ENO’s music director: Leaving London is bad for everyone

From an article by Martyn Brabbins in the Times today:

I grew up in a council estate in the Midlands, was a beneficiary of free school meals and know first-hand the enormous impact that access to quality artistic fare (as well as free instrumental music lessons) can have on a young person from such a background. I am the last person who would resist widening access to the arts. While absolutely none of us is against the idea of expanding the reach of great opera across the nation, without adequate funding and years of strategic planning for such a transition we risk not being able to deliver the quality or scale of performance we know any partner city would rightly expect…

If we are to grow and protect the incredible richness and diversity of arts in this country and truly “level up”, these priority areas should be given additional long-term funding to build and expand existing bases, and support local artists and musicians — not rob Peter to short-change Paul.

More here.