The End of Culture?

Good God, what will happen to the people of this country?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUzOHckX-Ns

Is this the end of the arts culture too, with the cuts devastating the funding pots of Arts Councils up and down the country?

As a former volunteer Youth/Arts Worker, I understand (from a volunteer prospective) the strain local councils are under (already), to keep organisations alive and kicking which provide vital support to local communities. Youth schemes and community projects are in place to improve the areas affected by poverty, crime and unemployment. Without these schemes what will these young people have to strive for?


What are the long-term repercussions of these cuts, which have been made so 'carefully' by the Conservative government?

From the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11569160

Communities and Local Government

Annual budget: £33.6bn
What's being cut: Local Government - current spending down 27%; capital spending down 100%: Communities - current spending down 51%; capital spending down 74%
Councils will see a 7.1% annual fall in their budgets. But ring-fencing of local authority revenue grants will end and councils will have freedom to borrow against their assets. Funding for social housing to be cut by more than 60%, with new tenants having to pay higher rents. But the government hopes these changes will free up funds to build 150,000 new affordable homes over the next four years."

Culture, Media and Sport

Annual budget: £2bn
What's being cut: Current spending down 24%; capital spending down 32%
Administration costs to be cut 41% while core arts programmes will see a 15% fall in funding. Free museum entry to remain in place. BBC licence fee to be frozen for next six years. Corporation will also fund World Service and BBC Monitoring. Adds up to equivalent of 16% savings over the period.