FUNDING OF LONDON'S ORCHESTRAS

EDM number 118 in 1993-94, proposed by Bridget Prentice on 29/11/1993.

That this House is concerned that the cuts in the future funding of the Arts Council will perpetuate the crises in arts funding as a whole and will have dire consequences for the high standards of British classical musicians and cultural life; believes financial investment in the Arts to be an essential prerequisite for the continuation of high cultural standards in Britain; recognises the importance of eliminating waste and increasing efficiency within the Arts Council but believes the present Government initiated reviews to be motivated by a desire to cut Treasury costs rather than a commitment to maximising public funds to support art forms at their highest level of excellence; condemns the situation where three of the four internationally renowned London orchestras are forced to compete for one Arts Council grant and the subsequent threat this poses to programmes, performances and jobs as well as the future of two of the losers; and deems such a withdrawal of Arts Council funding to be contrary to the Council's stated commitment to maintain quality, access to the widest audience and cultural diversity and contrary to the Government's own commitment to maintain support for the Arts at the last General Election.

This motion has been signed by a total of 46 MPs.