Governance

The Department for Education (DfE) bears "significant responsibility" for ALRA's sudden closure, unions say.

In a joint statement, the University and College Union (UCU) and performing arts workers' union Equity say ALRA’s financial difficulties were the "predictable consequence of the poor regulation of private providers and an ideological reliance on fees".

"The Government’s vindictive attacks on funding for creative and performing arts and its refusal to support these subjects in higher education form the background to ALRA’s collapse."

Claiming ALRA’s senior management handled the situation "disgracefully", the unions said they are offering advice to their members and encouraging other institutions to make offers of alternative employment.

They warn ALRA will not be the last higher education institution to suffer unless the Government abandons its fee-based funding model in favour of secure public funding. 

"This cultural vandalism must be brought to an end," their statement concludes.

Theatre company Really Useful Group has brought in a production of The Phantom of the Opera from China to tour the EU, because Brexit red tape made it “too expensive” to use a British one, a DCMS Committee has heard.

Really Useful Group promotes Andrew Lloyd Webber’s shows around the world. Its president, Jessica Koravos, told the committee she “would not dream of sending a UK production into Europe” under current circumstances.

She said it was “more straightforward and less expensive” to bring in a production from China 5,000 miles away.

The comment formed part of a DCMS Committee session on promoting Britain abroad, held earlier this week.

DCMS Chair Julian Knight said the situation “means that the mask has well and truly slipped on the true extent of the problems faced by the UK arts sector”.

“That one of the all-time great British musical impresarios would not now dream of taking a production rich in West End heritage into the EU from Britain speaks volumes about the impact of the government’s approach to supporting touring creatives.

“The current EU visa arrangements are proving economically disastrous for our cultural industries by forcing them to play second fiddle to their international competitors.”

DCMS is opening a headquarters in Manchester.

Located on Marble Street, the office will be the department’s primary base outside London, set to accommodate up to 400 staff.

Staff employed through the new office will also be based in Cardiff, Belfast and Loughborough.

A further 200 DCMS employees will be located at Darlington Economic Campus.

The department says the move strengthens its commitment to levelling up and recruiting from a wider talent pool.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries added: “The days of London-centric decision making belong in the past."

Scotland’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has voiced "profound concern" over the UK Government’s decision to freeze the BBC licence fee for the next two years.

In a letter addressed to Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, Robertson says the decision appears to be an attempt to undermine and threaten public service broadcasting, which the Scottish Government "wholeheartedly supports".

Robertson questioned whether the £285m shortfall the BBC expects to incur over the next six years will affect its investment in Scotland.

He writes: “Funded public service broadcasting has an integral role in our creative economy and we want to see further progress and a greater share of that investment here in Scotland, not regression.”