Greater Manchester’s vibrant cultural scene risks losing its working-class essence, as a new inquiry reveals systemic barriers preventing talent from diverse backgrounds from thriving. Without intervention, the region could forfeit future icons akin to Peter Kay, Caroline Aherne, John Cooper Clarke, and the Gallagher brothers, according to findings from the Class Ceiling report.
The Inquiry’s Core Revelations
The Class Ceiling inquiry, led by Nazir Afzal, chancellor of the University of Manchester, and co-chair Avis Gilmore, former deputy general secretary of a major European trade union, highlights class-based discrimination, inadequate pay, limited networks, diminishing gig spaces, and exploitative conditions as key obstacles. Launched at an event in Manchester’s Whitworth Art Gallery, the report draws from over 150 hours of interviews with artists, from emerging teenage musicians to award-winning playwrights and screenwriters.
Speakers at the event described a sector gripped by anger and despair, yet sprinkled with optimism. The report warns: “For a region famed for its working-class culture, it presents an existential threat. If the outpouring of talent that has long fertilised Manchester begins to dry up, then the city is at risk of losing its identity.”
It envisions a Manchester devoid of influences like the music of Aitch, Buzzcocks, New Order, The Stone Roses, and The Verve, or the stories of Lemn Sissay, John Cooper Clarke, and Jeanette Winterson. “Without this unique cultural energy, our region would be much greyer, far less vibrant and indistinguishable from anywhere else. It could well become just another bland city,” the report states.
Manchester’s Success as a Double-Edged Sword
Manchester’s ascent as the UK’s most creative city, once celebrated in Richard Florida’s Boho Index two decades ago, has fueled economic growth, positioning it as the fastest-expanding city-region in recent years. However, this prosperity has inadvertently displaced working-class participants, favoring middle-class entrants and exacerbating gentrification in the arts.
A survey participant’s words capture the divide: “People who have been to a private school don’t realise that they can speak a language that people who didn’t can’t. It’s the language of easy confidence. It’s the language of ‘I’m meant to be in this room, I deserve to be in this room and I have things to say that are worth listening to’. If you grow up where I did, that’s just not how you feel.”
Access to arts exposure remains a primary hurdle for working-class individuals, with reduced funding for events, fewer paid opportunities, and venue closures limiting pathways. Alarming data shows only 44 percent of creatives earn a sustainable living, often relying on secondary employment. Additionally, 51 percent report class-based bullying, harassment, or bias; just 18 percent see their experiences reflected in their art; and only 22 percent knew arts professionals during childhood.
Recommendations to Bridge the Class Divide
To address these issues amid national arts funding cuts and venue shutdowns, the inquiry proposes 21 measures. These include recognizing class as a protected characteristic, appointing a class champion, expanding apprenticeships, stabilizing casual employment, and establishing a Greater Manchester Combined Authority-led body to coordinate resources, identify gaps, and promote best practices.
Nazir Afzal emphasized: “Britain and Manchester do not have a talent pool, it has a system that quietly filters out talent. Class, income, geography and access continues to decide who gets to stay in the room and who does not. Until we confront that reality, progress will remain cosmetic.” He added that treating class as a core policy issue is essential, as “what we do not measure, we do not change.”
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham opened the launch with a call for more paid placements in arts and media to nurture young talent.
Spotlights on Positive Change
Amid structural challenges, the inquiry spotlights initiatives broadening access. Avis Gilmore noted inspiration from organizations like the Co-op advocating for apprenticeships. She stated: “The things I am particularly pleased about are making employment opportunities more accessible. It is absolutely shocking that if you want to get a job right across the cultural field you’ve almost got to pay for the first several years. It’s real exploitation.”
Gilmore highlighted concerns over job insecurity, lack of benefits, and family impacts, observing that working-class entry into arts has declined due to gentrification and nepotism. She praised supportive venues such as Richard Street Studios in Rochdale, the Frog and Bucket Comedy Club in Manchester, Company Chameleon in Openshaw, and Snug in Atherton, alongside council-backed and independent efforts. The report urges sustained mainstream funding to revive opportunities, ensuring the arts remain a viable path for all.
