Culture Commission

Cultural activities (defined widely to include the arts, sport, the media etc) are essential elements of working-class life and integral to expressions of our humanity. They are negatively affected by capitalism and the domination of society by monopolies. They are integral to the class struggle and can be a powerful tool in the hands of the working class.

Working people need to develop and promote cultural democracy – a new approach to culture which applies basic principles of social ownership and control over cultural experiences.

The Communist Party has a proud history of leading the struggle for working class culture and full access to a rich cultural life for working people.

The current priority for the Culture Commission is to cultivate a livelier discourse within our own party around cultural issues, leading to action that develops and promotes cultural democracy.

Class and Culture Conference 2024

On Saturday 2^nd November 2024 the Communist Party held a conference to discuss Class and Culture at NUM Headquarters in Barnsley on the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike. The conference was centered around two questions:

How can we build cultural democracy?
Can culture be a force for change

Speakers:

Ruth Styles (Chair of the Communist Party of Britain)
Ed Harlow (Teacher and NEU National Executive)
Kevin McCann (Poet, retired Teacher and CP Culture Commission)
John Pateman (Doctoral Researcher and CP Culture Commission)
Daisy-Mae Stewart (Playwright and Theatre Practitioner)
Heather Wood and Betty Cook (National Women Against Pit Closures)
With music and speeches from Dinnington Colliery Band and Joe Solo (Musician and Activist).

You can read the full report and pamphlet here.

Videos of the conference coming soon.

Resources: