Cultural events under threat in budget cuts plan

If budget cuts go ahead, residents could see fewer cultural events in Coventry, a report has warned

The number of events and services in Coventry could be reduced if planned council cuts are signed off this month, a report has revealed.

Proposals see the funding for the Belgrade Theatre and Culture Coventry being slashed by 15% from April 2025.

The move would save £380,000 per year and would come from making "financial efficiencies" at both groups.

The city council said its funding did not reflect the rise in demand for statutory services like social care.

An equality impact assessment by the local authority said the move "will likely result in a reduction of services and events for both organizations, potentially affecting access, opening hours, or entrance, event and production prices."

"The decrease in local funding may potentially impact national funding from arts and cultural organisations at the national level."

The Belgrade Theatre played a "key role" in getting Coventry's City of Culture title, its website claims, and the charity running the theatre is funded by Arts Council England as well as the council.

The report predicts a reduction in the number of events and increasing costs

Neil Murray, interim chief executive of the Belgrade Theatre, said he was grateful for the continued support of the council in what was "a very testing time" for local authority funding.

"We are in discussions with them around the implications of a possible grant reduction in 2025/26, and will work with them to minimise any impact on the Belgrade's activities and output."

Culture Coventry manages the city's Transport Museum, the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, the Grade I listed Old Grammar School building and the Lunt Roman Fort.

It is part of the wider CV Life group which provides culture and leisure activities across the city and runs other venues like the Wave and the Moat House leisure and neighbourhood centre.

A council spokesperson said: "This financial year, Coventry City Council increased its investment in culture and there are no proposed cuts in the next financial year (2024/25).

"However, like many local authorities across the country, we are feeling the increasing pressure of our funding not reflecting the dramatic rise in demand on statutory services made worse by wider inflationary pressures.

"There are a range of proposals that are being put forward to save money in order to balance the budget and we are asking people to have their say during the consultation, which ends on 7 February."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.