The Bluecoat, Liverpool, and social mobility, 1960s to present

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The Bluecoat arts centre in Liverpool is a building and organisation nestled firmly in the fabric of the city's arts scene. The specific relationship between the Bluecoat, the city, and mobility into the arts is understudied. This research will dissect the role of the Bluecoat in the city and its context since the 1960s. Interviews will supplement the shortfall in this field of study. Broad change since the 1960s has created different moments in time where it is important to consider differences and similarities with the modern day to create positive change and increase access to the arts. Measuring social mobility into the arts has been a popular research topic in contemporary research. A key conclusion from this research is that there has been persistent underrepresentation of socially disadvantaged groups in the arts sector in Britain. Before these circumstances can be changed, the tangible influences that hinder access to the arts need to be uncovered, and with them, appropriate ways of combating inequality need to be conjured up. The Bluecoat will act as a case study through which in-depth constructive analysis of the circumstances that encourage participation from disadvantaged backgrounds will be produced. Despite the amount of social mobility research, its use in the arts requires a tailored approach to fit the unique circumstances that surrounded employment and accessibility into the arts - such as freelancing and community art. The timescale for this project ranges from the 1960s to present. The benefit of a long-term timescale is that change and continuity over time can be measured. The social class structure in Britain has been reshaped by political and economic events throughout the twentieth century. Traditional structures have eroded in the wake of higher employment levels and better education opportunities which broadened the opportunities for people to move within the class system.The context of this research is rich, and it can be used pro-actively in the policy-making field. My research will address 1) how social class helps or hinders employability and sustaining a career in the arts sector 2) the extent to which mobility is a sector issue (looking at skill-level, captive audiences, and the cost of materials) or a deep-rooted policymaking/governmental issue 3) how mobility can be encouraged institution-by-institution through tailored response programmes. This research aims to not repeat exclusionary practices that perpetuate social background inequality in the arts, but instead propose change through a case-study and interviews to document the range of experiences in the sector.