On culture cuts

Well, I suppose this is going to be the countdown month, with everyone in the arts world waiting for announcements of budget cuts by the government. In the meantime, it is worth taking a peek at the Guardian’s news story about all the Turner Prize winners who are leading the protest against the cuts, and to savour the full imbecility of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s mealy mouthed response: “Putting the country’s finances in order is the government’s top priority. We know we will need to make significant cuts in public spending and the arts sector will have to play its part in that. We will need to take difficult decisions but our priority is protecting the cultural excellence of the nation for the long term.” How can you protect the cultural environment by simultaneously shutting off its life blood is a bit beyond me. Any explanation, Jeremy Hunt? You are the Culture Secretary, aren’t you? However, I still think that it should be arts bureaucrats and not creatives who pay the price: maybe we could cut whoever managed to come up with that statement for a start! In the meantime, why not sign this petition?

© Aleks Sierz

Arts Council arts cuts cuts Department for Culture Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt Turner Prize