DanceVote 2010 is the national advocacy campaign to raise the profile of dance with politicians. It was devised and launched in the run up to the general election. It builds on five years' of work by the dance sector to raise the profile of dance with politicians in Westminster which was started with the launch of the Dance Manifesto in July 2006 (more information is included at the end of this page).

DanceVote 2010 aims (revised September 2010):

  1. To connect every MP and local councillor with responsibility for arts and culture with a dance activity in their local area.
  2. To highlight the popularity of dance among constituents and its benefits.
  3. To underline why the quality of life of local residents will be poorer if funding for dance activity is cut.

Why is it important to campaign now?

The government is currently working on the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). This is the process by which Government, led by the Treasury, reviews all its public spending. The Chancellor George Osborne has already announced there will be major spending cuts across government departments to tackle the national deficit. The results of the CSR will be announced on 20 October 2010. Currently dance receives funding through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department of Education and a small amount of funding via the Department of Health.

It is important that during the comprehensive spending review we communicate to politicians why investing in dance provides value for money and tangible benefits to local people.

Local authority arts funding is also under threat. Local councils are often major funding partners for dance activity (whether it is by supporting theatres or community dance classes). We need to connect local councillors who have responsibility for arts and culture with local dance activities.

If spending cuts are being made, we don't want dance activity to be the easiest thing to chop because politicians do not have knowledge of local dance activity and the benefits it brings to their local constituents and communities.

Dance UK, www.danceuk.org, is leading the DanceVote 2010 campaign. Dance UK is one of the main national support organisations working on behalf of the dance sector. But for the DanceVote 2010 to be a success we rely on all those involved in dance, both professionals and the public, to take action and mobilise people in their own areas to get involved.

A strong steering committee representing all types of dance

A DanceVote 2010 steering committee was formed in March 2010, made up of dance organisations from diverse backgrounds who have generously offered their advice, financial support and to actively promote involvement in the campaign to their stakeholders. The steering committee has expanded again since the general election, reflecting the strength of the response from the dance sector and to broaden the reach of the campaign.

How to get involved

The campaign involves several elements and tools. We have created a postcode linked e-card, so you can easily contact your local MP and now also your local councillor with responsibility for arts and culture, to tell them that dance matters to you.

You just put your postcode into the DanceVote website and an email will be generated to your local MP and key councillor. The message in the e-card highlights that you are a local constituent and that you are concerned about funding cuts to dance and the arts. It also provides you with space for you to explain why your life would be poorer without dance activity.

The ambition of the e-card is to get 1,000s of dance fans and professionals involved in DanceVote 2010. Dance UK has mapped which politicians have been contacted and we have published their responses on the DanceVote 2010 website.

Sadler's Wells has generously created the promotional film about DanceVote 2010, which you can watch on this website and on youtube. The video directs people to the DanceVote 2010 e-card and aims to raise the profile of the campaign. You can share it with your friends via social networking, etc.

Dance UK is also working in partnership with its members to arrange more detailed letter writing campaigns and visits for politicians to their local dance organisations and facilities. Please contact Caroline Miller, Director of Dance UK, if you'd like to organise a visit.

DanceVote 2010 is ambitious, but we really think this is something worth pursuing. We have nothing to lose, just new potential supporters in politics to gain!

If you would like to be actively involved in the campaign please contact Caroline Miller on 0207 713 0730 or email caroline@danceuk.org or visit www.danceuk.org

More information on the Dance Manifesto:

In 2006 the Dance Manifesto was launched to bring together the whole dance industry to speak with a united voice and define the priorities for the sector (click here to read the Dance Manifesto). It was produced by Dance UK and the National Campaign for the Arts.

The Dance Manifesto was presented to Government in July 2006 by Britain's best-loved ballerina Darcey Bussell, choreographer and television judge Arlene Phillips, choreographer Jonzi D, Alistair Spalding, Chief Executive / Artistic Director of Sadler's Wells and former Chair of Dance UK, Victoria Todd, Director of the National Campaign for the Arts and Caroline Miller, Director of Dance UK.

The Dance Manifesto was written following a six month countrywide consultation process, talking to an extensive cross section of individuals and dance organisations. The four key ambitions as published in the Dance Manifesto are:

  • Dance to be supported and developed as an artform
  • Dance to be an integral part of every young person's education
  • Dance to be available and affordable for everyone to watch and participate in
  • Dance to be a sustainable career with world class training

The Dance Manifesto campaign has contributed to some significant steps forward, including the Government announcement of an extra £5.5 million for youth dance in March 2008, and the Department of Health establishing the Dance Champions group in June 2009. 2006 also saw the establishment of the first All Party Parliamentary Dance Group, which is a cross-party group of politicians from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords who are committed to raising the profile of dance in government, championing dance as an artform, as well as the positive contribution dance can make to the health and education of the nation. For more information click here