Dear Cllr [your councillor’s name],

Re: Proposed Cardiff Council Cuts to the Arts

As a local resident I am writing to you to ask you to reconsider the proposed cuts to arts funding that have been tabled in the Budget Proposals for 2016 /2017.

Arts and culture have an important role to play in the life of a capital city such as Cardiff. The ambition that has been laid out for Cardiff in the current 10-year strategy, Cardiff Proud Capital, wants the city to be a great place to live, work and play. Arts festivals, venues and organisations make a valuable contribution to the delivery of this vision, not just by providing leisure activities, but also by supporting community cohesion, health and wellbeing outcomes, and educational attainment. What would our city look like without this provision?

In November this year, the chancellor stated that cutting the arts is a false economy – “One of the best investments we can make as a nation is in our extraordinary arts, museums, heritage, media and sport.” The fact is that investment in the arts often doubles in the return to the economy. Three of the arts festivals that are under threat of cuts bring visitors to Cardiff from across the world to see the world class visual arts and music they produce. Tourism is a key part of Cardiff’s economy and your proposed budget also seeks an increase in tourism income. Surely, in light of this, the cuts are a false economy.

Lastly, I would like to point out that many of the arts organisations and venues that you are proposing to cut are working with some of the most vulnerable residents in Cardiff to improve their quality of life. These venues and organisations are willing partners who will work with you to develop this provision if you sustain your funding support. They are already working for ‘Team Cardiff’. They make a valuable contribution to school provision and adult education, enabling people to develop skills and gain qualifications.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and passing on my views to the Council in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

[your name]

[your address]