New campaign launched to save future of the arts in North West

Grants to the arts in North West dropped by a staggering 43% between 2014 and 2016.

Working in partnership with the Arts Council, the government have introduced significant funding cuts to the arts as a result of austerity measures. The grants allocated to North West theatre have been hit particularly hard by the cuts – which has not only resulted in theatres facing financial difficulty, but also performers and industry employees questioning the longevity of their careers.

Through this campaign, The NQ is aiming to raise awareness on a topic that is rarely discussed or commented on. We will combine the use of social media, case studies and multimedia journalistic techniques to convey a strong message.

It is strikingly obvious that the victims of said cuts are passionate and left feeling a sense of indignation.

Chloe Jones, 24, ATG theatre employee shared the following comment: “I don’t think people realise how much money goes into putting a show on the stage, but to think future generations won’t even get to experience theatre as we know it really upsets me.”

Rather than just accepting these financial reductions and giving up, amateur theatre companies are innovating fresh ideas of fund raising and challenging the industry with proven boosts in ticket sales.

The future of the theatre industry may be in the hands of the government to a certain degree, but we as a community can fight for theatre to remain a staple element of public entertainment for years to come.

Follow the campaign here.