Arts Council England NPO funding announcement devastating for London’s creative workforce

Commenting on today’s National Portfolio Organisation funding announcement from Arts Council England, Head of Bectu Philippa Childs said:

“We are shocked and dismayed at the over £50 million worth of government cuts to London’s arts funding in today’s Arts Council England announcement. Bectu is deeply concerned about the impacts on our members at the Royal Opera House, National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and Glyndebourne, and particularly those at the English National Opera who face the uncertainty of a move out of London.

“The UK’s creative sector is world-leading and critical to our economic success. While we always welcome genuine investment in creative economies across the country, these short-sighted decisions are instead robbing Peter to pay Paul. Increasing regional access to arts and culture should not come at a devastating cost to the nationally significant institutions that London is home to, creating anxiety for their employees and for the thousands of freelancers who rely on them for work.

“There are real, damaging consequences to these cuts; London-based venues that are already stretched will suffer in pursuit of a phoney levelling up agenda that in reality is merely shifting neglect from one area to another. Venue relocations and funding cuts at others will also have knock-on impacts on the city’s night time economy.

“If the UK has an ambition to continue to be a leading cultural centre we must avoid politically motivated decisions that hinder rather than help support and underpin the fragile ecology of the cultural sector.

“Bectu is calling for an urgent summit with impacted venues and the Mayor of London to discuss the consequences of these destructive cuts. We will be doing everything we can to support our members and advocate for them.”