Funding squeeze leaves art bodies at a 'tipping point' - Serota

Arts and cultural centres in England are at a "tipping point" as many face closure or restricted operations without public investment, the chair of Arts Council England (Ace) has warned before the government spending review next month.

- Harriet Sherwood

Sir Nicholas Serota, who runs the body that distributes public funds to arts organisations ranging from national institutions to community-based ventures, said it would be a tragedy if people outside big cities were denied access to the arts.

Serota said: "The arts have been on standstill funding since 2010 and [organisations] have shown themselves to be enormously inventive and resilient in finding new sources of funds and working in new ways. But there is a limit to what can be achieved. It would be a tragedy if we were not able to maintain momentum."

Ministers' spending review on 11 June is expected to focus on growth and key public services, giving rise to fears that budgets for other sectors may be hit.

A report, Leading the Crowd, published by Ace on Friday, found that public funding in arts and culture attracts additional investment from the private sector, a phenomenon known as "crowding in".

It says: "Public investment acts as a catalyst... These funds help organisations attract philanthropic support, sponsorship and grow their commercial income streams."