XXX MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
XX October 2015
Dear XXX
As my local MP, I want to tell you about the benefits that arts and culture bring to this
constituency and the rest of the UK.
The creative industries are the most rapidly growing part of our economy. We add over £7.7
billion to the UK economy for less than 0.1% of Government funding in England. For every £1
the government invests in grant-in-aid funding, the arts return £5 to the Treasury. One in twenty
people in the UK work in our creative industries infrastructure, and in the last five years, uptake
in apprenticeships has grown four times faster than any other sector.
Public funding of the arts supports the development of new work, new artists and new ideas.
This public funding is essential to the continued health of both the performing arts and the
ecology of the wider creative industries. World-leading British culture also plays an important
‘soft power’ diplomatic role, most recently as part of the Chancellor’s economic mission to
China.
The arts also have an enormous impact in your constituency and in constituencies across the
UK. Incoming tourism and business to the capital helps revive local economies, driving
regeneration and creating places where people want to live and work. In education, the
availability of cultural activities is shown to substantially aid academic attainment – students
from low income families that take part in cultural activities are three times more likely to gain a
degree.
Public funding of the arts is crucial to the health of the industry and the wellbeing of the nation.
They are a vital resource that we cannot afford to lose, but with increased pressure on national
and local Government budgets these remain challenging times. That is why I value your
support, and I encourage you to contact one of the vibrant local theatres, galleries or arts
centres in your constituency to experience first-hand the value they bring to the area and the
opportunities they afford your constituents.
Thank you for your support.
Yours sincerely,
XX NAME XXX