Budget cuts mean city faces 'cultural deprivation'

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is among the organisations that will be affected

The leading lights of Birmingham's creative sector have expressed dismay at council cuts, warning the city faces cultural deprivation.

Local authority bosses published draft budget documents on Monday evening indicating how they would respond after declaring themselves effectively bankrupt.

Dramatic measures include a 21% council tax rise for residents - over two years - while assets worth £1.25bn will be sold to repay a government bailout loan.

No part of the council has been left untouched and there will be cuts to funding for culture projects and local arts development.

Support will initially be retained for Black History Month and Birmingham Heritage Week in 2024-25 but those events will face a 100% cut from 2025-26.

Birmingham International Dance Festival will lose its £350,000 funding and grants to regularly funded arts organisations will face 50% cuts this year and 100% next financial year.

They include:

• City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

• Birmingham REP Theatre

• Birmingham Royal Ballet

• IKON Gallery

• Birmingham Opera Company

• FABRIC

• Sampad

• Ex Cathedra

• Legacy Centre of Excellence

• B:Music

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight said the sector would continue to thrive

Sabra Khan, executive director of Sampad, a South Asian arts and heritage organisation, said it was devastated by the proposed cuts.

"The funding we get from Birmingham City Council is really critical to us," she said.

"We're a small team with about six full-time staff and this funding pays for most of the cost of our learning manager."

Sabra Khan, executive director of Sampad

Lyle Bignon, a night-time economy ambassador based in the city, said the plans sounded a major alarm for the creative community.

"Our city's council, regional authorities and key agencies have simply not placed enough value on culture over the years, despite its proven social and economic benefits," he said.

Steven Knight, the Birmingham-bred writer of Peaky Blinders, said creative industries would continue to flourish, but people would be worried.

"Hopefully when decisions are being made, people don't think arts are a luxury because I don’t think they are," he said.

Birmingham REP will also see a cut in council funding

Ruth Millington, an art historian, critic and writer based in Birmingham described the news as terrible.

"At the heart of any great city is its culture," she said. "Protecting and promoting a creative economy is key for our city's recovery."

Simon Nobbs, head of centre at Access Creative College Birmingham, said the proposals would have a seismic impact on current and prospective students who want to pursue a creative career.

"We anticipate this will sadly place more barriers in the way of young people that aspire to work in Birmingham's thriving cultural sector," he said.

Birmingham City Council is facing a financial crisis

Birmingham City Council needs to tackle a £300m budget shortfall over the next two years.

Its financial position has been largely blamed on equal pay claims, which the most recent figures put at £867m, as well as an overspend on an under-fire IT system that is expected to rise to £130m.

Speaking on Monday, Council Leader John Cotton said they were "really difficult decisions to take" but insisted the council was aware how the measures would affect people.

"What we've sought to do in framing this budget is ensuring that we've mitigated the impact on the most vulnerable," he said.