Joint Olympics arts lobby
BECTU has signed a joint letter to Gordon Brown on the consequences of taking funds from the arts to pay for the Olympics.
Arts organisations and trades unions are urging Chancellor Gordon Brown to think carefully about the consequences of taking an estimated £137m from arts funding.
BECTU, Equity, the Musicians Union, the TMA, Dance UK, the National Campaign for the Arts and the Independent Theatre Council all believe the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review will result in a significant drop in arts funding.
BECTU General Secretary Gerry Morrissey said: "Our members in the theatre industry are already poorly paid.
"This threat of a decrease in available funds is reminiscent of the stop-go approach to arts funding that was so damaging in the 1980's.
"We ask Gordon Brown to look at this problem as a matter of urgency".
BECTU's NEC has agreed to put forward a motion to this years TUC in September calling on the General Council to lobby government to reconsider its approach to arts funding by agreeing a settlement at least line with inflation.
The motion has asks to government reconsider the diversion of lottery funds to the Olympics.
The motion will be subject to discussion with other unions.
Letter to Chancellor Gordon Brown: Sustaining funding for the arts
We are writing as sector lead bodies representing the majority of employers, artists, performers, technical staff and arts organisations in the UK to thank you for the investment your Government has made in the arts since 1997 and to outline why it is key for the Government to continue to invest in the sector at sustainable levels.
The cultural landscape of the UK is in better shape than ever, with our leading arts organisations ranked among the best in the world and acting as beacons of excellence to others around the country. Our sector is reaching out to more people and with greater effect. Our artists and arts organisations are producing inspirational work of the highest quality and promoting accessibility and participation, while increased efficiency is extracting more value from every pound of state funding.
The 2012 Olympics will be an opportunity to showcase a dynamic and creative Britain to the rest of the world. The Cultural Olympiad will play an important part in this and it is vital that the arts are able to deliver that cultural dimension, but we are concerned at the diversion of lottery funds from our sector. The latest cause for concern is the significant drop in the Arts Council England Grants for the Arts lottery fund, which this year stands at £54 million, £30 million less than last year's fund. While we appreciate and understand that this shortfall is due to a variety of reasons, it is a significant decrease in a vital source of funding for the arts.
Grants for the Arts is the key fund for developing and enabling new work and new artists and it would be fair to say that nearly all new companies, work and projects have started life through Grants for the Arts. It is also the only source of funds for national touring and a crucial funding stream for ensuring that work reaches new and different audiences. The ability to foster and develop exciting and innovative work and to take performances to the country at large should not ideally be dependent on the lottery and we will be writing to Arts Council England to ask how they propose to ensure that support for new work and touring can be maintained. In the meantime, the sector needs the continuity of funding in order to continue to attract private sector support, which can now only be delivered through a sustained spending review settlement.
This is particularly important given the Government's recent announcement that additional lottery funding for the arts will be transferred to pay for the Olympics from across the UK from 2009 - with £112.5m coming from Arts Council England, £12.5m from Scottish Arts Council, £8.1m from Arts Council Wales and £4.5m from Arts Council Northern Ireland.
If we don't act now, we are in danger of returning to the 'stop-go' funding under previous governments, which has undermined sensible planning and long term strategies. Risking the financial stability of arts organisations not only threatens further growth, but also has the potential to undo all the good that has been gained so far. We desperately need a settlement for the arts which makes up for this shortfall in funding streams, in order that we can plan effectively, spend efficiently and deliver even better results for our communities in the coming years.
Gerry Morrissey, General Secretary, BECTU
Caroline Miller, Director Dance UK
Christine Payne, General Secretary, Equity
Charlotte Jones, Chief Executive, Independent Theatre Council
John Smith, General Secretary, Musicians' Union
Richard Pulford, Chief Executive, SOLT/TMA
Louise de Winter, Director, National Campaign for the Arts
Bernie Corbett, General Secretary, Writers' Guild