United Kingdom: A tax on halal products to finance Muslim arts?

A report of the Think Tank Equi, which seeks to give more weight to Muslim votes in public policies, proposes to invest part of the revenues of Halal industry in the development of arts and Muslim culture in the United Kingdom. With an annual turnover estimated at 2.5 billion dollars, this sector could become a precious source of financing for artists often marginalized by traditional subsidy systems.

The report highlights an increasingly difficult context for creators from minorities. The rise of debates around cultural wars has led to an increasing reluctance of institutions to finance certain artistic projects. Worse still, many Muslim artists find themselves confined to funding linked to the fight against radicalization, which considerably limits their freedom of creation and the diversity of the works produced. Among the advanced solutions, Equi recommends the implementation of a national working group, responsible for structuring and energizing the sector. The Think Tank also proposes to strengthen partnerships between Muslim companies and charitable organizations to mobilize more resources. The study also recalls that British Muslims are particularly generous in terms of donations, contributing on average 900 dollars per year, against 210 dollars for the rest of the population.

The initiative was welcomed by Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), who insists on the importance of Muslim arts and culture, still largely under-exploited in the United Kingdom. He calls for more inclusive policies to allow the sector to develop and play a more significant role in the cultural and economic richness of the country. If this project offers an alternative to institutional funding, it also raises questions. Some may see this form of “halal tax” as an additional burden for companies in the sector, while others will see an opportunity to support an under-represented culture. The challenge will be how this measure will be welcomed by consumers and economic players, and if it will benefit from sufficient political support to be applied.