Campaign for the Arts’ Post

An estimated 75,000 public assets - like playing fields, community centres, swimming pools, youth clubs and libraries - have been sold by English councils since 2010, in part to plug holes in their budgets. Once these public and cultural buildings have sold, they cannot easily be recovered. It's time to address #TheStateoftheArts.

The number of music, theatre, dance and comedy events in the UK took a huge hit during the pandemic. Recovery is slow, and the number of listed events has yet to reach the pre-pandemic baseline. We evaluated the UK's largest set of live events data, maintained by Data Thistle, to better understand the scale and affordability of the cultural sector's offering to the UK public since 2018. Read more about it in The State of the Arts report: https://lnkd.in/eYYUGcuy

📚 Show you local library some appreciation! What impact has it had on your community?

The Scottish Government funds arts organisations that directly employ 5,000 workers, support 25,500 individual artists and provide millions of opportunities for people across Scotland to engage with the arts and culture. Future funding available for organisations remains inadequate and uncertain. Jobs and arts access are critically at risk as a result. Over 15,000 people are calling on the government to act now to avert a cultural catastrophe in Scotland. Add your name or share the petition here: https://lnkd.in/ezpCbWzy

Millions know the benefit of attending arts events. It's great to hear that Scotland's First Minister, John Swinney, is one of them. Cultural organisations depend on public investment for their vital work. In December's Budget, we urge the Scottish Government to support them.

Local government is a major public funder of the arts and culture in the UK. Yet reductions in councils' spending power and increasing cost and demand pressures on statutory services (especially social care) have piled pressure on local cultural expenditure over recent years. Between 2009-10 and 2022-3, in real terms, local authorities' revenue spending per person on culture and related services decreased by 48% in England, 40% in Wales and 29% in Scotland. It's time to address #TheStateoftheArts. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eYYUGcuy

Many vital council-funded services are facing shattering effects due to the crisis facing local authorities. Arts & culture services are not alone in being impacted. Proposed cuts to Birmingham's youth services would "delete" over half of staff. Since 2011, more than half of the local authority youth clubs in England have been forced to close. And since 2010, councils have almost halved their culture funding. Access to many life-changing, life-affirming services is critically at risk. https://lnkd.in/eeNvMx_y

Did you study an arts or humanities subject at university? What impact has it had on your life? It's time to address the state of arts education. #TheStateoftheArts University of Warwick Read the full report now: https://lnkd.in/eYYUGcuy

Cultural catastrophe is not just imminent, it's already well underway in Scotland. "Today’s delay has been met with disbelief & despair by a sector which is teetering on the brink. A number of organisations have begun scaling back and launching fundraising campaigns to keep afloat." - BBC Scotland Join and share our petition now to urge the government to stop the absurdity and act now to save arts access in Scotland. https://lnkd.in/ezpCbWzy

The Campaign for the Arts speaks for tens of millions of people across the UK who value the arts in their lives. It’s wonderful to hear that the Prime Minister does too.