Suffolk: Demonstrators demand long-term arts funding

Demonstrators gathered outside Endeavour House in Ipswich to demand long-term arts funding

Campaigners have demanded long-term arts funding during a demonstration outside council offices in Ipswich.

Earlier this month, Suffolk County Council announced plans to cut core arts funding by 100%.

Following a U-turn decision the cabinet then approved a £500,000 "funding pot" for arts and heritage organisations.

Iain Croker, from the trade union Equity, said: "It's not unwelcome, but it's not particularly helpful."

Iain Croker said "the whole arts and cultural sector" came together for the demonstration, which was organised by Equity

"Permanent cultural organisations benefit from knowing that this [core funding] is guaranteed and comes in every year," Mr Croker said. "With that money, they can make concrete plans to do all the good work that they do by supporting special educational needs children and discounted tickets for poor households."

Nine organisations across the county currently receive core funding from the council, but this will cease after the 2024/25 financial year.

The planned "pot", which awaits formal sign-off by the full council, would be open to bids from anyone in the industry.

Mr Croker said: "Five hundred thousand pounds divided by many... is going to be a lot smaller amount of money to everybody."

Miranda Acres said many services in the town rely on the arts sector

'Sticking plaster'

Miranda Acres is a member of Ipswich.Love, a not-for-profit community interest company, which promotes cultural events in the town.

"I just feel that what the council is offering is a sticking plaster on a massive problem," she said.

"Arts and culture is really, really important for mental health services, for old people's services and for everything else. If we cut funds to arts and culture, we're actually creating a future that looks really bleak."

Helen Oldfield urged the council to "think again" about their proposed cuts to arts funding

Helen Oldfield, the director of Affinity PR, said the outreach programmes provided by arts groups were "vital, frontline public services" and urged the council to "think again".

"Isn't that so ironic that the council are saying it wants to protect frontline services for vulnerable people, many of whom get exactly what they need to live a good, better, enriched and independent life because they get access to arts and culture?"

In a Suffolk County Council cabinet meeting on 30 January, Bobby Bennett, the Conservative councillor and cabinet member for equality and communities, said: "We recognise that the nine organisations we currently fund reach out into communities through schools and local community centres.

"Crucially this funding will provide equal opportunities for the whole of the Suffolk arts and cultural sector, made up of hundreds of organisations who do amazing work in their local communities."