A collective response to the BCC Cuts from the Arts and Culture sector in Birmingham

Published on: Thursday February 22, 2024

We are devastated at what the recently announced Birmingham City Council cuts could mean for Birmingham and the impact that they would have on people’s daily lives across the city.

The arts, culture and heritage industries play a vital role in the economic and social life of our city; enhancing people’s lives, supporting jobs and putting Birmingham on the world-stage.

In the face of ongoing austerity and reduction in public funding, alongside covid and rising inflation, the arts and culture sector has continued to be resilient. We remain open, and continue to welcome audiences, work with communities, and support artists in Birmingham, the UK and internationally; and as the sector responsible for the talent, development, and inspiration pipelines for the UK’s global economic and reputational success, we don’t plan on stopping.

The city council’s proposals would see investment in the cultural sector cut by 60% in 2024 and 100% in 2025.

Paul Russ, CEO of FABRIC says,

The loss of this essential investment would be tremendously bad news for the dance sector in Birmingham which has grown to be the envy of many global cities. Our programmes celebrate local to international talent, with new commissions and projects that champion the voices and lives of the city, attracting visitors from across the region and beyond. The cuts go deep and will impact all parts of the dance sector, including venues that present dance and the wider dance workforce that has enriched the region’s major events and cultural life.

At FABRIC we are profoundly sad that we can now no longer deliver Birmingham International Dance Festival, which was such a high profile event for the city and the largest dance festival in the UK. The future will be considerably more challenging as we work with colleagues, partners, artists and funders to develop new collaborative programmes that will continue to have ambition for dance, the city of Birmingham – and its creatives, audiences and participants.

As members and affiliates of Culture Central, we continue to work together to advocate for the vital work taking place across Birmingham’s cultural sector. We call for creative solutions towards continued investment in the arts, and commit to collaborating with the council on a clear strategy to secure a bright future for our city.

Visit here to find out more about Birmingham International Dance Festival