FOR a long time, I’ve been banging on about the importance of cultural work in the struggle for a socialist and just society.

Occasionally, I’ve hankered for the days when labour movement organisations have used theatre, film and books to both entertain and further the struggle — to create “a good night out,” in the words of the late great playwright and 7:84 theatre director John McGrath.

He, along with others like the recently deceased Dave MacLennan of Wildcat Theatre Productions and the hugely successful A Play, A Pie and a Pint initiative, were major talents in the development of popular theatre to further political aims.

They plugged into and reinvigorated an already existing tradition of trades councils, the Left Book Club and workers’ theatre groups in developing a left arts circuit that reached out to working-class people engaged in political struggle.

That’s why it’s heartening to see the initiatives the labour movement is taking to utilise the hugely sympathetic and untapped talent that is out there in the cultural sphere.

The activity now taking place around May Day in Glasgow, a similar blossoming around the St Andrew’s Day rallies in Scotland and the film shows undertaken by a local GMB union branch are excellent examples of things that can be done.

It is even better news to hear that one of the major bodies, largely successful in drawing broad support to the anti-austerity struggle, is about to dip its toe into Scotland’s artistic pool.

The People’s Assembly Against Austerity in Scotland has put out a call for the formation of an Artists Against Austerity Assembly on January 31.

The aim is to put together a multi-platform arts event to be held before the election and they’re looking for artists from all disciplines to come together in Glasgow on that date to set up a steering group.

Some of those involved in the initiatives already mentioned will I’m sure be interested but there has to be a significant number of other artists out there who’d be keen to participate.

One of the assembly’s backers is playwright Matthew Knights, who said: “Arts have a key role in presenting the voices of ordinary people and challenging mainstream politics and media, but often the different strands are not connected. Now is the time for artists to work together and pool their different skills and talents for a social purpose.”

His words are echoed by Keith Stoddart, secretary of the People’s Assembly in Scotland, who’s clear that a thriving arts scene “is integral to a healthy democracy.

“This assembly will be an opportunity to demonstrate the value of art to society, to challenge cuts to arts funding and the prevalence of unfair working practices within the arts sector.”

And, as well as getting the ball rolling, it’s surely an apposite opportunity for the left to come together, park the Yes/No antipathies, mend the divisions and move against austerity in a spirit of unity.

The first meeting of Artists Against Austerity takes place at 10.30am on Saturday January 31 at the PCS offices, Unite Building, John Smith House, 145-165 West Regent Street, Glasgow. If you’re interested in taking part, contact artistsassembly
scotland@gmail.com as or email chrisbartter@btinternet.com.