The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP
Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DH

13 October 2010

Dear Jeremy,

Arts Funding

I am writing to you ahead of the Comprehensive Spending review and on behalf of both individuals and groups in my constituency to urge that you do everything you can to protect the arts from the planned public spending cuts.

In places like Brighton and Hove, they make up a crucial element of our local economy, and employ over 10% of the workforce. It's a sector that's projected to grow too, by 2.5-5% a year, creating an additional 790 jobs annually if properly supported.

Arts organisations in Brighton and Hove also generate income for the city, through creative industries, the service industry and tourism. I know from attending events at Brighton Festival, for example, just how popular the arts are locally and how much they benefit our city economically and culturally.

Rather than cutting funding to the many organisations that receive arts funding I very much hope that the coalition government will recognise the wider value of investment in the arts.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas MP, Brighton Pavilion