Council support for the arts isn't only a case of cash, says Tom Plater.Here are his recommendations for measures local authorities can take to help the sector during difficult financial times.
It’s not an understatement to say that things are incredibly difficult for the arts in Local Government. With over a decade of cuts in arts funding, even the largest and most supportive councils in the UK have had to scale down their funding commitments to the creative industries.
In January Suffolk County Council announced a 100% cut to their culture budget, Birmingham has proposed reducing all its arts funding by 50%, before removing the funding entirely in 2025/2026 and the Local Government Association (LGA) has said that “more than a third of local authorities need to make cost savings…across arts and culture to try and balance the books”.
That’s not even touching on our District and Borough councils, who whilst having the best intentions have no statutory funding for the creative sector, and can find it nearly impossible to prioritise arts and culture... Keep reading on Musician's Union.
It’s not an understatement to say that things are incredibly difficult for the arts in Local Government. With over a decade of cuts in arts funding, even the largest and most supportive councils in the UK have had to scale down their funding commitments to the creative industries.
In January Suffolk County Council announced a 100% cut to their culture budget, Birmingham has proposed reducing all its arts funding by 50%, before removing the funding entirely in 2025/2026 and the Local Government Association (LGA) has said that “more than a third of local authorities need to make cost savings…across arts and culture to try and balance the books”.
That’s not even touching on our District and Borough councils, who whilst having the best intentions have no statutory funding for the creative sector, and can find it nearly impossible to prioritise arts and culture... Keep reading on Musician's Union.