A new survey from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) reveals there has been a significant rise in the percentage of adults that want the Government to do more to support the arts in Britain.
Last year an RPO survey revealed that 76% of adults would like to see the new Government do more to support arts and culture in Britain. A year on, this has now risen to 85% and comes at a time when the public are most likely to rate music as the UK’s greatest export to the world (47%), ahead of other areas of excellence, including film and television (39%), sport (25%), English law (23%), manufacturing (17%) and business innovation (13%).
At a time when the Curriculum Review has offered positive signals, the new survey suggests UK parents want to see decisive action on music access, provision and funding. The RPO’s nationally representative poll asked 2,090 adults which projects they would like to see the Government doing to do more to support:
· Top of the wish-list for 2025-6 was more funding for music and singing lessons in primary schools across the UK (30% – up from 21% last year).
· There has also been a significant increase in the percentage of people that want the Government to commit more levelling-up funds to support regional venues, arts centres and arts projects across the UK (up from 18% in 2024 to 29% this year). This comes at a time when there have been vocal campaigns arguing the case that regional and grassroots music venues must be protected.
· More than a quarter of survey respondents also wanted to see more Government support for arts organisations that work with schools and have active community programmes (28% – up from 20% last year).
Other initiatives that the public believe require greater Government support include: making the arts more accessible to young people from all backgrounds (24%), further reducing the rate of VAT on tickets for concerts (22%), increasing arts funding for state schools (16%) and prioritising music and creative subjects as being important in schools and colleges, versus the current focus on sciences (15%).
Whilst the call for the Government to support for the arts was strongest in London (89%), in every region the percentage of people wanting more Government investment in the Arts has risen over the last 12-months – with the biggest rises recorded in the North East (rising from 70% to 87%), North West (75% to 88%), and the South East (77% to 87%).
Huw Davies, Deputy Managing Director at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra commented: “For years, many performing arts organisations have felt the squeeze on funding, yet arts and culture contribute billions of pounds to the UK economy remain one of the UK’s greatest economic exports to the world. Whilst we all acknowledge the huge demands on Government spending when it comes to health, education, housing, defence and infrastructure, our survey reminds us that people don’t want The Arts and music to be forgotten about – because they are vitally important to economic growth, social cohesion and personal wellbeing and enrichment.
“At the RPO we work with venues across the UK to support local access to orchestral music. Our award-winning RPO Resound programme supports music education and our recent relocation to the London Borough of Brent marks the start of a new chapter in the Orchestra’s long-term commitment to working directly with many diverse grassroots communities across the UK. Our work is passionately supported by our network of donors and corporate partners but arts organisations need a framework from Government where the arts in this country is valued, nurtured and celebrated for the enormous contribution it makes.”
RPO’s unique position in the orchestral world is powered by its mission to enrich lives through orchestral experiences that are uncompromising in their excellence, wide-ranging in their appeal and inclusive in their delivery. Performing approximately 200 concerts each season and with a worldwide live and online audience in excess of 60 million people, the RPO acts as a cultural ambassador for the UK on the world stage and enhances the social and cultural fabric of local communities at home through a wide range of community, education, inclusion and wellbeing programmes.