Arts Council England (ACE) has pulled off a coup in a bid to distribute its funding in a more racially equitable way.  It has increased the percentage of NPO funding to Black and Brown-led organisations from 2.4% to 8.5%.  

This has in part been paid for by a 9% cut to opera and classical music, which had previously consumed 88.8% of ACE’s entire music budget.

Although it still represents circa 80% of the entire music budget ACE funds across the national portfolio, recent backlash from the opera and classical lobby has been received via a petition to reverse some of this funding redistribution. 

As part of my work with Create Equity, I am calling on the general public to support ACE’s decision to redistribute its funding in a fairer way. This is part of Create Equity 2031 - a campaign asking for racially equitable funding by 2031.

Now is the time to show who we are and what we stand for as a sector and a country. If we fail now, we risk losing the gains that ACE has given us and lose the opportunity - for at least another generation - to achieve a fair funding system in the UK.

Please support our petition to prevent any reversal of ACE’s recent decisions.