Bristol’s creatives demand end to ‘damaging’ arts funding delay

Artists, performers and musicians were just some of Bristol’s creatives that took to College Green on Thursday to protest delays to arts funding.

The protest comes after Bristol City Council announced that arts organisations and major cultural events in Bristol would have to wait until March 2024 to find out how much money they would receive.

Members of performing arts union, Equity, handed a letter to Marvin Rees at City Hall, demanding the mayor restore funding and ensure an independent funding panel was democratic and fair.

Lotte Nørgaard, founder of Dragonbird Theatre, based in Easton, said the impact of the council’s decision to delay funding had a huge impact on her organisation.

Lotte and Sarah have run Dragonbird Theatre for ten years, but its future is now at risk

“We are so cross and distraught at the lack of funding for the arts here in Bristol,” she told Bristol24/7.

“The impact of the delays is huge on us. We are unable to plan, we are unable to look ahead. We are unable to make any decisions going forward. It’s really challenging.”

Arts organisations in Bristol submitted their funding bids in June 2022, and expected to hear back by autumn.

Lotte, who has been running the theatre group for ten years, told Bristol24/7 they were then told they had to wait until January 2023, then March, then June.

Then, earlier this month, organisations received an email from the council telling them they would have to wait until March 2024 to find out if their funding bid had been successful.

“For ten years, we have been working really hard around Bristol delivering thousands of experiences to early years children and their families, creating really magical and creative play and song, and now we are not able to continue that,” said Lotte.

“We’ve been hanging on for a year, and the lack of information is really damaging for arts companies. It’s just not sustainable in the way it’s going.”

“The creative sector is one of Bristol’s little pearls,” added Lotte’s colleague, Sarah.

“It’s why people come to work here and visit. It feels really ironic that it is something the council uses – but then treats their art companies with what feels like almost contempt at this point.”

Protestors delivered a signed letter to Marvin Rees at City Hall, demanding his administration restore funding as soon as possible

Bristol City Council said it has delayed the decision so it can allow for a redesign of the process so it is more transparent.

A spokesperson for the mayor told Bristol24/7 the administration was continuing to fund culture organisations and had rolled over last year’s funding to ensure there were no gaps.

But in the same comment, the mayor said his administration did not have a legal duty to fund the culture and arts.

Sarah Fagan, Equity’s south west councillor, said this sent a clear message to Bristol’s arts sector.

“The mayor has said Bristol City Council is not legally bound to fund the arts,” she said.

“This represents a threat for us. Could this mean a 100 per cent funding cut down the line? We want to be reassured that this is not the case.”

Also at the protest was Green Party councillor, Ani Stafford-Townsend.

The performer, milliner and university lecturer said the administration’s decision to delay funding demonstrated their lack of understanding in regard to the significance of the arts in the city.

Ani Stafford Townsend said they were horrified by the impact the administration’s delay could have on Bristol’s arts sector

“The arts sector is the third most economically important sector in our city, after the universities and the NHS. It’s what we sell our city on,” they said.

“This administration boasts continuously about our cultural scene, and yet misses the understanding of what creates the creative sector in the first place.

“I’m horrified by the lack of funding the arts sector already receives, and what these delays will mean for our sector.”

The arts sector in Bristol has been hit by a series of cuts over the last few years. In 2017 the council’s art budget was just over £1m but a 26 per cent cut in 2018/2019 meant around £190,000 was cut from the budget. This was followed by a similar cut in 2021/22.

A spokesperson for the mayor said: “We agree that culture funding recommendations should be made by a transparent, independent body and have instructed officers to redesign the Cultural Investment Programme process to achieve this aim.

“This year’s funds have been held whilst this work is completed and will be awarded after recommendations are received from an independent panel. We have continued to fund culture organisations and rolled over last year’s funding to ensure there were no gaps

“Although the council does not have a legal duty to fund the culture and arts in the city, we recognise the value of the local sector and work closely with partners such as the Arts Council to ensure funding is made available and organisations are supported to deliver the city’s world renowned cultural offer.”

Main photo: Mia Vines Booth

Read next:

• The saga of Bristol Beacon is a lesson in how not to invest in arts and culture
• ‘The council’s funding delay threatens the future of the arts in Bristol’
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