Newcastle arts venues including the popular Tyneside Cinema are currently considering their prospects after the local council announced plans to cut all £2.5M of its culture budget. The move, which will be subject to consultation, could have a serious economic impact on a region which has worked hard to improve its culture sector.
"This is worrying news for the city, and for the arts and culture around the entire country. We recognise that the city has a significant challenge to face and we look forward to entering into discussions with them about this during the forthcoming consultation period," said a spokesperson for Tyneside Cinema.
Newcastle Council staff were unavailable for comment but noted in a statement that the city is facing its toughest ever financial challenge, with council leader Nick Forbes saying "This is one of the darkest days for public service in Newcastle. Cutting services is not what I went into politics to do... Despite the tough choices we are forced to make, we will apply a fairness test to every decision by listening to residents and analysing future needs."
Although they may be seen as low priority, arts venues benefiting from council funding are understood to generate around £6M for the city annually, mostly from visitor spending on food and hotel rooms. They employ over 500 people in full time roles, some of which could be under threat if the cuts go ahead. They are also recognised as having a long term economic impact by contributing to education, motivation and social inclusion.
Writing in the Guardian, Billy Elliot scribe Lee Hall called the decision "culturally, socially and... economically illiterate," and expressed his concern that, if the plans go ahead, other local councils could follow suit.
