Today the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA), supported by My Theatre Matters! and UK Theatre, launched a new campaign to safeguard and increase local authority investment in arts, museums and heritage.

We’re bringing together new research, data analysis and a website (www.50pforculture.org) where you and your audiences can find out how much local authorities planned to spend on culture in your area.

Local authorities should be investing at least 50p per person per week in arts, museums and heritage

In a recent poll by Ipsos MORI co-commissioned by the NCA and My Theatre Matters!, 63% of people – almost two thirds – said they believed that even in these difficult financial times, local authorities should be investing at least 50p per person per week in arts, museums and heritage. Only 12% said local authorities should invest nothing.

Using official data produced by the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Office for National Statistics, the NCA calculates that the actual average budgeted net spend across England in 2013/14 was just 16p per person per week. In 2011/12 the figure was 18p and in 2010/11 it was 20p. On average, of every £1 invested by a local authority, less than half a penny (0.5%) goes to support arts, museums and heritage.

Enter your postcode at 50pforculture.org and TAKE ACTION!

If you live in England and care about culture, visit www.50pforculture.org and enter your postcode to find out the level of investment in your area.

We’d then encourage you to use the link on our website to send an appropriate message – of encouragement, steadfastness or praise – to your local representatives.

Then tell your friends and your audiences!

Please tweet using the hashtag #50pforculture and encourage your friends on Facebook to find out about investment in their area.
Do also follow the campaign on Twitter @50pforculture

Many thanks

David Brownlee
Executive Director, UK Theatre