Culture can play a vital role for Yorkshire so why is there such a gap in funding?
The value of culture should not be underestimated. Yorkshire has seen repeatedly how hosting world-class events and nurturing best in class talent can benefit the region. In fact, we are seeing it now with Bradford City of Culture well and truly underway.
That is why the report from think tank IPPR North revealing that the arts and culture funding gap between the North and London is £450m is very disappointing.
London receives twice as much culture funding as the North. This just further fuels inequality between the North of England and the capital.
Analysis contained in IPPR North’s ‘State of the North’ report shows that in the Arts Council’s current funding round, between 2023 and early 2025, the North received £450m, or £28 per person. At the same time, London received £519m, or £57 per person.
If the North had received the same per person Arts Council funding as London, it would have seen £450m more. To put this into context, it's roughly equivalent to putting on 10 Bradford City of Cultures every three years. And the region knows how important this year’s Bradford City of Culture is.
Culture is not just a ‘nice to have’. It serves a vital purpose in stitching our communities together. It also plays a significant role in creating opportunities for communities. Young people are able to harness their creative instincts. When there are one million children growing up in poverty across the North of England, it’s all that more important.
There is an overwhelming argument in favour of culture being a driver of economic growth. Therefore the gap in funding needs to be bridged.