Cultural issues define the Greens and Reform, so what are their arts policies?

"The Green Party of England and Wales is riding high, with membership almost doubling over the past half year and the party gaining in the opinion polls. It is a similar story for Reform UK. The "bold politics" of the Green Party's leader, Zack Polanski, are in part intended to counter Reform. Support for both parties is defined by cultural issues. In the case of Reform, by the culture war around immigration and national identity; in the case of the Green Party by the wider picture of the linked issues of social justice and climate change."

"How the cultural issues that underpin support for Reform might translate into a policy for the arts is an open question that is, at present, without any discernible answer. (Reform did not reply to The Art Newspaper 's request for information.) The introduction of "Doge"-like audits of the expenditure of Reform-led councils suggest that their arts policies would largely be the same as those of the Trump administration, whose Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) seeks to identify and eliminate wasteful spending."

Green Party of England and Wales membership nearly doubled over six months while the party has risen in opinion polls, mirroring gains for Reform UK. Support for both parties is driven by cultural issues: Reform by the culture war around immigration and national identity, Green by interconnected social justice and climate concerns. Green leader Zack Polanski pursues bold politics partly to counter Reform. Reform's publicly stated cultural aims are to promote English national identity and to scrap the BBC, while its arts policy remains undefined. The Green Party passed a heritage and tourism paper emphasizing sustainability, inclusion, and community ownership of museums and cultural buildings.

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