States should fund arts like Jersey, says deputy

Deputy John Gollop said Guernsey's arts scene needed more support

Guernsey's government should fund the arts in a similar way to Jersey, according to the island's longest-serving deputy.

John Gollop, who has been a deputy since 1997, said he thought "the time had come" for the States to consider adopting a similar approach to Jersey, which spends "approximately 1% of its budget" on arts, culture and heritage.

He said he favoured a "broadened approach" which funded areas such as historic architecture, Guernsey's language commission, sport and museums as well as arts out of the same pot.

Gollop said money from such an approach would "be extremely well spent" and would "pay itself back" through benefits such as social prescribing, mental health improvements and economic contributions.

He said: "I would argue there are more people employed in the arts in Guernsey - if you include arts professionals, teachers and musicians - than in traditional sectors such as agriculture or fishing."

Gollop said the recent funding u-turn for the St James arts centre showed there was public support for funding the arts.

Guernsey Arts and others "needed more support" and "part of the future would be to look at what other places are doing", Gollop said.

"We've got huge amounts of talent here," he said, "and we're not really seeing it as part of 'Brand Guernsey' - the French support their culture... I think [we should consider] the Jersey solution."