Our response to the Freelance Champion appointments

The Freelance Champion role was initially announced as part of the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan is part of its broader Industrial Strategy in June 2025. ALCS has campaigned for some time to create a similar position, with our original proposal asking for a “Freelancer Commissioner”. 

Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump are both themselves freelancers, with a combined 40 years of experience of the sector. D’Aronville is the founder of North East Cultural Freelancers, while Crump is co-director of free-to-access arts and culture network What Next?.  

Our most recent commissioned research into authors’ earnings shows the precarious position that freelancers are in. We charted a real-terms decline in median earnings among self-employed primary occupation authors of 38.2% since the last survey in 2018. If writing is to remain an occupation open to those from a diverse range of backgrounds, serious solutions must be found by policymakers to ensure this is possible. 

We hope that dedicated Freelance Champions will foster better engagement between the Government and freelancer creatives, ultimately creating a fairer working environment for the sector. 

ALCS CEO, Barbara Hayes said: “We welcome today’s announcement of Leila D’Aronville and Lizzie Crump as Freelance Champions. Freelance working has long been a reality for many writers. The importance of this part of the workforce – both creatively and economically – is undeniable. But the systems in place to support these creatives have not effectively reflected the way that they work for some time. ALCS has long campaigned for the appointment of a Freelancer Commissioner and we are pleased to see the Government recognise the urgent need for it.  We look forward to working with both of them to give the freelance workforce the attention it deserves.”