The government has announced Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump as the new Creative Freelance Champions.
The champion role, first announced in last year’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, will be based in the Department for Culture Media & Sport (DCMS) and be the lead advocates for creative freelancers within Government.
Directors UK has been among those who have long been calling for a government representative for freelancers. We form part of the secretariat for the APPG for Freelancers — a cross-party parliamentary group that champions the interests of freelancers and promotes greater understanding of freelance work in policymaking — alongside Bectu, The Authors’ Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS), Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS), and Freelancers Make Theatre Work. Read our joint statement regarding the appointments here.
Directors UK are also a member of the DCMS working group, which established the Terms of Reference for the role.
Freelancers play a vital role in the success of our creative industries, yet their situation remains precarious and they lack the support afforded to PAYE workers. While Covid exposed these issues — and recent downturns have intensified them — government action to understand the policy gaps and bring freelancers onto a more equal footing has been slow. This appointment is a welcome step towards addressing the challenges faced by creative freelancers.
Freelancers are the driving force of the creative industries but are too often neglected by policymakers. The Freelance Champions, acting as the voice for so many creatives, will play a crucial part in embedding freelance perspectives in policy development. We will work with Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump to ensure that directors in the UK are heard and properly supported.”