The Arts Council decision is extremely disappointing. Help me and Museums Sheffield to make the case for culture in Sheffield.
This week's decision by the Arts Council not to award Museums Sheffield with any funding is extremely disappointing. I strongly agree with the statement on the Museums Sheffield website that "England's fourth largest city, home to over half a million people and awash with creative talent and potential, deserves better." Compared to other core cities (see the table below) Sheffield already receives far less Arts Council funding per head of population and I'm concerned that this week's decision will compound this funding inequality.
| Core City | Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) Spend 2012-13 (millions) | 2010 mid-year population '000s | NPO spend per head of population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 17,394,446 | 1036.9 | 16.78 |
| Bristol | 4,092,875 | 441.3 | 9.27 |
| Leeds | 16,234,55 | 798.8 | 20.32 |
| Liverpool | 8,068,483 | 445.2 | 18.12 |
| Manchester | 8,855,333 | 498.8 | 17.75 |
| Newcastle | 5,392,516 | 292.2 | 18.45 |
| Nottingham | 4,004,400 | 306.7 | 13.06 |
| Sheffield | 2,564,832 | 555.5 | 4.62 |
| York | 1,180,800 | 202.4 | 5.83 |
Last Saturday I was fortunate to attend the opening of the new 'China: Journey to the East' exhibition at Weston Park, one of the three museums in my constituency run by Museums Sheffield. The exhibition is an outstanding example of the world class exhibitions that Museums Sheffield have consistently brought to Sheffield in recent years, and it is also incredibly popular. Over 2500 people visited on Saturday alone and it was a joy to see so many people there, and especially so many families. And this is not a one-off. From Vivienne Westwood to John Martin and Sheffield's own Kid Acne, Museums Sheffield have, with national arts organisations like the Victoria and Albert and British Museum, consistently delivered exhibitions that are culturally diverse, exciting and popular.
As a result of this week's decision Museums Sheffield face a 30% reduction in their budget. They will have to downsize, their ability to bring in the world class exhibitions will be reduced, up to 45 experienced and talented people may lose their jobs and their educational programme will be significantly reduced. I fear that this decision will have negative knock-on effects for the whole of the city's art scene.
I've written to the Chief Executive of Arts Council England and to the Yorkshire Regional Director to express my opposition and to urge them to review Museums Sheffield's position and consider how the Arts Council can support them to avert the crisis they're now facing. Nobody wants to see culture and the arts in Sheffield suffer and I hope a way forward can be quickly found.
Please help me and Museums Sheffield to make the case for culture in Sheffield. People power can make a difference with this kind of issue. There is a list of ways you can lobby for Museums Sheffield on their website at http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/blog/2012/1/help-us-make-the-case-for-culture-in-sheffield
