Funding in the Cultural Sector
11.39 Between 2001and 2004, the South West was granted the fifth highest level of Lottery funding for cultural activities of the nine English regions, receiving £198 million compared to the national average (excluding London) of £183 million, (Kinghurst 2004). The South West also received £105 million of government funds for cultural activities, the third highest level of funding after London and the South East. Lottery funds which are allocated according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), place the South West above the national average. However, if IMD is used to allocate national and local government funds for cultural activities in the South West, this will have a detrimental effect on provision in future years. The region has the lowest proportion of the most deprived Super Output Areas (SOA) in England with only 4% as defined by the IMD. In addition, trends in local authority spending show, according to Local Authorities; A Change in Cultural Climate, (Holden 2006), cultural services are a vulnerable area for cutback because of their non-statutory status.