UK Culture Secretary: I won’t let our world-leading arts position be destroyed

Oliver Dowden has given his first newspaper interview. Declaring himself passionate about the arts he says: ‘I am not going to stand by and see our world-leading position in arts and culture destroyed.’

He’s in the middle of a battle with the Treasury — he calls it “intricate discussions” — to come up with a scheme to keep the arts sector from bankruptcy while Covid rules keep it closed. The deal is almost done. “Of course I want to get the money flowing,” he says. “I am not going to let anyone down.”

“I’ve always found the Chancellor and his team very engaged and understanding about the value of this sector,” he adds. Maybe. But even if an announcement comes soon there are going to be hard choices to make. “Not everyone is going to be happy with whatever comes up. I’m going to have to ask institutions to take difficult decisions”….

Read on here.