𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

People in the North of England are being ripped off when it comes to funding for culture in their areas, according to a scathing new analysis. The North received Arts Council funding worth £28 per person while London was granted the equivalent of £57 per person between 2023 and early this year, researchers discovered.

The IPPR North think tank claims that if the North received the same funding per person as in London it would have had £450million spent on culture – approximately enough to stage 10 10 Bradford City of Cultures every three years. It is pressing for responsibility and funding for arts and culture to be handed to local mayors to boost opportunities for young people. There is deep concern at the life chances of youth in the North and the “serious inequalities” they face.

IPPR North claims one million “northern children are growing up in poverty” and “waiting times for talking therapies for anxiety and depression are 10 times longer in the North West than in London”. It also warns “school pupils in the North receive 10% less funding than their peers in London and record worse outcomes”.

The think tank states that “Yorkshire and Humber and the North East have some of the smallest parks, public gardens and playing fields in England”. It says Yorkshire and Humber’s parks “are 2.5 times smaller than London’s, while the North East’s are twice as small as the capital’s”.

Its researchers found “more than half of England’s library closures” between 2010 and 2024 were in the North. And they warn that “while six per cent of primary schools in the South East do not have a library, 18 per cent in the North East lack one”.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, who chairs the Great North group of northern leaders, said: “Culture is in the North’s DNA, and our talent and creativity is known across the globe. Yet too much power is held in London, and by unelected quangos, where decision makers hold the future of Northern arts in their hands.

“It’s little surprise the North has missed out on our fair share of culture investment, which has stifled the potential of our people and place. We know culture and creative industries are a catalyst for growth and pride, and as leaders across the Great North, we are determined to end the days where the North loses out.”

Ryan Swift, the author of the report, had a simple message for policymakers: “The kids aren’t alright. Arts and culture shouldn’t be the preserve of people born in the ‘right’ places to the ‘right’ money.

“Young people across the North want and deserve the access to entertainment, recreation, and opportunity afforded to their peers in other parts of the country. There is a clear need now to address the culture and opportunity chasms for the next generation of northerners to break out of the vicious cycle of regional inequality which acts as a barrier to life chances and satisfaction.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “The Secretary of State has been clear in her ambition to tackle these issues head on and to ensure that arts and culture is accessible to everyone, everywhere. We are ensuring arts and culture are able to thrive across the country with our £270million Arts Everywhere Fund providing support for our arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector.

“Additionally, our Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out the importance of unleashing potential across the UK and highlights the strong Creative Industries clusters in the North East, North West, Liverpool City Region and West Yorkshire, which will be supported by a share of a £150 million Creative Places Growth Fund.”

An Arts Council England spokeswoman said: “The public, and crucially children and young people, deserve brilliant art and culture in their neighbourhoods and communities. Over the past decade we’ve shifted our investment to help make that happen – closing the funding gap between London and the North by over £68million when comparing 2019-20 and 2023-24.

“We’re the only public body in England whose job is to champion artists and protect their freedom of expression. Through our teams, spread all across England, we work in partnership with communities, local authorities and mayors to make sure there are excellent cultural experiences and opportunities to pursue creative careers for everyone, everywhere.”