SUFFOLK THEATRE

Suffolk County Council has announced that they will cut core funding investment in the Arts and Culture sector from 1st April 2025 as part of £64.7m budget cuts.

The county council have said that £528,000 of Covid recovery money will be made available to the organisations affected, for the year 2024/25, to help cover the funding gap. However the relevant theatres, festivals and arts groups say the plans would have a significant impact on Suffolk.

The organisations affected are: DanceEast, Eastern Angles Theatre Company, First Light Festival, The New Wolsey Theatre, Primadonna Festival, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk Artlink and they have issued the following joint statement:

‘Whilst we will need some time to consider the full impact of these proposals, our immediate concern is how any decision might impact the people of Suffolk. The proposed cut to these organisations will provide an extremely modest difference to the Council’s overall finances, representing a saving of just 0.057% of the Council’s 23/24 revenue budget.  However, the ‘cost’ to our County will be so much more significant. Collectively, our organisations support 24,493 children and young people and 76,516 vulnerable** people through our community engagement work.  We also provide permanent employment for 154 staff, and project or contract employment for a further 499 staff.  Suffolk-wide, the culture sector plays an important part in providing employment for local people, with almost 6,985 jobs* being supported by the sector. Our organisations, both collectively and individually, call on Suffolk County Council to consider the merit of a small cost saving, compared to the huge impact this will have on communities across Suffolk who benefit from our work.’

*New Anglia LEP Cultural Evidence report April 2021 Evidence Report

**those over 65, or with disabilities, in receipt of means tested benefits or who are rurally isolated.

Names and contact details of your local Suffolk County Councillor can be found here Find your councillor – Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk Theatre Website are requesting please that you contact your local councillor and ask them to rethink these devastating cuts to Suffolk’s theatres and arts. Thank you.