SHEFFIELD’S politicians have
rallied round to lobby the Arts Council to reconsider its decision to refuse
£4.2 million of funding to the city’s museums trust.
Rejection of the bid by Museums
Sheffield for a share of the Arts Council’s major grants pot worth £20
million a year for the next three years comes as the trust’s existing
Arts Council funding comes to an end.
The trust says it will mean an end to
its ability to host national and international touring exhibitions, a 30 per
cent budget cut, 45 job losses and ‘greatly reduced’ educational
work.
The Arts Council’s refusal of
funding comes despite it recognising Sheffield had a strong bid – and
acknowledgement that Sheffield receives the lowest Arts Council funding of any
major city per head of population. Under existing arrangements Sheffield gets
just £4.62 per person, compared to £20.32 in Leeds.
Museums Sheffield’s chief
executive, Nick Dodd, has approached Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to help
appeal the decision and push for a share of £23 million a year in additional
Arts Council funding yet to be handed out.
A spokesman for Mr Clegg said he has
asked to meet the Arts Council to make Sheffield’s case for more funding.
The city’s Labour MPs are also
contacting the Arts Council asking it to reconsider. Sheffield Central Labour
MP Paul Blomfield, whose constituency includes all three of the trust’s
museums, said: “I will be pressing the Arts Council about why Sheffield
gets such a small share of funding.”
Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts
added: “It’s extraordinary that somewhere the size of Sheffield
should have no funding.”
Sheffield Visual Arts Group also
attacked the Arts Council’s decision. The campaign group, formed to fight
last year’s decision to cut gallery opening hours, said: “The jobs
of the majority of the curators are now under threat.”
Star readers also opposed the funding
snub. Paul Ibbotson said: “Why do we always have to be second best to
places like Leeds and Manchester?” Chris Cliff added: “It’s a
shame when we have wasted many billions on the Olympics yet rob our kids of the
education of museums.”
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