5 min read - Saturday 31st July 2021
The Government vs. The Arts: how will the education cuts affect the creative industries?
By Lucy Alves
By Lucy Alves

Before the pandemic, the creative industries were growing five times faster than the UK economy as a whole, generating over £111 billion a year. However, artists, curators, designers and creatives are no strangers to the fact the government has given little to no support during this pandemic. Musicians, writers, actors and anyone in the creative and cultural industries have been seriously affected by 3 major national lockdowns. Performers have also felt the repercussions of theatres and venues being closed or opening with reduced seating - in vast contrast to sports taking centre stage, with more than 60,000 people allowed in Wembley Stadium with no social distancing.
Arts education cuts are the next on the list for the Tory government. In May, it was announced that higher education funding would be cut by a whopping 50% as it was not seen as a high priority. The Secretary of State for Education argued that this would help ensure that increased grant funding is directed towards high-cost provision that supports key industries and the delivery of vital public services.