Warning over cuts to Shropshire arts

The county's theatre, music and film industry could suffer as the Government proposes fierce arts cuts, a south Shropshire theatre company warned today.

Thomasina Carlyle, of the Pentabus Theatre based near Ludlow, is urging people to write to their MPs ahead of threatened budget cuts.

It comes after the House of Commons Media and Sport Select Committee announced an inquiry into the funding of arts and heritage last week.

Ms Carlyle said today if the Department of Culture, Media and Sport goes ahead with a plan to shave up to 30 per cent off the budget over four years it could spell disaster for arts provision in the region.

She said: "We can probably cope with carrying on operating next year but we cannot cope year on year."

She added that much of the group's funding comes from the Arts Council, which has to reduce its budget in 2010 to 11 by £23 million.

Regularly funded organisations like Pentabus Theatre have had budgets reduced by 0.5 per cent in the current financial year.

Ms Carlyle said: "We urge you to help make the case to support the arts by writing to your MP to tell them why the arts matter."

She added: ­"The arts budget is tiny, less than 17p per person per week - less than a pint of milk, and the return on the investment is huge. For every £1 the Arts Council invests, an additional £2 is generated from private and commercial sources, totalling £3 income.

"Any cut to the arts will have a disproportionate effect for a relatively tiny saving to the public purse. Sustained support of the arts will allow them to play a vital role in Britain's economic recovery."