A major arts report due to be published on Monday night says the UK’s cultural sector is in crisis, with levels of investment and development far lower than in many other European countries.
The analysis results are as follows: Observer The UK has cut its culture budget by 6% since 2010, while Germany, France and Finland have each increased spending by up to 70%.
The findings of the academic “Crisis” report, which stems from research carried out by the University of Warwick and pressure group Campaign for the Arts, with support from Melvyn Bragg and musician and lecturer Kadiatou Kanneh-Mason, will be presented in the House of Lords to a group of arts leaders and politicians, including the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Chris Bryant.
The State of the Arts report looked at levels of support and investment between two recent comparison periods, 2009-2010 and 2022-23, and found a significant decline in per capita spending in real terms.
Local authority revenue funding for cultural and related services has fallen by 39% in Scotland, 40% in Wales and 48% in England, partly due to rising costs and demand for statutory services such as social care. DCMS core funding for supporting cultural organisations has fallen by 18% to just 0.17% of total public spending per head, while core funding from Arts Councils has fallen by 18% in England, 22% in Scotland, 25% in Wales and 66% in Northern Ireland.
The study also identified major problems in arts education, with “funding cuts and neglect of the arts in state schools in England” causing what the report called a “devastating decline in participation and enrolment”. The report highlighted the decline in arts education and employment, with GCSE and A-level enrolments in arts subjects plummeting by 47% and 29% respectively since 2010.
In outlining this widening academic gap, the report asserts: “Arts education faces significant challenges, from unequal opportunities in the early years to the closure of courses at universities across the country.”
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Lead researcher Heidi Ashton from the University of Warwick said: Observer“The decade-long decline documented in the report represents a lack of support in every area, from funding to education to employment, and requires a fundamental shift in how we think about the role of the arts in society. This report has provided benchmarks and information to help inform decisions for a more equitable future.”
The report also looked at the earnings of arts professionals in the cultural sector and found that their earnings are consistently below the UK average, with clear regional and gender pay gaps – the gap is most pronounced for craft skills, where men earn 70% more than women.
Speaking ahead of the report’s publication, Jack Gamble, director of Campaign for the Arts, said: “It’s no secret that it’s been a tough few years for the arts, but the State of the Arts report shows that things are even worse than we feared. The UK currently has one of the lowest public funding for arts and culture of any European country, with local authority investment and numbers taking GCSE arts subjects having almost halved since 2010. Our new Government inherits a huge challenge to turn this around and break down barriers to opportunity for the arts.”
