TUC 2026 Cultural Manifesto for North East, Yorkshire and Humber Launched

Culture belongs to everyone.

The TUC North East, Yorkshire and Humber’s (TUC NEYH) 2026 Cultural Manifesto sets out a plan to rebuild, protect and future-proof the creative and leisure industries across our region. The manifesto has been drafted by the TUC YH Creative and Leisure Industries Committee.

Download the manifesto.

Download large print version of the manifesto.

The state of the arts is currently bleak: Over fourteen years of austerity have led to drastic cuts to local authority budgets, a real terms fall in arts funding, a huge reduction in finance for higher education arts courses and growing job insecurity for cultural workers. This has led to venues struggling, libraries closing, freelance incomes collapsing, and regional inequalities deepening.

Under the current government, with expanded devolved powers for metro mayors and combined authorities, there is a historic opportunity to reverse this decline.

The sector faces:

• A prolonged cost-of-living crisis
• Brexit-related touring and trade barriers
• Dangers from rapid expansion of AI
• Threats to public service broadcasting
• The climate emergency
• Ongoing regional funding inequalities

Without intervention, creative workers and institutions in the North East, Yorkshire and Humber risk further decline. With the right policies and increased resources, they can power inclusive growth.

Priorities

Restore and Increase Public Investment

• Raise arts funding to at least the European average as a share of GDP.
• Reverse historic underinvestment caused by austerity.
• Address regional funding disparities between London and the rest of England.
• Restore investment in higher education arts subjects.
• Ensure rural communities receive adequate cultural provision.

Deliver Decent Work in the Creative Economy

After years of deregulation and funding cuts, too many creative workers face low pay, unpaid work and insecurity.

We call on government to:

• Link all public arts funding and tax relief to Real Living Wage accreditation2 and union recognition.
• Extend employment protections to freelances and self-employed creatives.
• Support collective bargaining across the sector.
• Back fair digital royalties for musicians and performers (#FixStreaming).

Creative workers deserve the same dignity and security as all other workers.

Protect Public Service Broadcasting

The crisis facing the BBC highlights the fragility of public service media after years of political pressure and funding constraints.

We urge:

• A sustainable, independent funding model for the BBC.
• Protection of regional news provision.
• Stronger public debate during the BBC Charter Review.

Public service broadcasting is essential to democracy and regional representation.

Regulate Artificial Intelligence

AI must not undermine creators’ rights.

We demand:

• Stronger copyright protections against unlicensed data harvesting.
• Transparent and ethical AI safeguards in publicly funded projects.
• Measures to minimise AI’s carbon footprint.

Remove Post-Brexit Barriers

We call for:

• Practical solutions to touring and transportation barriers.
• Improved UK–EU cultural mobility.
• Opposition to discrimination against non-EU passport holders in recruitment.
• Consideration of renewed participation in European cultural programmes.

Climate Emergency

• The arts’ positive role in facing up to climate change needs to be supported; the negative environmental impact of cultural activities must be minimised. Sustainability must be integral to cultural policy frameworks, not an add on (https://www.culturedeclares.org).

Devolution: Working with Mayors & Combined Authorities

With strengthened devolved leadership across the North, we need to engage directly with metro mayors.

We are calling on combined authorities, councils and Local Enterprise Partnerships to:

Defend and Increase Local Cultural Investment

Austerity has hit councils hard. We urge:

• Protection and expansion of spending on libraries, museums, arts and heritage.
• Adoption of comprehensive cultural strategies in every authority.
• Regional cooperation across devolved areas.

Evidence shows that local public investment attracts at least twice as much private spending.

Put Culture at the Heart of Regeneration

• Support live venues, festivals and the night-time economy.
• Encourage street performance and busking.
• Bring vacant buildings into creative use.
• Ensure cultural regeneration benefits local workers and supply chains.

Champion Cultural Education and Equality

• Guarantee every child access to arts and music education.
• Support creative GCSEs, A-Levels and technical pathways.
• Promote diversity and decolonialised curricula.
• Maintain free access to libraries and museums.
• Improve transport access to cultural venues.

Culture must be accessible regardless of income, class, disability, race, gender or background.

The Economic and Social Case

The Culture, media and sport sector is central to regional growth:

• Contributing over £220bn annually to the UK economy.
• Supporting approximately 2.4 million jobs.
• The music sector alone contributes around £8bn per year.

Culture:

• Generates wealth and skilled employment.
• Drives regeneration and town centre renewal.
• Improves wellbeing and mental health.
• Strengthens social cohesion.
• Powers the digital and creative economy of the future.

This is not “nice to have” spending. It is economic infrastructure.

Culture Belongs to Everyone

Rebuilding our region’s creative future

The North East, Yorkshire & Humber has a rich cultural heritage and world‑class talent. To unlock its full potential, we need investment, political commitment and fairness at every level of government, from Westminster to every combined authority.

We invite partners, policymakers, unions, artists and community organisations to join us in delivering a cultural future that is fair, sustainable and inclusive.

After years of cuts, the time for rebuilding is now.

With national leadership, empowered regional mayors, and strong trade union voice, we can create:

• Fair funding
• Fair work
• Fair access
• Regional justice

Culture belongs to everyone.

Artists' Union England, BECTU Sector of Prospect, Equity, Musicians Union, NASUWT, National Union of Journalists, UNISON

In addition, the following unions support the cultural manifesto:

USDAW

Contacts: Safiyya Patel, TUC Policy & Campaigns Support Officer, t. 0113 200 1075 e: spatel@tuc.org.uk