Equity has responded to today’s Spending Review with disappointment, calling the cuts to the culture department “confused” and a “self-imposed injury” to the economy.
The Chancellor today announced real terms cuts to both resource and capital expenditure within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This is despite the government’s own industrial strategy identifying the creative industries as one of their eight ‘growth driving’ sectors.
Today’s cuts are a self-imposed injury to a growth-driving sector of our economy, showing this government is deeply confused about the arts.
Paul W. Fleming, Equity General Secretary
Commenting on the Spending Review 2025, Equity’s General Secretary Paul W. Fleming said: “Today’s cuts are a self-imposed injury to a growth-driving sector of our economy, showing this government is deeply confused about the arts.
“One day they are hailing our sectors as critical to economic growth in their industrial strategy. The next they are announcing real terms cuts to the culture department in their Spending Review.
“One day they are emphasising the importance of exporting our creative sectors across the world, the next they are trying to hand UK content over to multinational AI companies for free.
“Equity demands an urgent reset for the UK arts and entertainment, with a new strategy focused on investment, growth and creators’ rights.
“It is the creative workforce which provides the value to the creative industries. It is time for the government to recognise them.”
Today’s Spending Review announced:
- DCMS administration budget cut by 15% by 2030, a major shrinking of the department staff.
- DCMS Total Departmental Expenditure will be cut by 1.4% over the Spending Review period, this includes
o DCMS Resource DEL will be cut by 1.2% over the Spending Review period.
o DCMS Capital DEL will be cut by 2.8% over the Spending Review period.
