In a joint open letter, ArtHouse Jersey, the Jersey Arts Centre and the Opera House are asking the election hopefuls to support each of their organisations and the creative sector as a whole, which they claim is under-funded.
They say: ‘Jersey grossly underinvests in the cultural sector when compared to similar jurisdictions, including the Isle of Man, and has no coherent strategy for nurturing the creative industries.
‘This chronic underinvestment has led to the Island missing opportunity after opportunity that would have benefited our community in manifold ways, both economic and social.’
The letter goes into say that the arts play a vital role in the general wellbeing and contentment of society, adding: ‘Properly funded, our venues, production and development companies, festivals and community groups can increase their scope and deliver more value than is already achieved.
‘We also understand that Jersey needs to diversify its economy to improve resilience in the face of changing global markets.
‘If nurtured, the sector can provide sustainable jobs and take a role in building the skill sets within education for the future.’
The letter was signed by Philip Hewat-Jaboor, chairman of ArtHouse Jersey, Jersey Arts centre chairman Andrew Goodyear and Pierre Horsfall, chairman of the Opera House.
In recent weeks, spokespeople for various sectors, including construction and the hospitality industry, have urged the candidates to support their members should they be elected.
