Arts and Culture Department to Face Cuts

The office for culture, media and sport in the UK will be facing staffing cuts, with between 35% and 50% of staff due to be sacked. The department has a relatively small budget, at around £2.1 billion according to The Guardian.

The cuts could affect the entirety of the arts and entertainment industry, including videogames, which has already come under pressure from the lack of tax relief. The department doles out funding to organisations such as the Arts Council who then distribute it to arts sites such as castles, museums and other creative art organisations.

The Arts Council, who receives almost £450 million of Government money, is expected to cut around 200 organisations’ funding.

Previously, some of the Regional Development Agencies were also cut by the coalition Government once they came into power. In certain areas, these funded many videogame related projects as well as training to organisations and companies related to videogames.

Many in the art sector will be worried by these cuts, which are part of an overall downsizing of spending and staff inside Government agencies.

Via: Develop