A common theme seen not only in Bedfordshire but all around the UK is the cutting of arts education in schools, particularly since 2010.
According to The Campaign for the Arts (CFTA), since 2010, arts enrolment has dropped by 47% at GCSE and at 29% at A-level. Throughout Europe, the UK has one of the lowest levels of government spending on arts and culture among all European countries.
Despite this, government statistics show that the UK creative industry contributed £124billion in gross value to the UK economy in 2023, which begs the question, what will this figure look like in 15 or 20 years time?
One subject that has taken the brunt of the funding decline is music.
Figures set out in ‘The State of the Arts’, published by CFTA and The University of Warwick, show that entries for both A-level and GCSE music have dropped by almost 50% from 2010 to 2023.
The report also looked at how the BBC Proms and several other programmes supporting young musicians have seen their total public and grant funding decrease by 23%.
Without grassroots support for music, where will the future festival headliners come from? Music Venue Trust (MVT) ask just this question and last year shared a Glastonbury poster omitting every single act that had come up through the ranks.
It makes for bleak viewing.
What about Bedfordshire?
Through my research, I have discovered that out of the seventeen sixth forms and colleges across the Bedfordshire area, only four offer A-level music, which is less than a quarter.
At a debate led by Mohammad Yasin at Westminster on 2 April, he stated that “we’re seeing widespread deficits, restructuring, fire and rehire tactics, and even department closures.
“Arts and humanities subjects are bearing the brunt of these cuts.”
A report released by the Central Bedfordshire Council published on 22 April on the ‘Reprovisions of Inspiring Music’s Music Centres’, highlights the challenges this organisation is faced with.
Challenges include declining membership, funding limitations and post-pandemic recovery.
Future funding
On 20 February, the government announced that “over £270m” for funding of arts and culture in 2025-26, and “more than £67m” of investment in new cultural infrastructure.
The “£270m” will go towards an ‘Arts Everywhere Fund’, which will aid in “supporting jobs and creating opportunities for young people to learn creative skills”.
My perspective
I have experienced the decrease in support and funding for the arts throughout my school years, both pre- and post-COVID-19.
After the pandemic, the arts departments never returned to normal. This was not only detrimental to students’ well-being but also grades. I noticed that I wasn’t getting the same enjoyment from the school day as I was previously.
In the past few months, I have also learned that the sixth form college I attend has also been through the process of cutting the majority of arts subjects.
At the rapid rate sixth forms are cutting these subjects, our future generations will have no opportunities left for expression. A world without the arts would not only be economically detrimental to the UK but an unimaginative, lonely and despairing place.
Published as part of our work experience partnership with Kimberley College
