Arts and culture could be vital for East's pandemic recovery

According to the report by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) released on Thursday 8th October, the arts and culture industry contributed £980 million to the East of England in 2018.

It also provided 17,230 full-time equivalent jobs in the region in the same year.

Artistic creation and Performing arts were the biggest contributors, worth £198m and £196m respectively.

The industry as a whole contributed more to the region in 2018 that Scientific research and development, and Avertising and marketing research, combined.

The report also revealed that if chain impacts and employee expenditure were also taken into consideration, arts and culture supported £1.9 billion and 37,500 jobs in the East in 2018.

Further research from the CEBR claims that the Culture Recovery Fund will boost the sector's Gross Value Added (GVA) by £1.4bn and will help it return to its pre-lockdown level by 2022; which is a full year earlier than was anticipated without government intervention.

Coronavirus has had a big impact on the industry with losses of around 23% according to the report.

Sir Nicholas Serota, who's Chair of Arts Council England, said: "These figures demonstrate that, beyond the value of the arts to the lives of people across the country, the cultural sector is an economic force in its own right, as well as an essential pipeline for talent and ideas into the wider creative industries - one of our fastest growing sectors before the pandemic.

"By investing thorugh the Culture Recovery Fund, the Government is helping to protect the sector, ensuring that it can bounce back more quickly and play a vital role in the national recovery as we emerge from the pandemic."

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said: "I know that recent months have been challenging and uncertain times for the arts, culture and heritage sectors but the findings in this report are welcome news."