Arts cuts will be a recipe for disaster
DEAR Editor, I was saddened to read an article in The Times recently headlined “Sad tidings from Brum” written by Richard Morrison, in which he laments the savage cuts made by the city council to The Birmingham Rep, the CBSO, the MAC and the Birmingham Royal Ballet, cuts we presume on top of those already made by the city council to their finances.
I quote his final words: “Eclipsed by pampered London and resurgent Manchester, Britain’s Second City could become a cultural wasteland.”
Moreover, I recently watched a programme dedicated to Peter Wright, who brought Birmingham Royal Ballet to the city, where the then city mayor recognised the value of such institutions for visitors and the need to attract tourists from abroad; he was at New Street station in all his regalia to welcome the company from Sadlers Wells.
What foresight he had! We gather the city council is bankrupt, but these should be the last institutions to go if we are to attract people to live and work here and if we are to encourage foreign visitors.
Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff will be a better option as we cannot expect our magnificent orchestra, our famous repertory theatre and the ballet to maintain their present first-class standards without much-needed financial support.
We have a brand new library starved of funding and shortly the opportunity for leisure and cultural activities will be snatched from under our noses.
A city without such places for entertainment, or mediocre presentations will be a recipe for disaster. Irene Field, By email