East Suffolk Council
Statement on proposals for Suffolk arts and heritage funding
A statement from Cllr Sarah Whitelock and Cllr Katie Graham; East Suffolk's cabinet member and deputy cabinet member for Communities, Leisure and Tourism, regarding Suffolk County Council’s proposals for arts and heritage funding in the county.
“At East Suffolk Council, we remain alarmed by the regressive proposals for arts and heritage funding at Suffolk County Council, affecting much-loved arts organisations and residents in our district.
“Following a public and media outcry over a proposed total cut to the arts and heritage sector, providing a savings of only 0.58% to the council’s finances, a further announcement of additional government funding led to suggestions that the council could now make a U-turn.
“On closer inspection, however, there is no U-turn but a renewed commitment from the council to remove core funding of arts and heritage from its budget.
“A smaller pot of money, as yet for 2025-2026 only, has now been allocated to the sector for which organisations need to compete against each other for individual projects that ‘meet the council’s priorities.’
“This is not a good situation for our museums and arts organisations which contribute so much to our residents. As many have attested, the financial security that the council’s core funding provides is essential to their operation. To remove this funding is to remove a financial security that allows them to plan ahead, and in many cases, means they are at risk of scaling back on projects that offer enormous value to those within our community.
“The council’s statement that this model opens up the funding stream to organisations that might otherwise have been overlooked is one that communicates a lack of confidence in the organisations that were already being supported. A further pot of money to attract fledgling initiatives would be a sound investment; removing existing funding to do this is only damaging.
“As for ‘meeting the council’s priorities’ it is very clear that every one of these organisations has already been doing that. In our district, here are some examples of how some of the affected bodies have relied on this funding till now.
“At the Long Shop Museum, a cultural touchstone for Leiston, this funding has covered their insurance, and been used to subsidise school visits to the museum, for children to learn about their inspiring heritage and to enjoy a different kind of education for a day.
“At Suffolk Art Link, it has enabled them to offer imaginative and engaging projects across the county directed towards improving the lives of children at risk and vulnerable adults, as well as those with learning disabilities. [Last year they carried out 344 projects to 2,500 participants.]
“For First Light Festival in Lowestoft, it presents a security to a festival that has played an integral part in the regeneration of the town and been a huge source of pride for its residents, attracting a new source of tourism to a new part of the district. First Light has been an exemplar of what ‘levelling up’ achieved through the arts can be.
“From outside the district, Dance East, Eastern Angles and New Wolsey Theatre have regularly brought their work into 20 schools and 20 rural villages across East Suffolk, providing memorable experiences for many who may not otherwise have such opportunities. This additional engagement outside their core practice is now at risk of scaling back.
“These are just a few of the affected organisations operating within our district, they are all acting on the same priorities that both East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council share: addressing record levels of poor mental health, social isolation and providing opportunities for young people.
“When the bridging Covid recovery money runs out, and when some projects have been funded over others with the £500,000 funding pot, this prized sector of our economy and our communities is left to fend for itself in a very challenging economic environment.
"Art and culture play a vital role in our communities, especially when times are hard. We believe it is the responsibility of any government to uphold their value not just in words but actions.
“We appeal to the county council to consider not only the practical harm brought about by this removal of core funding, but the broader and longer-term damage that such a lack of commitment communicates to our residents.”