Newcastle - funding cuts update

If you remember back to last November - when Newcastle Arts funding hit the press with their total cut of to arts organisations in the city, 'doing a Newcastle' threatened irreparable damage to arts in the North East. Since then it's gone a little quiet - now Newcastle City Council are speaking up, with a new plan labelled the Newcastle Culture Investment Fund. 

"Put money for culture in the general revenue pot and the funding will always be vulnerable, particularly at a time of severe austerity. What politician worth her or his salt will fund arts and culture over potholes or dog dirt? It’s hardly a guaranteed election winner.

So the trick is to take it out, fund it from other sources and get an independent body to look after it. That is the premise of the Newcastle Culture Investment Fund. Put simply, we put in the core funding of £600,000 a year (50% of their previous spend) – from a complex mix of income from loans and some public health money - and then institutions apply to it.

Our aim is grow the fund through private sector and individual donations. We want to create a culture of philanthropy towards the arts and an idea that you give to a place rather than an institution. And institutions that do apply must tell us how what they do with the cash will help the council achieve its objectives and make Newcastle a healthier, happier and wealthier place."

Interested? The rest of the article written by Senior Communications Advisor for the Council, Will Mapplebeck is available on the website comms2point0 which happens to also be full of information about effective communication and social media...