Bristol cultural venues could have council funding cut

The Bristol Old Vic theatre is among the organisations recommended for council funding cuts

Several of a city's cultural institutions could be about to lose their council funding.

The boss of independent cinema Watershed said Bristol City Council's plan came as a "severe blow".

The Bristol Old Vic and SS Great Britain could also see their funding cut as the council considers which arts and cultural organisations it will support next year.

The mayor's office said the council had faced challenging financial times.

Bristol City Council's cultural investment programme is responsible for allocating public funding to support arts and culture projects across the city.

The programme has had its budget slashed by more than 40% over the last five years, from £1,015,960 in 2018 to £635,960 this year.

Documents released ahead of a meeting next week show which organisations have been recommended for funding approval or rejection.

Bristol Pride Festival, St Paul's Carnival, and Spike Island are among the cultural projects still due to receive funding.

The Watershed stands to lose £50,000 a year of council funding if the decision goes ahead next week

A mayor's office spokesperson said: "All bids to the Cultural Investment Programme were considered by an independent panel. Their recommendations will come to Cabinet next week.

"The Mayor's administration are proud to have protected this discretionary, multi-million-pound fund to support our city's cultural sector, at an increasingly challenging time for local councils across the country."

In a statement released by Watershed, CEO Clare Reddington criticised the council's plans to cut their investment from April 2024.

"This complete cut will be a severe blow. And we are not alone, other brilliant organisations have not had their funding renewed, organisations that contribute huge amounts of social, cultural and financial impact to the city," Ms Reddington said.

"Bristol has long been seen by people across the country as a place for independent arts to thrive, but for this to be true we need to ensure we are also supporting the platforms that enable them. The city has under invested in its culture sector for many years," she added.

The proposal comes at a difficult time for Bristol cinema, as both Showcase de Lux in Cabot Circus and Hengrove Cineworld close.

Labour MP Thangham Debbonaire took to X, formerly Twitter, to express her support for the venue: "This is desperately sad news. Watershed is an anchor for Bristol's cultural and social life, bringing people together, showing wonderful films, providing a cultural space of huge importance.

"I'll be doing everything I can to support them and what they do."

The RWA say they are now "totally reliant" on financial support from visitors, members and donors

Alison Bevan, director of the Royal West of England Academy, was "disappointed" to learn the gallery was also among the institutions not recommended for funding.

"Previously awarded £9,600 a year, the grant represented less than 1% of our total operating costs as an independent charity, but it was the RWA's only public subsidy and important for securing grants from other funders," she said.

"We've managed to keep going for over 160 years, and are delivering life-enhancing creative engagement when it's needed more than ever. However, this year with massively increased running costs, our future was precarious, and without any support from Bristol City Council it's now even more so."

Charlotte Geeves, executive director of the Old Vic, said: "We're already seeing organisations closing. I think we'll continue to see organisations closing.

"It's challenging in the sector at the moment. Any funding cuts, no matter where they come from, put the subsidised sector in a really difficult place particularly because costs are so high."

Additional reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).