Creativity lies at the core of our world, influencing culture, economy and personal connection. The arts play a crucial role in our lives – often without us even realising it. The arts help us to forge vital connection between people and great brands – it’s the reason we cry at adverts, why we remember a company based on its logo, and often even why someone will convert on a website.
The economy in the arts is a two-way street – the more funding it gets, the more recognised the arts will be. Yet, recognition of the arts is also vital for securing further funding, as with increased visibility, trust and respect of the arts, so to comes greater financial support, ensuring that the creative sector continues to thrive.
In Labour’s first budget in 15 years, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced a boost in spending for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of 2.6%, including £3m to grow the Creative Careers Programme.
Arts funding is essential for sustaining the likes of graphic design and web design fostering a rich cultural landscape that inspires innovation. Adequate support for arts and cultural programmes provide designers with the resources they need for visual and conceptual inspiration. And public institutions such as museums and galleries not only spark new ideas in creatives, but also serve as community hubs where they can collaborate and contribute to public projects. This is extra important in the industry, where almost two-thirds (32%) of people in the arts and creative sectors are self-employed.
It’s also crucial for the economy – there were over 2.4 million people in jobs in the UK creative industries in 2022. And when arts and cultural programmes receive adequate funding, designers have better access to resources for visual and conceptual inspiration.
For professionals working in brand strategy and visual communication, arts funding can help to create and nurture those brands, and make sure that they resonate deeply with their target audience with authentic, locally-inspired narratives and visual identities that resonate with specific demographics, with the funds to enable them to access tools, solutions, and talent to do so.
By incorporating art, music, or cultural references into their work, designers can help brands create more engaging and meaningful connections with audiences, fostering brand loyalty and driving business growth.
It’s simple – without a nationwide focus on investment into arts, brands in the UK will be stalled – and when 55% of a brand’s first impressions are visual, it’s clear something needs to be done.
Funding on a grassroots level
But it’s not just about funding to help current creatives and businesses – arts grants and local initiatives can also help to encourage and nurture our future creatives. Education and training programmes can help designers and other professionals not just enter the industry, but sharpen their skills and learn how to adapt them to evolving industry trends. Grants and scholarships for arts education make it possible for more people to access this specialised industry training, while workshops and community projects can enable designers to experiment, collaborate and refine their craft.
In this way, arts funding not only empowers individual creatives but also strengthens the creative economy as a whole and fosters a diverse and accessible arts scene across the country.
Grants like this, often provided by local councils, charities and community initiatives, helps emerging artists and smaller organisations to thrive, especially in rural or underserved regions. It fills gaps left by large-scale funding, which typically favours established institutions in urban areas, ensuring that art remains accessible to a broader audience.
Put simply, creativity is being stifled in the UK by cuts to funding and resources, particularly in equitable distribution.
The current state of the art(s) across the UK
Despite the significant contributions of the arts to the economy and mental well-being, there has been an ongoing struggle to justify public spending in this area. Reports indicate that the UK ranks among the lowest in arts funding across Europe. This underinvestment not only affects the immediate creative community but also the broader cultural fabric of society.
Whether it’s joining a local choir, listening to music alone or standing in a concert crowd, the arts enrich our lives every day: educating us, improving our health and shaping our perspectives.
Understanding the Economic Impact of Arts Development
Without the opportunities that locally-funded arts brings to creatives, there can be long-term economic and wellbeing impacts. So we decided to explore the current state of the nation!
To evaluate the impact of arts development in cities across England, it’s crucial to consider population size and its impact on funding. Berlew has undertaken a deep-dive to understand, nationally, where the country needs to level up its arts funding.
Berlew took the largest cities in England by population size, according to the ONS. We then looked at all projects in those cities, according to the data provided by Arts Council England, and its annual funding for 2023-2026, to understand how much is currently spent per year, per 10,000 residents.
Berlew also then looked at the maximum* amount of funding that local councils offer to small and medium-sized businesses for arts development or community events, to get a full picture of the status of arts and creativity investment in England. This was according to relevant local council websites and is the most up-to-date information currently available.
We then took both data points, and created a weighted index score out of 200 – the higher the score of the city, the better the impact of its creative funding in 2024.
Where are the best cities for arts funding in England?
Overall, it’s cultural hub Manchester that’s the best for creatives. The city, that’s not too far from Media City in Salford, has a population of around half a million, not including those in Greater Manchester, and has seen over £24 million of investment from Arts Council England in the most recent data, marking a spend of £52,000 for every 10,000 residents.
On top of this, Manchester’s Cultural Partnerships Grant programme, which was set up in 2011 to provide funding for cultural organisations, allows cultural or arts-based organisations to apply for an annual grant of up to £40,000 – one of the highest of all cities analysed.
Leeds, with a population of over half a million, has seen over £28 million of investment, making a spend of over 53,000 for every 10,000 residents.
Other northern cities continued the trend, with Newcastle-upon-Tyne in third and Sheffield residents in fourth. Bristol, was fifth, while Birmingham despite being Britain’s second city, only came in sixth place.
According to the research, and documentation available, Sheffield currently has the highest maximum amount on offer to arts and cultural organisation for funding opportunities, at up to £50,000 in its Cultural Pipeline Fund.

What cities need more funding for the arts?
Just around the corner from Manchester, Lancashire city Preston came in last, with a spend over £24,000 for every 10,000 residents – just over £2 per person.
The county council’s culture and sports fund also offers up to a maximum contribution of £1,500 for individuals or businesses running projects “which are to provide a cultural/sport activity to a community on a not-for-profit basis.”
Other cities that require support are Rochdale, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent and Derby, which has a nationally-renowned bi-annual book festival. Businesses in Rochdale can apply for up to £500 through the Rochdale Borough Culture Network – a fraction of the amount that businesses in other cities can apply for.

Conclusion
The relationship between arts funding and recognition is mutually beneficial:: increased funding leads to greater visibility, and more recognition can secure additional funding. Yet, to harness this potential, it is essential to address the current challenges facing the arts in the UK. By prioritising creative funding, we can ensure a vibrant cultural landscape that supports not only individual artists but the community as a whole, enriching our lives and economies for years to come.
Need help with your creative services, or brand? Contact us at Berlew, a brand studio and graphic design agency based in Nottingham, which has over 10 years experience in creating compelling brands that drive success and growth.

Methodology
*To assess the impact of arts funding in England’s cities, Berlew used population size as a baseline, understanding that population affects local economic needs and potential impact of arts development. Berlew analysed England’s largest cities by population, according to ONS data, and reviewed funding data from Arts Council England for 2023-2026 to assess per capita funding for arts projects. Additionally, Berlew looked at relevant local council and local organisation sites in each city, to examine the maximum funding available from local councils for small and medium-sized business-led arts and community initiatives. These data points were combined into an index score out of 200, indicating a city’s arts funding impact, with higher scores signifying a greater positive influence on the local creative landscape.
Data is correct as of October 2024.