A new report highlights the significant investment in creative industries across Northern England’s cities.
- Manchester ranks highest for creative funding outside London, benefiting from substantial regional investment.
- Leeds, Newcastle, and Sheffield follow closely, showcasing robust support for arts and culture.
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a boost in culture funding, bringing positive changes to the North.
- However, funding disparities remain, with Preston and Rochdale experiencing lower investment levels.
Manchester has emerged as a leading city for creative investment, with a reported expenditure of £52,000 per 10,000 residents. This funding has supported numerous museums, galleries, and creative businesses, and welcomed the internationally recognised Factory International, a significant new venue for arts and culture.
In Leeds, the investment exceeds £28 million, translating to over £53,000 for every 10,000 residents. This demonstrates strong financial backing for the arts, cementing its position as a vibrant cultural hub in the north.
Newcastle and Sheffield are also key players in supporting the creative sector, securing third and fourth positions, respectively. Sheffield offers a particularly noteworthy maximum funding amount of £50,000 for arts organisations through its Cultural Pipeline Fund.
The budget announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced a 2.6% increase in spending for culture, media, and sport, with £3 million allocated to expand the Creative Careers Programme, further bolstering the region’s cultural economy.
Despite these advancements, not all areas fare equally. Preston receives considerably less, at just £24,000 per 10,000 residents, highlighting an ongoing challenge of unequal distribution of funds. Similarly, Rochdale’s businesses face limitations with grants capped at £500, revealing a stark contrast in available support compared to other Northern cities.
Lewis Wilks, Berlew’s creative director, acknowledged, ‘Cities like Manchester are leading the way in supporting creative growth, with per capita funding that’s clearly helping local artists, businesses and cultural hubs.’ However, he also pointed out the notable disparities, indicating where additional support could foster transformative growth for underserved communities.
Berlew’s research used population size to adjust for local economic needs, assessing England’s cities via an index score out of 200. Higher scores signal a more substantial impact of arts funding on the local creative landscape.
Northern cities continue to drive investment in England’s creative sector, though funding inequities persist.
