Wera Calls on Government to Support Cultural Sector

26 June 2020

The future of one of Bath’s and the nation’s key sectors is under threat.

Wera Hobhouse said:

“Here in Bath, we treasure our thriving cultural sector. It's part of our DNA and has been a magnet for talent and visitors alike.

But here and across the UK, Covid-19 has brought our internationally renowned arts and culture sector - worth £100bn to our national economy per year - to its knees, putting the future of so many organisations and jobs at grave risk.

That's why I coordinated a cross-party letter to Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg urging him to provide time to address this issue in Parliament, and to spell out exactly how the Government plans to support the arts sector.

The government must provide certainty and security for the hundreds of communities, spanning the UK, who rely on thriving cultural sectors to draw in visitors.

There are many questions left to answer about the future of these organisations – from how to social distance onstage to when a museum can expect to operate at full capacity once more.

We must make sure that our arts and culture do not become the forgotten industry in the pandemic recovery project."