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A recent report focusing on employment within the cultural sector has called for the outlawing of discrimination against working-class individuals. The Class Ceiling survey, conducted mainly among people in Greater Manchester, revealed that over half of the participants experienced harassment or bias due to their social origins. The findings echo demands made by prominent figures such as award-winning scriptwriter James Graham and performer Jason Manford, who have advocated for improved opportunities for working-class creatives.
Nazir Afzal, the former chief prosecutor and current chair of the Lowry arts venue in Salford, played a leading role in producing the report. He emphasized that class should be treated as a “core inclusion issue,” warning that obstacles related to social background are “crushing creativity” in the arts. Alongside calls from the TUC union and Co-op, Afzal advocates for socioeconomic background to be recognized as the tenth protected characteristic under the 2010 Equality Act. According to YouGov data, more than half of the British population identifies as working class, underscoring the significance of addressing these barriers.
The Class Ceiling review, which surveyed around 300 working-class creatives including Bafta and Emmy winners as well as emerging teenage artists, highlighted ongoing inequalities in the creative industries. The report noted that access remains uneven and often depends on personal connections. Early career roles frequently offer wages too low to cover living expenses, forcing many to take additional jobs or leave before advancing. Participants shared experiences of being labeled “thick” because of their accents and having educational prospects limited by their geographic background. One individual recounted verbal abuse and mockery from peers related to their accent and lack of private schooling, while another described being ridiculed for qualifying for free school meals and not owning a phone.
The survey also uncovered evidence of bias against working-class cultural content being commissioned. A television professional pointed out that many commissioners tend to be “white, middle-aged and middle-class,” with limited understanding of working-class culture. As one worker put it, “It’s not a meritocracy; it’s a mirror-tocracy,” where commissions are awarded to those similar to decision-makers. A head teacher from Bolton noted that arts subjects have been “systematically devalued” within the school curriculum, contributing to student disengagement, and stressed the importance of encouraging creative education for the benefit of the country.
Afzal highlighted that the review helps decentralize cultural power away from London, as many respondents reported the need to move to the capital for career growth in the arts. He stressed that breaking down the barriers suffocating creativity requires the arts sector to fully acknowledge class as a key inclusion issue. As a direct response to the survey’s findings, the Manchester-based Co-op is leading an initiative to create 200 new apprenticeships in the arts and creative fields across the region
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