Arts Funding in Crisis with Nicholas Hytner and Tarek Iskander

Talking Moves

In this special episode, we talk to two artistic directors about the current funding crisis ravaging our sector.

Back in May, when the Greenwich Dance team was having funding applications repeatedly rejected, we were relieved to see renowned theatre director Nicholas Hytner's Guardian article "The arts in Britain are teetering on the brink. Here's my plan to save them". Here at last someone was talking about the dire situation the arts are in and, just as importantly, offering up with ideas about how to do something about it.

And it turns out someone else had also been thinking constructively about arts funding models. Way back in 2020, Tarek Iskander, Artistic Director of Battersea Arts Centre, proposed a National Arts Service, using his experience of working in the NHS as a starting point.

As we begin to see a general election on the horizon and the possibility of a new government starts to feel possible, we invited them both to talk us through their intriguing provocations. We ask at this time, when we are emerging from a pandemic, suffering the effects of a cost of living crisis and dealing with the repercussions of Brexit, how do we inject more funding into the cracks appearing in the arts? And as we navigate our own precarious funding situation, we ask if not now – when?

Talking Moves is a Greenwich Dance production
Presented by Melanie Precious
Production by Carmel Smith, Lucy White and Melanie Precious

Recording date: Wednesday 19 July 2023