Government cuts to funding for arts subjects is a big mistake - Yvette Huddleston

Why ask people who are in a position to know about these things to share their expert opinion, and then ignore them? It is patently purely a box-ticking exercise.

To be fair, it’s hardly a surprise – the Government has form on this; how often have they actually heeded the advice of medical professionals in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic?

Many working in the arts and arts education no doubt felt their hearts sink even as they submitted their responses to the consultation document.

The courses affected include performing arts, music, dance, media studies and art and design, which will have their funding halved from the autumn.

The move was described by the general secretary of the University and College Union, Jo Grady, as “one of the biggest attacks on arts and entertainment in English universities in living memory”.

When the proposals first emerged earlier this year singer and former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker commented: “Art education seems to be this expendable thing, as if it’s not important.”

It is hugely important – and the cuts, which will inevitably result in course closures, threaten to sabotage the creative potential of future generations.

What do the arts teach us? And how do they enrich our lives? Well, where to begin... They teach us to be empathetic, to question and challenge, to see the world from different perspectives, to understand a point of view that differs to our own, to analyse and discuss, to enter into debate and conversation, to negotiate, to collaborate, to create, to bring joy, to feed the soul, to value other voices, to be inclusive, to make sense of life’s difficulties, to share stories, to find ways to cross boundaries, to communicate and connect.

Not only are these skills eminently transferable, they are a huge part of what makes us human.

We need to get angry about this. But it does often feel as if those of us who are passionate about it are just shouting into the wind.

Creativity and critical thinking does not appear to be something the current Government wants to encourage. And I don’t think it is an over-reaction to consider that deeply sinister.

We allow the arts to be devalued at our peril.