British Government Proposes Cuts to Arts Funding; Hall et al. Comment

The British cabinet has proposed cutting funding for the arts, the Guardian reports.  The proposed cuts would reduce funding by twenty to thirty percent. 

In the Guardian's Theatre Blog, Daniel Bye and and playwright Lee Hall (BILLY ELLIOT, THE PITMEN PAINTERS) argue against the proposed cuts. Bye argues that such cuts would save little money for the government, stating, "...the annual cost of British arts subsidisation is £0.47bn - roughly 0.07% of public spending. That's 7p in every £100, which equates to 17p per person per week or less than half the cost of a pint of milk. Cutting the arts budget would therefore save next to nothing..."  He adds that the arts "are directly, unequivocally profitable."  To read Bye's complete article, click here.

Hall agrees with Bye's statement about the profitability of the arts.  He adds that Britain has "the richest theatrical culture anywhere in the world" and that such a culture needs funding to survive, as "Not one commercial show is made without talent fostered in the subsidised sector."  Hall believes that "The effects of the proposed 20-30% cuts in the arts are going to be devastating."  To read Hall's complete article, click here.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.