Don’t Reduce Funding for Theatres says MP 

Neil Gerrard, Labour MP for Walthamstow has put down a motion in the House of Commons asking the Government to maintain increased funding for theatres in the forthcoming Spending Review.

“It isn’t just that theatre is important to local communities” said Mr Gerrard, “it is also important to the economy. According to the Arts Council the £120 million a year which they invest generates £2.6 billion in economic activity.”

“The Government has increased funding to the arts, including theatre, over the past ten years, but there are suggestions that this might not be maintained and that funding increases for next year will be below the rate of inflation, so will amount to a cut in real terms. I am urging the Government to ensure tat this does not happen and the standards we have achieved are kept up.”

So far 60 MPs have signed up to Mr Gerrard’s motion in just 10 days since he put it down, and he is optimistic that the numbers will soon top 100. 

Text of the motion:

That this House recognises the important role that theatre plays in local communities across the UK; notes that 25 million tickets to theatre, ballet and opera are sold every year in the UK; further notes that the Arts Council has estimated that the £120 million it invests in theatre annually generates £2.6 billion in resulting economic activity; notes the significant increase in the Government's theatre funding over the past decade; expresses concern at suggestions that the Government will reduce funding for British theatres below the rate of inflation following the coming Comprehensive Spending Review; and therefore calls upon the Government to maintain increased theatre funding to ensure that the dramatic arts in the UK continue to perform at a world-class standard of which the country can be proud.

October 2006

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