Beyond the rapid turnover of prime ministers in recent years (seven in the last 15 years), there’s been an even higher churn in other roles, notably that of culture secretary – 12 in the same period, and 18 since the post was first introduced in 1997. Of these, Andy Burnham is the first to achieve the top post in British government.

Recent years have also not generally been favourable for the arts in terms of policy, with a general drop in real-terms spending through both Arts Council England and local authorities from 2010-2022 (apart from the Culture Recovery Fund during the pandemic). Culture is, in any case, largely devolved to the UK’s constituent nations – Westminster’s direct reach runs mainly to England, plus reserved heavyweights like broadcasting, digital and media regulation.

While there’s been an upturn since the last general election, this has leaned towards capital investment in buildings and infrastructure, with uneven gains for the recurrent, day-to-day funding that sustains programming, jobs and artists’ livelihoods.

So, what might the sector expect from a government led by a former holder of the culture brief, given Treasury habits of treating culture as a second-order priority, rather than a key part of the national fabric?

More than the Haçienda

Burnham’s more recent record as mayor of Greater Manchester suggests a commitment that goes beyond club anecdotes about the Haçienda and his well-documented indie music fandom. As mayor, Burnham commissioned an independent Greater Manchester Music Review with UK Music, launched in 2018 and........

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