More than four-fifths of English subsidised arts companies could lose their funding completely, the Arts Council has warned, after it modelled the effect of potential government cuts to the culture budget.
The Royal Opera House is among the big recipients of funding, but could the Arts Council stomach closing a large institution to save many grassroots ones? Photograph: Reuters
The body has briefed the Treasury on the effects of a worst-case scenario of a 15% cut after this month’s comprehensive spending review. For many arts organisations such a cut would, in effect, mean that they would cease to exist, it has warned.
Arts Council England (ACE) has been asked to model budget cuts by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of 5%, 10% and 15%. ACE area directors have also briefed local arts organisations on the potentially devastating effect of a new round of cuts. If 15% cuts were made, the cumulative cut to the arts budget from 2010-11 would be 45%, they warn.
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