Jack Gamble, Director and CEO of Campaign for the Arts, has called for government to step in and help.

“Local access to the arts depends on local funding of the arts, so it’s very concerning to see these forecasts. We all appreciate the scale of the financial challenge faced by many councils, but scrapping what’s left of cultural budgets will be all pain for no long-term gain.

“Fewer arts venues will mean fewer jobs – not just in the arts, but in hospitality and retail, transport and tourism. Fewer arts programmes will most likely lead to increased pressures on mental health services.

“Rather than kicking the can down the road, let’s harness the potential of the arts to strengthen and enrich our local communities. If local councils cannot afford to do so, central government should step in to support them.”