Cuts to arts in Birmingham
Birmingham City Council has announced plans to cut all of the arts funding it provides. This money helps support organisations such as theatres, art galleries, dance companies and music groups.
In September 2023, the council issued a “section 114 notice”. This meant the amount of money it had coming in would not cover the amount it was spending, and it had no way of sorting the problem out on its own. Commissioners appointed by the Government were brought in to help run the council over the next five years.
To save money, the council plans to cut back a lot of the services it provides. Arts and culture is a service that councils don’t have to provide by law, so Birmingham City Council can stop giving it any money. Lots of services will be affected by the cuts, including statutory services (the ones the council must provide) such as repairing roads and collecting rubbish. Libraries and leisure centres could be affected too.
Arts organisations and projects that rely on money from the council will have to find other ways to fund themselves. Some of them, such as Birmingham International Dance Festival, are going to have all funding cut immediately. Others will lose 50% in the next financial year (between April 2024 and March 2025) and then face a complete cut after that. These include famous and respected organisations such as Birmingham Rep Theatre, Birmingham Royal Ballet and B:Music, the music charity responsible for Symphony Hall (a concert hall) and Birmingham Town Hall (a music venue and events space).
Carlos Acosta, the director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, told The Guardian newspaper the cuts are a “serious blow to all areas of Birmingham’s life”. Comedian Joe Lycett, who is from Birmingham, criticised the decision to cut funding but described the people of Birmingham as “strong and wildly creative”. He said, “We have a brilliant and unique art scene. Thankfully, much of it does not rely on council money.”