By Charlotte Ndupuechi.
In the shadow of Southampton’s failed bid to become City of Culture, I can’t help wondering what legacy we are leaving for future generations. What is the true cost of cultural engagement, and how accessible is it for everyone?
Take music lessons in schools. In 2024-2025 a 20-minute lesson cost £165 per term– that’s £495 per child per year. Some schools, like Upper Shirley High, offer free lessons for pupils on premium funding or reduced fees for some. But for many families, these costs remain a significant barrier.
Joining local music groups costs around £200 per child each year. If your child wants to take a grading exam, that’s an additional £150 per test. And then there are books, transportation and other expenses.
The Southampton City Art Gallery offers a youth art club for 7 to 11-year-olds, priced at £12.50 per child per session. They also host workshops with popular themes like Pokémon ironically titled “Art for All”, except ‘all’ really means “all who can afford £8 per child per session.” And yes these are reasonably priced compared to other activities but I cant help fee that it will mean that some will miss out.
Mayflower Theatre offers youth productions, but again, it comes at a steep cost of £200- £250 per child to participate – again bursaries are available. What about the gifted and talented individuals who might still be excluded by these financial barriers? How many potential artists, musicians, and actors are we restricting from pursuing their passions due to the high cost?
Have we reached a point where offering cultural opportunities without a price tag is no longer feasible for our society? Are we really too financially strained as a nation to provide these experiences?
A report from Arts Council England highlights:
- The arts and culture industry has grown £390million in a year and now contributes £10.8billion a year to the UK economy.
- The sector contributes £2.8billion a year to the Treasury via taxation, and generates a further £23billion a year and 363,700 jobs.
So are we missing a trick?
History has shown us that culture is often the first target of authoritarian regimes- books are burned, and productions are censored. The arts foster empathy and understanding, allowing us to see the world through different perspectives. Enabling us to step into another person’s shoes and see the world through the eyes of others. That’s exactly why they’re attacked and why we should be striving to make it as accessible as possible.
Because if culture is only for those who can afford it, then it isn’t really for all, is it?
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