across the UK visual arts sector ahead of the government's Comprehensive Spending Review in June, when funding allocations will be decided. It highlights a decade of decline in arts education and infrastructure, arguing that investment in the visual arts is essential not only for cultural vitality but also for broader government missions. If adopted, the recommendations could reverse funding cuts, support emerging artists, and strengthen the UK's cultural economy at a critical moment of fiscal constraint.