David Lammy

LONDON—At just 34 years old, David Lammy has already become a force to be reckoned with in the global art world. After being elected to Parliament in 2000 (and re-elected in 2001), he quickly established himself as a man of action, serving as a minister in the Department of Health and the Department of Constitutional Affairs.

Yet it is in his current position as the Minister for Culture in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that he has emerged as a household name, speaking out publicly on such hotbed issues as the de-accessioning of artwork plundered by the Nazis, public funding for the arts, export bans on works considered national treasures and increased diversity in cultural leadership positions.

ArtInfo recently spoke to Lammy about his take on the current state of the arts in the U.K., his proudest accomplishments in as its cultural head, and his goals for the future.

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David, considering that the United States doesn’t have a culture minister, what do you believe your office contributes to a country?

Having a culture minister sends a strong message to the culture world and to the public. It demonstrates that government believes that culture is a key part of public policy. Of course culture is not just about putting paintings in museums and books in libraries—it’s about developing creativity and forging a feeling of identity. I believe we should ensure that everyone has the opportunity to develop artistic talent and to achieve excellence in the arts. And we should aim to reduce the number of those who feel excluded from society, by using the arts.

What do you think has been the biggest success of your department so far?

Free admission to the national museums and galleries has been a great success for this government. And it really works—five years since scrapping entry charges, nearly 30 million extra visits have been made to our national museums and galleries. Something every country should think about!

Last year you brought attention to the lack of minorities in cultural leadership positions. Have you seen any positive developments at arts institutions so far?

First of all let’s put this in context: 9 percent of the British population is from a black and ethnic minority, and in London that figure rises to 33 percent. It is for this reason that it is so important for people from a black and ethnic minority background to be represented in the cultural world.

In the last 12 months there has been a lot to welcome on this front. The $23.6 million announced by the Chancellor in last year's budget for the Cultural Leadership Program is now making a real difference on the ground, and the Powerbrokers element of the program will do much to help the fast-track development of black, Asian and minority ethnic leaders in the cultural sector.

I recently met the Fellows on the Arts Council's Inspire program for curators from a black and ethnic minority background. As well as developing the curatorial skills and expertise of the Fellows, the institutions involved themselves have all benefited from the fresh perspectives that fresh eyes bring.  This year will see some exciting projects engaging new audiences at the National Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate and the British Museum too.

I am also pleased that, through the Renaissance in the Regions program, museums across the country have been able to support the Museums Association’s Diversify program through bursaries and positive action traineeships.

What else needs to be done on that front?

There is still a very long way to go. There still needs to be a greater sense of urgency and clear direction from the sector itself if our cultural institutions are to reflect better the society they serve and to draw on the full pool of talent available to them. So I was pleased that at a recent meeting of national museum and gallery directors, they were keen to adopt stretching targets to diversify their workforces. I want to work in partnership with Arts Council England, museums, libraries and archives, the Sector Skills Council and the cultural organizations themselves to ensure those good intentions are realized as quickly as possible.

Traditionally, the British government has funded the cultural institutions, but do you see more private individuals stepping up to help?

This government invested nearly $812 million last year in the arts, an amount which has doubled since 1997. But I entirely accept that this is not enough, which is why we are keen to see our public investment being mirrored by private sponsors. Their contribution is very important as it supports the current renaissance in the U.K. arts sector.

But I am pleased to say that the latest figures show that private support in the arts is hitting record levels with investment of over $1 billion last year. The biggest growth area has been in individual giving which now stands at over $516 million. These are fantastic figures and ensure that together, private and public funding enables huge numbers of people to enjoy the wonderful and inspiring things the arts have to offer.

Recently you placed a temporary export ban on J.M.W Turner’s Blue Rigi painting. Why do you think it’s important to have this kind of legislation in place to keep works in the U.K.?

London is at the heart of the international art market and this is very good for the cultural life of the country as a whole. One reason we retain this position is the controls we exert on the market itself. The purpose of the export control is to give an opportunity for the retention in this country of cultural goods considered to be of outstanding national importance. The system is designed to strike a balance, as fairly as possible, between the various interests concerned in any application for an export license—for instance, the protection of the national heritage; the rights of the owner selling the goods; the exporter or overseas purchaser; and the position and reputation of the U.K. as an international art market.

What other goals do you have for the remainder of your term?

On March 25 this year we will mark 200 years—to the day—that a Parliamentary Bill was passed to abolish the slave trade in the then British Empire. As a descendent of slaves myself, and as Culture Minister in this government, I am proud to be involved in the celebrations, and I hope the public will take this opportunity to explore this difficult subject.

The wonderful city of Liverpool becomes European Capital of Culture in 2008. I want to ensure that it gets off to a good start and demonstrates what the U.K. can do. I especially want to showcase what a city—outside London—can do.