EC PAPERS NOVEMBER 2017

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Liberating Arts A strategy to do this might include:

• A series of ‘fringe events’ at all major trade union conferences and the TUC Congress that promote the underlying idea of Liberating Arts, i.e. that a vibrant counter-culture is central to the primary organising objectives of trade unions. • A series of smaller regional Liberating Arts days co-funded by other unions, trade councils and branches. 11 • A private conference for invited trade union education officers to discuss if and how the Liberating Arts agenda can be pursued across the TU movement. • Establish a GFTU cultural events budget. For example an average contribution of £500 from each of GFTU affiliated unions (based on membership numbers) would generate £12.5k. • Develop a programme of practical Creative Activism training (poster design, graphic design, video making etc.) that can be run both at Quorn but also rolled out across the country – perhaps as part of the proposed regional Liberating Arts days (?). • Coordinate and facilitate Liberating Arts screenings, performances and discussions at other festivals, conferences and events and based on the work of the presenters and performers from Liberating Arts 2017. If such a programme were pursued and were successful, it might then be possible to consider mounting a 3-day ‘World Transformed’ style arts event at the TUC Conference in perhaps 2 years time.

This may include Regional TUC offices, regional officials of the big unions, trade councils 11 and/or branches. 15 Producer’s Report 06/11/2017