Interview: Ed Vaizey
Lord Vaizey chats museum entry charges, tech disruption and his predictions for 2021
UK culture ministers don’t tend to stick around very long. Since January 2018, there have been 4 Secretaries of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), and 3 Ministers of State. So Ed Vaizey was something of an anomaly at the DCMS for his staying power.
Serving as Minster for Culture and Digital for over 6 years from 2010, he became the longest serving minister in that role. His longevity was no doubt partly a result of his passion for the brief. When he was sacked in 2016 by Theresa May (tough gig, politics), over 150 senior arts and culture figures signed an open letter in the Daily Telegraph paying tribute to his time in office, calling him a true friend of the creative industries. It’s signatories included Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tracey Emin, June Sarpong, and the Directors of the National Gallery, Art Fund and the Design Museum.
He quit as an MP ahead of the 2019 general election, telling the new Prime Minister Boris Johnson he wished to focus attention on the arts, creative industries and technology. In September last year, he was handed a peerage and now sits in the House of Lords as a Conservative Life Peer. Lord Vaizey continues to be a champion of the intersection of arts and tech, including as a writer, podcaster and newsletter creator.
He’s the perfect figure to kick off my interviews of 2021 which first appear in my newsletters.
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Happy new year! How are you finding your move into the House of Lords?
I love it. I felt my time in the Commons had come to a natural end, but this is a brilliant way to have a second act, as I am still keen to support culture and get involved in cultural policy debates. I am lucky to have got a position on the Communications and Digital Committee, so I can pursue issues in depth with my colleagues there.
Your newsletter The Vaizey View is a must read for those working in the arts, tech and media. Tell us a little about how it's put together and what's been the key to its success?
Thank you! I think it has been successful because it is non-partisan and light-hearted. It's also very light in the sense it just gives you each bit of news in one or two sentences, so you get a very easy overview of what's happened in the week. It now has a brilliant editor in Alex Pleasants, who has really made it his own with his appalling and juvenile sense of humour.
The Vaizey View was a trailblazer. You set up it up over decade ago, and now we're seeing an explosion of newsletters and the rise of platforms like Substack. Are newsletters the future for journalism, and can arts organisations learn anything from them?
I set up the newsletter to promote myself when I was opposition spokesman. So newsletters are a great way to keep front of mind, and any museum running a friends organisation should be doing one - with a light tone and not too often. I think newsletters will have a big impact on journalism - think about Politico's or the Athletic, which is revolutionising sports journalism.
You've said on your podcast that you love the 'disruption' of tech innovation. Are we overdue a tech revolution in museums and galleries, and what problems could tech solve for them?
YES! Our museums have made lots of progress but they are still way too conservative. Digital is still an add-on. No one is really thinking - the museum is essentially a Victorian creation using Victorian technology. What is a museum today? If my audience is on a phone or laptop, what is the best way to reach them - by putting bricks and mortar online or doing something completely different? I don't know the answer, but please ask these kinds of questions.
Are you fearful for the future of the UK's museums and galleries due to the impact of the pandemic?
Yes and no. I was always lambasted if a museum closed, never praised if one opened - but we have more museums than we have ever had. Many will remain and bounce back, but some may go to the wall. It's important - again - for people to think hard - should we merge, find a new venue, do something completely different. Creative thinking can be spurred by tough times.
Even the national museums are facing severe financial strain from covid. Should the government consider bringing back entry charges?
No - it's a distraction. It would cause an enormous row and use up loads of political capital. You cant have a rational debate. Though I'm surprised that no one has run a Brexit argument that we could keep museums free for the Brits and charge the Europeans! We have been so horrible to them for the last four years, so it wouldn't surprise me.
Do you agree with the Culture Secretary who told museums last year they need to look at “monetising digital offers”? What do you think about the National Gallery's recent paid-for online tour of their Artemisia exhibition?
Yes I do - it chimes with my view that museums are not truly embracing digital and thinking how they could do better. There are lots of art-tech start ups out there which find it impossible to have a dialogue with museums, and they would be willing partners in new commercial strategies.
What are your predictions for museums and galleries in 2021?
I think 2021 is a write-off. Museum staff have been heroes and it has been the worst time, but I think 2021 is more of the same, getting through and trying to survive. But I do hope some hard thinking is going on to look at what can be done differently if we ever get back to normal.
Which museums and arts venues are you most looking forward to visiting again when they reopen?
I love them all, but the V&A, National Gallery and Tate Britain are particular favourites, as is the Royal Academy which always puts on great shows. Locally I want to spend time at Pitzhanger Manor.
How will you be getting through lockdown 3?
Same as 1 and 2 - running, virtual workouts, box sets, and Digital Theatre, where I am an adviser and which has a wealth of magnificent plays on-line. And also recording my brilliant podcast Breakthrough Culture - we must have you on!
Sign up to the weekly the Vaizey View newsletter here
Love museums? Then you’ll love my newsletter. I send a round up of museum news every Friday, and every two weeks a jam-packed edition of original features including interviews. Subscribe to get the next edition.