The SMART Fund
The Smart Fund is a collaboration between creators, performers, technology companies and the Government and provides a way for tech manufacturers to invest in, grow, empower, and enrich the cultural DNA of our society, by supporting the creativity for which the UK is globally renowned. It would work by placing a small one-off levy on the sale of mobiles, laptops, PCs and devices that are built to allow people to store and download creative content, solving the problem that creators are not recompensed for the use of their work.
Numerous BECS members supported the launch of the SMART Fund to help all performers and creatives in the industry. A copy of the letter is below.
For more information about The Smart Fund click here.
LEVY ON MOBILES FOR THE ARTS
Sir, As a coalition of creators and performers we support the Smart Fund, a new scheme that could help to bring cultural and economic renewal to the whole of the UK. The fund could generate £250-£300 million a year for the creative sector, and boost a wider UK economic recovery, by placing a small levy on the sale of devices that enable people to store and download creative content, such as mobile phones, laptops and personal computers. This would provide a direct way for tech companies to invest in culture.
From Belfast to Margate, Powys to Edinburgh, the arts drive economic recovery and community cohesion. In 2019 the creative industries contributed £111.7 billion to the economy and accounted for 61,000 new jobs. The arts provide sustenance to the engine room of cultural regeneration, recovery and renewal for the whole country. The Smart Fund is a way of supporting this.
Bill Anderson, director; Charles Avery, artist; Clare Barclay, artist; Dame Phyllida Barlow, artist; Peter Barnes, actor; Maureen Beattie, actor; Tony Bevan RA, artist; Faye Bird, author; Sir Peter Blake, artist; Rut Blees Luxemburg, artist; Sir Frank Bowling RA, artist; Francis Bowyer, artist; Tony Bradman, author; Jo Cameron Brown, actor; Jim Carter, actor; Michael Cashman, actor; Tom Chatfield, author; Maria Chevska, artist; Adam Chodzko, artist; Matt Clark, artist; Olivia Colman, actor; Julia Crabtree, artist; Kevin Cummins, photographer; Mark Curry, actor; Dexter Dalwood, artist; Jeremy Deller, artist; Norma Dixit, actor; Jack Donnelly, actor; Robert Emms, actor; Rose English, artist; Rose Frain, artist; Tanya Franks, actor; Anthony Frost, artist; Maggie Gee, author; Jan Genesis, director; Natasha Gerson, actor; Brian Griffin, photographer; Tom Hammick, artist; Lotus Hannon, director; Joanne Harris, author; Andy Harrower, director; John Hilliard, artist; Jessica Hobbs, director; David Hoffman, artist; Dan Holdsworth, artist; Dawn Hope, actor; Celia Imrie, actor; Tess Jaray RA, artist; Permindar Kaur, artist; Christine Lalla, director; Abigail Lane, artist; Liliane Lijn, artist; Hew Locke, artist; Elizabeth Magill, artist; Leslie Manville, actor; Miriam Margolyes, actor; Ian Martin, author; Lola May, actor; Colin McCredie, actor; Wendy McMurdo, artist; Haroon Mirza, artist; Polly Morgan, artist; Nicola Morgan, author; John Nettles, actor; Okechukwu Nzelu, author; Harold Offeh, artist; Martin Parr, photographer; Janette Parris, artist; Bill Paterson, actor; Simon Patterson, artist; Keith Piper, artist; Jacqueline Poncelet, artist; Paul Powell, author; Laure Prouvost, artist; Sir Jonathan Pryce; actor; Freddie Pyne, actor; Di Redmond, author; Jean Rogers, actor; Caroline Sanderson, author; Zineb Sedira, artist; Stuart Semple, artist; Johnnie Shand-Kydd, photographer; Yinka Shonibare RA, artist; David Shrigley, artist; Joan Smith, author; Terry Smith, artist; Steve Smith, director; Nana St Bartholomew-Brown, actor; Sarah Staton, artist; Imelda Staunton, actor; Susan Stockwell, artist; Ian Talbot, actor; Sarah Taylor Silverwood, artist; Anna Thomson, director; Mark Titchner, artist; Julie Umerle, artist; Nina Wadia, actor; Mark Wallinger, artist; Gillian Wearing RA, artist; Susanna White, director; Rachel Whiteread, artist; Alison Wilding RA, artist; Jane & Louise Wilson RA, artists; Tom Wood, photographer; Dan Zeff, director; United Visual Artists; Wood and Harrison, artists
