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Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Chi Onwurah (Labour). It was answered on Thursday, 3 March 2016 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.


Northern Powerhouse: Arts Funding

Question

The Minister shows great artistry in the picture he paints, but we know that the regions were already losing

out on arts funding by a ratio of 14:1 before the Chancellor chose to chop billions from northern local authorities struggling to maintain arts for all. The Sutton report last week said that the arts are becoming less and less accessible. Does the Minister agree that the arts are far too important to our culture and our identity to be left in the hands of a privileged few?

Answer

I would certainly agree with the hon. Lady on that. Our forthcoming White Paper will announce new measures to increase access to the arts, but we have already supported, for example, music education hubs, extended the In Harmony scheme and introduced new schemes for the arts in schools. So I take great issue with her implicit criticism that we are not doing anything to increase access to the arts.


Secondary information

Type
Oral question
Reference
606 c1092 
Session
2015-16
Oral question type
Supplementary
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Arts Regional planning and development North of England
Link
View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk