Spending on culture, heritage and libraries by English councils has been cut by more than half over the last 15 years, according to new research.
New analysis by the Campaign for the Arts (CFTA) has found that since 2009-10, revenue expenditure on culture has fallen by 50.4% in real terms, from £42.42 to £21.05 per person.
The CFTA also found that per-person spending on museums and galleries has shrunk by 48%, whilst the equivalent library service spend has been cut by 54%.
Jack Gamble, director of the CFTA, said culture funding was ‘critically at risk’ due to pressures on councils’ budgets. Commenting on the research, Cllr Liz Green, chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: ‘Councils remain the biggest public funders of sports and culture services in England, but this report shows the desperate need for them to have the funding they need to continue delivering these services and promote further investment in community services alongside a streamlining of funding pots made available for cultural projects.’
