Hope of better arts deal for the North

The Government’s new plan for culture admits getting “the right balance of funding between London and the regions continues to require attention” and it is “important that public funding, including Lottery funding, is allocated in a way that support artistic and cultural ambition everywhere”.

A review of local and regional museums will be launched alongside analysis of the work of Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Yorkshire Post has previously revealed the huge geographic differences in Arts Council England funding. Last year organisations in Yorkshire received £11.46 per person compared to £33.77 in the capital.

The commitment to review arts funding was included in the Government’s new Culture White Paper, launched today.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: “Our arts, heritage and culture should be for all - not just the privileged few. Culture opens doors, improves social mobility and has a huge impact on life chances.”

Bradford Council has asked Mr Vaizey to visit the city to discuss the future of the National Media Museum in the wake of the controversial decision to transfer a collection of 270,000 images belonging to the Royal Photography Society (RPS) to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The invitation came after Coun Simon Cooke, Bradford Council’s Conservative group leader, had called for the authority to suggest the Victoria and Albert Museum set up a new photography centre in the city.

However the suggestion was blocked in a council meeting and Coun Cooke yesterday argued it showed the Labour-run authority had given up the fight over the photography collection.

Writing on his blog, Coun Cooke said: “Perhaps I was a little bit naive in believing that the Council - which sort of knew about the possible RPS decision a year ago - would commit itself to a campaign that set it at loggerheads with the Science Museum Group.

“But I still think I was right to make the noise I made - as councillors we’re not elected to act as local agents for national government, even the cuddly bits like the national museum groups.

But Coun Susan Hinchcliffe, the council’s executive member for culture, said Coun Cooke was attacking the museum when the real problem was cuts to its funding from Government.

Coun Hinchcliffe said: “The National Media Museum is funding the maintenance of the RPS collection of photographs which they are not adequately financed to keep.

“Over the last 5 years they have suffered 30 per cent cuts from central government.”

Coun Hinchcliffe added: “I’ve invited Ed Vaizey to visit Bradford and meet with us, I would welcome Coun Cooke doing likewise.”