Extra cash for Arts Council and UK Sport in Spending Review

BBC reports on today's Spending Review and Autumn Statement.

Posted: 10/03/2022

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Key points from the Government’s Spending Review on the BBC. 

Headline announcements affecting education and arts and culture.

• Schools budget in England protected in real terms
• Total education budget to rise by £10bn in 2020
• School funding formula to be phased out
• New 30-hour free childcare subsidy for parents of three-and
  four-year-olds to be limited to those working more than 16 hours a week
• Sixth-form colleges allowed to become academies
• Funding for Further Education colleges to be “protected in cash
  terms”
• Culture department to see funding cut by 5%
• Extra cash for Arts
  Council and UK Sport
• Free museum entry to be maintained

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Update on Thursday 26/11/2015:

We saw George Osborne acknowledge that a small investment in the
arts equals a good return. Although the Department of Culture, Media and
Sport (DCMS) budget will fall, the cash going to the Arts Council will increase –
but this is still a slight decrease in real terms (adjusted to inflation). 

“Britain
is brilliant at culture. One of the best investments we can make as a nation is
in our extraordinary arts, museums, heritage, media and sport. £1bn a year in
grants adds a quarter of a £1trillion to our economy – not a bad return.

So
deep cuts to the small budget of Culture, Media and Sport are a false economy.
It’s core administration budget will fall by 20%. I am increasing the cash that
goes to the Arts Council, our national museums and galleries. Free entry to
museums and galleries will be maintained and we will look at a new tax credit
to support their exhibitions.”  (George Osborne quoted on a-n news)

It appears that the tireless campaigning by the arts and
creative sectors has made some sort of impact, but does the support offered recognise the
contribution arts investment makes to our economy, and society?

Whilst the arts breathe a sigh of relief, Mark
Robinson reflects at a-n news on the need to be cautious. The arts ecosystem
needs more than just big museums – there are still risks to smaller institutions and
arts charities from the cuts to local authority budgets.

Further headlines:

• Local museums and galleries remain under threat
  from local government budget cuts
• All schools will be supported to become academies
•  6th
  Form colleges are now able to become academies
• As schools become academies, the local
  government’s role in local education is diminished
• Increase to funding for 3 and 4 year olds, and 2
  year olds from. However, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School
  Learning Alliance comments in the Guardian that this appears to include Early
  Years Pupil Premium. (This was separate before and could be used to support the
  child in a variety of ways – such as arts projects.)
• Local government spending to remain the same in cash terms to
  2020

Further reading:

Arts Perspectives:

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/nov/25/arts-council-museums-galleries-relief-funding-settlement-autumn-statement

https://www.a-n.co.uk/news/spending-review-2015-cuts-to-dcms-but-ace-budget-to-increase

On childcare and education:

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/nov/25/stricter-rules-free-childcare-cut-eligible-families-third

For a general, non arts overview:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34908612

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