Arts Council England and the war on opera

Instructed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to move money away from London and reassign it to the regions as part of the Levelling Up strategy, Arts Council England has ended up making some very risky decisions. It has thrown funds at small untested groupuscules without a firm audience base and penalising major reputable institutions such as the Royal Opera House for their success and expertise. Given that the sector is struggling from the effects of the pandemic and the energy crisis – not to mention historic under-funding – the result could well be a catastrophic reduction in the quality and quantity of our cultural life, and a further blow to our international prestige. Opera is being particularly hard hit. 

Undeniably, opera is an art form of interest to a relative minority and one that gobbles up the dosh in its need for full chorus and orchestra and months of rehearsal.