The need for research

The countryside is experiencing a period of deep change, partly because of the farming economy, and partly because of wider social change. A series of unconnected crises, from foot and mouth disease to flooding, have added further burdens in many areas. Overlying these challenges is a degree of political tension, evident in last September’s ‘Liberty and Livelihood’ demonstration, and the situation will not improve in the short term. At the same time, it is essential to recognise that there is not one countryside, or one kind of rural community: there is enormous diversity in Britain’s rural areas, influenced by the land itself, the occupations it gives rise to, distance from urban areas, culture and countless other factors.

Over the past decade or so, we have witnessed a growing recognition of the role of the arts and culture in social and economic development. While much attention has been given to major capital projects like Tate Modern, or the regeneration of Gateshead Quays, there is a growing awareness, within Government and its agencies, of the benefits of arts activity. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, for example, led a cross-departmental policy review into the role of the arts and sport in addressing social exclusion, and has since commissioned longitudinal research in this area. Non-departmental public bodies like the Arts Council and Resource are also adjusting policy to take account of these concerns.

However, little attention is given to rural areas and their arts interests in a debate which tends, understandably perhaps, to concentrate on the more evident problems of our cities and towns. The interest of local authorities varies widely, while the Local Government Association has considered the arts in rural areas intermittently. Nor have those departments and agencies concerned with rural affairs yet shown much interest in the potential contribution of the arts to community life and its sustainability, though the Countryside Agency is beginning to consider what role the arts might play in achieving its objectives. This relative lack of interest may be partly due to the absence of substantial research into the place of the arts in rural communities.