kerry davies Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Welsh Arts Council have today revealed that they are completely removing funding from 32 out of 103 organisations and/or events from April 2011. Arts Council England have saved 0.5% (about £14M) in 2009/10 but should a similar 30+% cut be made by them for 2011 onward some 270+ organisations could have their entire funding removed. Live music employment appears to be doing fairly well but facilities, backstage but not admin and management, employment has already fallen by more than 10%. Cuts of these dimensions will mean that pressure on wages will also be phenomenal. Given the above, what advice should BR members give those wishing to enter the business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Given the above, what advice should BR members give those wishing to enter the business?I'd say that depends entirely on how they want to try to enter the marketplace. My views (and many others') on the make-it-quick brigade who buy up a small to medium amount of budget kit at 16 and set themselves up as a 'business' are well known here. In my honest opinion, they should be looking at getting themselves employed in a practical sense rather than attempting to be their own 'boss'. And I'd wager that regardless of the funding cuts, the majority of those who do follow the above path will end up failing in a number of ways - maybe bringing in a little pocket money, but highly unlikely to even cover the costs of their investments. So my advice to those as yet not actually in the business of entertainment behind the scenes?Unless you are (in others' qualified opinions, not your own) a talented technician who's had a good degree of training and on the job experience you may well find yourself unable to break in to the great wide world of 'the arts'. It strikes me that it will be a buyer's market, so those who get the jobs are going to be those who have proven they can get the job done.At least in the short term, I'd advise looking at obtaining gainful employment at a 'regular' job, do some am-dram and favours for mates, and reassess your position in a few years. I will say that this is one industry that isn't necessarily age-ist (up to a point) and it is possible to get a foothold in the door at a later date rather than straight from school... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 All arts are going to be an easy target when it comes to cuts. Ask most people which they'd rather keep open their local theatre or their local hospital and they'll go for the hospital - theatre doesn't often save lives! At the same time as arts funding is drying up so to is spending on the arts by the public. Once the axe starts to fall on public sector employees visitors/audiences are going to drop dramatically. After all what are you going to spend your dole on; food or the arts? In short my advice to those wanting to enter the business would be DON'T. Although that has always been my advice - if people take it then they probably aren't the right sort to be in the business anyway, if they're determined to press on against all the odds good on 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Sadly, this is a universal theme. Canada is much less hard-hit by the economic crisis than the UK, but still in the Province where I live, 50% of Arts funding is being cut and that might climb to 90% next year. The caliber of people seeking employment is rising as experienced people lose work elsewhere. It's a hard time to be a new graduate, for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 We're in a recession - supposedly.The recent UK budget has allegedly reduced most people's income and everyone will be hit in some way.Budgets are being cut across the board. BUT.... It still seems that 'ordinary' people are happy to queue down the street to get their hands on the new iPad...And still more have upgraded their now obsolete iPhone for the latest model... I can't help feeling that in general too many people in this country have too much cash (or is it plastic...?) to waste on stuff that doesn't really matter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightsource Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 We're in a recession - supposedly...................... (or is it plastic...?) And exactly one of the founding reasons for Bankrupt Britain. People spending money they did not have. Unless you are (in others' qualified opinions, not your own) a talented technician who's had a good degree of training and on the job experience you may well find yourself unable to break in to the great wide world of 'the arts'.It strikes me that it will be a buyer's market, so those who get the jobs are going to be those who have proven they can get the job done. Totally agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleah Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 BUT.... It still seems that 'ordinary' people are happy to queue down the street to get their hands on the new iPad...And still more have upgraded their now obsolete iPhone for the latest model... I can't help feeling that in general too many people in this country have too much cash (or is it plastic...?) to waste on stuff that doesn't really matter... I agree 100% Tony. It annoys me the amount of waste that still goes on when something could easily be done about it. Simple things such as switching the bloomin' lights off! I work in a private school and we are finally looking at energy savings, the caretakers are getting better at switching off lights and we are trying (but still failing to a point) to get staff to switch off computers, but sadly we still have many who not only fail in that, but also leave data projectors burning away overnight - I really do wonder .... and then they wonder why pay rises get frozen!!!! :blink: We have parents driving the latest Chelsea Tractors for absolutly no reason, other than they can afford to buy and run them. If those with authority would concentrate on saving money by preventing wastage and unnecessary spending, then the cuts could probably be reduced quite significantly. But that would be to easy, wouldn't it? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Saving money by turning off unused appliances is hardly new.And it's far from rocket science. Why do we still ned to teach everyone's granny to suck eggs over it? Simple - laziness. The population in general has become lazy over the last few decades (and yes, I'll include myself in that to a degree). The 'thrifty fifties' were (I understand) a time of definite make do and mend, so close after the war ended. And that carried on into the sixties, but as prosperity returned by the time the seventies arrived (and the reduction in price of many consumer goods) the rot began to set in. The CBA attitude strikes us all at times I'm sure, but these days the number of us that CBA for MOST of the time is pretty high.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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