'National disgrace' - Birmingham cultural figures including Joe Lycett & Duran Duran hit out at arts funding cuts

Birmingham's arts industry is set to lose 100% of its funding, a move which the city's cultural figures have said will 'devastate' the city's creative output.

Last week, the council finally revealed the true extent of the budget cuts on the way as it faces an enormous budget gap of at least £300 million.

The Labour-run authority has found itself in the bleak predicament due to a number of issues including rising demand for services, an equal pay fiasco, the disastrous implementation of a new IT and finance system and the impact of years of austerity.

As well as hikes in council tax, the council’s budget proposal includes a huge array of cuts that could impact a number of services – from day centres and youth services to bin collections and community libraries.

Cultural organisations including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), Birmingham Royal Ballet, and the Repertory Theatre are now set to lose their funding over the next couple of years as the council plans £300m worth of cuts.

'Cuts are a national disgrace'

Speaking to The Guardian, a number of key figures from the city's arts scene, have expressed their concern with the news. Comedian Joe Lycett told The Guardian the cuts were a 'short-termist national digrace'.

He told the newspaper: "We have a brilliant and unique art scene; thankfully much of it does not rely on council money. But there is no denying that these cuts are a short-termist national disgrace.” Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes called on the local authority to "reconsider and rapidly reverse" the cuts.

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His bandmate Roger Taylor added: “It saddens me that future generations could potentially fail to have the same access to music and the arts that I was very fortunate to have during my youth in Birmingham." Acosta, the director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, told the newspaper: "We’re a resilient organisation so will make it work, but it’s the wider city and other cultural organisations that don’t have the resources of Birmingham Royal Ballet that I’m really worried for."

Speaking about the council's situation last week, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight said: "I think when you get a council situation like this, my first concern is people who are in much more difficult circumstances than myself. There are people in difficult situations and that probably should be the priority.

“However, a city is its culture as well and we’re doing well after the Commonwealth Games – lots of stuff going on, lots of stuff happening in Digbeth. It’s like the shoots are coming through, we’ve got to cultivate them and make sure we look after them.”