A major new report, Framing the Future: The Political Case for Strengthening the Visual Arts Ecosystem, was launched on 24 April 2025 at the House of Commons. This sector-wide report puts forward the economic, cultural and social case for strategic investment in the visual arts.
Backed by the APPG for Visual Arts & Artists, the report was published ahead of the UK Government’s multi-year Spending Review and set out four key recommendations to safeguard the future of the UK’s visual arts and its artists, whilst highlighting the three ways in which the visual arts can support the government in delivering its core missions.
In 2023, the UK visual arts sector exported £4.1 billion, more than the UK’s total exports to countries like Greece and Portugal. The UK is also home to 12 of the world’s 100 most visited museums and galleries, as well as two of the world’s top-ranked Art and Design universities: the Royal College of Art and University of the Arts London. Iconic institutions such as Turner Contemporary in Margate and V&A Dundee have played vital roles in local economic regeneration.
Despite these strengths, the sector is under strain. Exports are down £1.7 billion since 2018, and organisations and artists face mounting challenges that threaten stability and growth. These include the implications of trade restrictions post-Brexit, the challenges posed by emerging technologies like AI, limited support for artists and freelancers, and the increasingly precarious state of critical infrastructure such as studios and regional visual arts galleries across England.
Nevertheless, the UK remains a global powerhouse in the art market, second only to the United States and China, with 2022 sales reaching $10.9bn (£8.6bn). That economic success has been fuelled by a long history of painting, sculpture, drawing and printmaking, bolstered by museums, galleries, higher education institutions and—most importantly—individual artists. Some of the most successful British living artists include Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, David Hockney, Peter Doig and Jenny Saville.
Published on 24 April, Framing the Future: The Political Case for Strengthening the Visual Arts Ecosystem outlines a comprehensive roadmap for how the UK Government can invest in and sustain the country’s visual arts sector – supporting the UK’s industrial strategy on trade and exports, and building on the sector’s £4.1 billion contribution in 2023.
The report was commissioned by CVAN Contemporary Visual Arts Network and John Hansard Gallery, part of the University of Southampton, in collaboration with a-n The Artists Information Company, DACS (Design and Artists Copyright Society) and Plus Tate, and developed and written by Erksine Analysis.
Paula Orrell, National Director of CVAN, said: “In a time of social, economic, and geopolitical upheaval, policymakers face near-impossible decisions about where to invest. Our report highlights how the visual arts make measurable contributions to some of the UK’s most pressing economic and social challenges and provides a roadmap for targeted investment that can offer value for money in addressing these issues as well as ensuring that the UK’s visual artists and arts can continue to contribute to the UK’s global reputation, social well-being, and economic strength. We are calling for targeted public investment across the entire lifecycle of the visual arts – from early arts education and public and grassroots infrastructure to internationally recognised careers.”
Contemporary Visual Arts Network (CVAN) is an organisation where the visual arts meet policy change. CVAN works in partnership with our nine regional networks across England to campaign and advocate for the visual arts sector at a national level. CVAN also campaigns for the sector to be heard, valued and recognised so that the visual arts can thrive now and in the future.
Image: Atrium exhibition “Rage, Riot & Revolution” at Open Eye Gallery. Photo by Rob Battersby
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