Contrary to the article “Cutbacks on the arts will widen class divide” in last week’s TES - which mentioned funding cuts to arts education charity Creativity, Culture and Education (CCE) - we have always received the vast bulk of our funding from Arts Council England, not through direct funding from the Government.
The #163;19 million we will receive from the Arts Council for 201112 is not a “rescue grant” but a 50 per cent reduction in funding from the current financial year, which will enable all 2,000 schools currently working with the Creative Partnerships learning programme to complete their final projects. CCE is currently developing plans for the future of Creative Partnerships when Arts Council funding ceases.
The significant reduction in funding to our organisation and the end of programmes such as Creative Partnerships and Find Your Talent will leave many young people in some of the most disadvantaged communities without access to the arts.
We urge everyone who is passionate about the future of cultural learning to participate in next week’s Big Link-Up event and debate, organised by the Cultural Learning Alliance. See http:thebiglinkup.org.uk
Joe Hallgarten, Creativity, Culture and Education, London.
