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New Freelance Champions Appointed to Represent Creative Workers in Government

Two new Freelance Champions have been appointed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to ensure the voices of creative freelancers are better represented in Government policymaking.

Published: 17 September 2026 | 4:48 PM
Women wearing an orange shirt and glasses, with curly dark tied up hair, smiling while she makes notes on her tablet in front of an open laptop.
Both Champions are freelancers themselves and bring extensive experience across the creative industries. Photo: Shutterstock.

Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump will work together in a job-share role to advocate for creative freelancers within Government and help develop policy that addresses the challenges they face.

Both Champions are freelancers themselves and bring extensive experience across the creative industries. Leila is founder of North East Cultural Freelancers, while Lizzie is a Co-Director of What Next? and has worked in cultural policy for many years.

They will be supported by Professor Dave O’Brien, Professor of Cultural and Creative Industries at the University of Manchester, who will join the DCMS on academic secondment to provide research support.

The Champions will sit on the Creative Industries Council, the joint Government and industry forum for the UK’s creative industries, and will work closely with the freelance community to establish their priorities.

Their first six months will focus on developing a workplan, after which they will work with the sector and Government on priority areas to support policy development and provide practical support for creative freelancers.

Read more via Gov.uk.

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MU delegates and members of our sister creative unions on the steps of Caird Hall.

MU Delegates Champion Fair Work, Cultural Rights and Island Connectivity at STUC Congress 2026

Last week we attended the annual Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) with MU delegates who supported a range of topics including Fair Work for freelancers, music as a human right, international solidarity and why ferries serving the Scottish islands are vital to cultural workers and the economy.

Published: 28 April 2026

Read more about MU Delegates Champion Fair Work, Cultural Rights and Island Connectivity at STUC Congress 2026