Cuts to arts budget are far reaching but short sighted

Friday 3 September 2010

SDLP Culture, Arts and Leisure spokesperson Thomas Burns has said he is exceptionally disappointed by news that the departmental budget will face drastic cuts of 17% between now and 2015.

He commented: "We all know that every department is facing renewed pressures on their budgets, but I feel these cuts to DCAL finances are too deep and will hurt a great deal.

"The finance minister clearly sees the arts as an easy target and whilst I agree that savings and efficiency improvements can and must be found everywhere these proposed cuts are just too much.

"Museums, libraries, sport and the arts will all feel the impact, although I note that the minister has identified his pet Ulster-Scots projects as spending priorities. Let us hope most of the cuts fall on the highly paid chief executives of the numerous arts and sports quangos his department manages.

"There is a lot of anger out there in the arts community. I sometimes feel that people do not appreciate the exceptionally good value for money artists provide. Local art is all around us. It touches and inspires us continually and improves our working and living environments.

"Thankfully good artists are rarely motivated by financial rewards and I sure am sure the committed and talented artists we have will do their best to adapt to the new conditions, although there is little doubt we should be doing more to help them along the way."