Save Suffolks Arts protestors at SCC headquarters Endeavour House – photo credit Andrew Clarke
On Tuesday there was a protest outside Endeavour House, the HQ of Suffolk County Council in Ipswich, at the cuts in core funding for arts and museums in Suffolk. The protest was organised by Equity, the actors and entertainment union, and dozens attended, holding banners and chanting ‘Stop the Cuts’.
Save Suffolks Arts protestors outside SCC headquarters Endeavour House – photo credit Andrew Clarke
Speakers at the protest included Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Ipswich, Jack Abbott, Adrian Ramsey, Green Party Leader PPC Waveney and Julia Ewat, Lib Dem candidate for Suffolk Coastal. There was also an impassioned speech on the arts by local actor Brian Theodore Ralph, who was a founding member of the Wolsey Theatre.
Original Wolsey actor Brian Theodore Ralph addressing the Save Suffolks Arts protestors at SCC headquarters Endeavour House – photo credit Andrew Clarke
Suffolk County Council had announced a 100% cut in core funding to 9 organisations in it’s arts and museums budget from 1st April 2025, as part of £64.7m budget cuts. It has since announced a proposal for a new £500,000 project fund open to all Suffolk’s arts & heritage organisations.
But Douglas Rintoul, chief executive and artistic director of the New Wolsey Theatre, said “While I appreciate the steps taken, the £500,000 – in real terms – is still a significant disinvestment in culture in Suffolk after more than a decade of cuts and no inflationary increase.”
SUFFOLK THEATRE 