by Justin O’Connor
Cultural policy has long been forced into a weak bargaining position, justifying itself in terms of government agendas and offering quid pro quo deals to those with the biggest budgets. But today, cultural policy is in crisis - marginalised and sidelined in public debate.
Yet culture remains a fundamental human right, as outlined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This extends beyond cultural consumption to include education, access to creative spaces, craft and expertise, and public funding - supported by a functioning welfare state. But for people to participate in the cultural life of a community, such cultural life must actually exist. Right now, the cultural sector faces immense pressures: low pay, precarious working conditions, disappearing venues, and restricted access to production tools and distribution platforms.
At stake is not just the right to participate in culture but also the survival of the interconnected public and private systems that sustain it. This brings us back to a fundamental question: Do we view culture as a public good only in terms of correcting market failure, or do we see it as a community-driven resource that needs public support to make sure it belongs to everyone?
This distinction has profound policy implications. If funding is only justified by ‘market failure,’ then culture is treated as an economic afterthought. But if we recognise culture as a true public good, its value lies not in individual consumption but in its collective power to sustain community and social connection. Culture is not a service delivered to individuals - it is the foundation of public life itself.