Saturday, 11 September 2010 
Music News
Features
Richard Hawley interview
Big Session 2010 festival review
Bearded Theory festival 2010 review
Dreadzone - Greg Dread interview
Chumbawamba guest editors
Black Peak Interview: Part Two
Black Peak Interview: Part One
K.C. McKanzie Interview: Part Two
K.C. McKanzie Interview: Part One
Artist Guitar Blog #1: Mat Martin & Kirsty McGee - Part 2
18/07/2010
Cuts to the Arts, where will they fall?
Last week leaders of Britain's most prominent cultural institutions - speaking on behalf of organisations across the whole country - appealed directly to the Prime Minister not to cause irreparable damage to our most economically successful sector in the imminent Spending Review.
It has been well publicised that the governments spending review is asking virtually all departments to demonstrate how they would function with 25% to 40% cuts in their funding.
It is estimated that the UK has the largest cultural economy in the world relative to GDP, and every £1 invested in culture produces £2. The arts councils of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in their different guises have supported the folk and roots music scene solidly over the past years. Funding cuts are bound to have an effect on this.
Arts Council England have a statement on their web site about the situation, a significant quote from it is:
'The directors warn that the cumulative effect of these cuts could lead to the closure or partial closure of leading national museums, galleries and theatres, as well as of many arts organisations across the country. This would reverse the gains that have been made since 1992 in the international standing of the UK's cultural organisations, leading to the loss of irreplaceable expertise, and for a generation of children and young people much diminished access to their culture and heritage.'
In the folk and acoustic music world this could affect organisations like EFDSS, and have a look at your CD collection, a surprising number of artists get assistance in producing their albums, even LAU's Arc Light had support from the Scottish Arts Council.
The coming year will be a tough one with increases in VAT bound to affect ticket prices and now possible cuts to funding. The Arts Council also point out that '... in the US the Obama administration recognised the important contribution of culture to the country's economic recovery and increased the arts budget. New York's City Council also recently reversed its cut in arts funding because they are 'an important source of money for the city through tourism and contribute to the public's quality of life.' In Canada, a recent submission of proposed cuts by the Canada Council asked for by the Canadian Treasury Department were rejected as these programmes were thought to be crucial to Canada's national prosperity.'
