UK 270 million Arts Sector boost: how important are the arts at university? 

In light of Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s announcement of a £270 million funding package for the Arts Sector, with £3.2 million of this budget being allocated to cultural education programmes, there is hope that much-needed support is finally being provided to the arts education sector, which has previously faced consistent financial cuts, rather than funding allocations. 

Most of us have been encouraged to pursue STEM subjects since secondary school, with the pursuit of arts subjects seen as an 'unstable,' 'ill-advised' career decision which will only lead to success for very few lucky, talented individuals. Although arts degrees are commonly criticised for the lack of financial opportunities they provide, creativity is a vital part of every modern industry. From graphic and digital designers creating websites and apps which facilitate the growth of businesses and the technology industry to concept artists and animators driving the ideas behind the entertainment industry, it’s clear that most sectors would struggle without the input of artistic individuals.

Creative industries contributed £124.6 billion in gross value added to the UK economy in 2022 and employed 2.4 million people. So why are the arts constantly devalued and made out to be non-profitable?

Governments and corporations prioritise STEM subjects because they directly fuel Big Tech, pharmaceuticals and engineering industries, which are the backbone of capitalist power structures. This leads to many creative individuals being told their artistic interests would be better off as a hobby, and that they should focus their career on something that would be more 'profitable' and 'contribute more to society.'

In this way, contributions to society are only seen as valuable if they are in the form of financial profit: contributing to society by providing the public with art and culture, documenting and shining a light on social issues, or working for non-profit causes is seen as worthless. However, it’s needless to say that our lives would be pretty dull if the contribution of creative industries to society were taken away. Artistic degrees should be encouraged and celebrated, as they create forward-thinking, problem-solving individuals who represent the future of this country’s creative industries and cultural development.