More Funding for the Arts

The Government has for some time been engaged in closing down Fine Art departments all over England in favour of Computer Studies, Maths and Science subjects. Whilst major colleges; the Royal College of Arts, Slade, Royal Academy schools and Goldsmiths are safe at the moment, gradually what is happening is that the feed from the small schools are being cut off too. Also secondary and grammar schools are being affected by cuts in their Art departments.

In any period of recession Governments repeatedly cut the Arts as a means of making savings overlooking the fact the Arts (film, theatre, music, books, ballet etc.) produce for the economy £92 billion a year, bigger than oil, gas, life sciences, automotive, and aeronautics combined. This is at a time when our economic growth is of the utmost importance. Furthermore it would appear that in spite of all the troubles and disagreements, countries such as Russia, America, France, Germany, Australia, China and Japan are all sponsoring their Art talents in order that their future generations will benefit. A real danger for the future would be that Arts will become the domain of the rich thus ruling out at least 50% of the world’s real talent. Past history underlines the fact that all Governments ensure us that the Arts are ‘safe’ in their hands, only to make further cuts.

Our country needs further investment in the Arts to benefit our future generations, which in turn will help increase our economies revenue.