City’s culture on the line
Devastating cuts to major arts bodies revealed by council
It’s hard to comprehend the scale of devastation Jez Collins, music historian and arts campaigner
ANGER has greeted news of devastating grant cuts to cultural gems across Birmingham.
The city’s world-renowned symphony orchestra, ballet and opera, and theatre are all affected.
Cuts to the arts, totalling £3.2m over two years, were described by one commentator as “economic and cultural vandalism” while arts lovers described it as “depressing” and “shameful”.
Iconic venues and organisations including the REP, Birmingham Royal Ballet, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Ikon Gallery, Sampad and B:Music will all lose over half of their council funding this year and all of it next year.
A CBSO spokesman said: “The CBSO has received funding from Birmingham City Council for the past 104 years, and so we are saddened by the proposals contained within the draft budget.
“The cut will of course have lasting impact on the breadth and depth of work that we can deliver for the city, but nonetheless, we are determined to remain an essential part of Birmingham’s cultural landscape.
“We will take some time now to reflect on our future plans, but still look forward to announcing a vibrant and exciting new season in May.”
Less than a year ago some of the affected organisations were all promised funding until at least 2026.
Cllr Jayne Francis, then culture lead, hailed the sector for its vital role in the city’s ‘golden decade’ ahead. Since then, however, there has been an downturn in council fortunes.
The council cabinet this week signed off more than £300m of cuts across all services, designed to help the council stay afloat amid extraordinary financial pressures.
It will also sell a billion pounds of land and property and cut hundreds of jobs, while council tax is going up by 9.99% a year for two years.
Council leader John Cotton described the cuts as ‘unprecedented’ but insisted they had no choice but to face their challenges head on.
The 10 local arts forums affected by the cuts are in Northfield, Sutton, Perry Barr, Yardley, Selly Oak, Hall Green, Ladywood, Erdington, Edgbaston and Hodge Hill, overseen by Number 11 Arts.
One critic on social media was scathing. ForwardBrum said: “Cultural and economic vandalism, due to the incompetency and negligence of the city council, combined with ruthless central government cuts. These superb Brum cultural gems in our city should be fully supported and protected. I am a huge supporter and fan of BRB and CBSO.”
Jez Collins, music historian and arts campaigner, said no sectors had been left untouched as a result of the finan- cial crisis.
“It’s hard to comprehend the scale of devastation. It’s also hard to pit one service against another (social care vs culture for example) when the cumulative effect will be catastrophic,” he said. But he said the city’s cultural offer – from grassroots projects in community halls and schools, to world-class ballet and music in specialist venues – all played a part in the city’s vibrancy and reputation, inspiring young people in particular.
Lyle Bignon, night-time economy adviser, said the cuts sounded “a major alarm” and would impact on the city’s reputation as a cultural centre of excellence.
“The knock-on impact will be deeply felt across the hospitality sector but also in all our communities.
“Our civic cultural institutions are responsible for immeasurable wellbeing, celebrate all our communities and attract inward investment. The overall impact of the direct cuts to the cultural sector and the cuts as a whole across the city will be less footfall and engagement, more unemployment and less disposable income. The cuts for the flagship venues are disappointing – they are short-sighted.
“The cultural and arts sectors are already facing very challenging circumstances. Having a successful and thriving arts and culture is the lifeblood of our city.”
In a statement, Culture Central, representing the region’s arts sector, said: “The arts, culture and heritage industries play a vital role in the economic and social life of our city; enhancing people’s lives, supporting jobs and putting Birmingham on the world stage.
“In the face of ongoing austerity and reduction in public funding, alongside Covid and rising inflation, the arts and culture sector has continued to be resilient.
“We remain open, and continue to welcome audiences, work with communities, and support artists in Birmingham, the UK and internationally; and as the sector responsible for the talent, development and inspiration pipelines for the UK’s global economic and reputational success, we don’t plan on stopping. We will continue to work together to advocate for the vital work taking place across Birmingham’s cultural sector.”
They added: “We call for creative solutions towards continued investment in the arts, and commit to collaborating with the council on a clear strategy to secure a bright future for our city.”
The knock-on impact will be deeply felt across the hospitality sector but also in all our communities Lyle Bignon, night-time economy adviser