The theatre sector is concerned, and rightly so, about what might happen to central government support for the arts after the forthcoming general election. If the Tories will, can they be trusted? Will the scale of the public deficit mean the Labours will have to start taking back the grants offered during 13 years in their charge?
We can’t say, of course, but it seems what people are assuming is that whatever happens will have an impact on the entire theatre sector. It will have a huge effect on a specific part of the sector, flagship venues, for one. However, for much of the theatre people enjoy in this country, it will have little or no impact at all.
We should be concerned that ACE might have its share of the funding cut, but we should also be concerned about the future of support at the grassroots, which, is where much of the country consumes its live entertainment. Most of the UKs civic theatres and arts festivals are council-funded and local authorities have been big players in the golden age of regional theatre. The new Curve in Leicester was mainly supported by the city council as is Manchester’s biennial International Festival.
Now, local authorities account for less than half of the roughly £450m in annual exchange funding, whereas they used to be an almost equal funder with the Arts Council.
If we don’t want that figure to slip even more, we need to pay attention to the danger. Because of its disparate nature, it is harder to monitor cuts to local council arts funding and how they affect the overall health of the sector. But that doesn’t mean that they are any less damaging to the industry. It’s vital they are prevented.
