Council Arts Funding Halved Across UK Since 2010

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Council Arts Funding Halved Across UK Since 2010

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Local government arts funding across Britain has plummeted by 55% since 2010, falling from £1.19 billion to £539 million in the 2024-25 financial year. This significant reduction has prompted warnings from the performers’ union Equity that universal access to the arts is “disappearing” across the country.

The research, conducted by the Autonomy Institute and highlighted by Equity, indicates that England has experienced the most substantial cuts, with council arts spending decreasing by 61% since 2010, a real-terms reduction of £660 million per year. This means current spending in England is down to £6.47 per person annually, compared to £18.67 in 2010.

Wales has also seen a considerable decline, with a 46% fall in funding, equating to approximately £30 million less per year for the arts locally. Per capita spending in Wales has dropped from £21.03 to £10.85. In Scotland, the reduction has been 18%, representing £25 million less invested in the arts annually.

The data, which forms part of Equity’s Local Government Arts Funding Tracker, analyzed spending from 317 authorities in England, 32 in Scotland, and 22 in Wales. It reveals that 60% of the 136 English councils facing elections in May have cut their real arts funding by more than half since 2010, with at least eight councils now reporting zero net arts spending. Only 14% of English councils have maintained their arts funding in real terms over the same period.

Paul W Fleming, Equity’s General Secretary, described the findings as a “clarion call” for councillor candidates ahead of the May elections, emphasizing that defending and extending local arts offerings are crucial for councils’ future success. The union warns that reduced funding not only limits opportunities for audiences to experience the arts but also makes it increasingly difficult for performers, particularly working-class creatives, to sustain a living in the industry.

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