"Lumiere Durham's Final Flicker: Can The Arts Get Back On Track?
Durham, a city in North East England, was bathed in light and art every two years during the Lumiere festival. For 15 years, more than 250 artists from around the world illuminated its streets, cathedral, and castle. The event drew over 1.3 million people, generated £43m for the local economy, and involved nearly 14,000 community projects.
But with the festival's demise, a piece of the UK's cultural fabric has been lost forever. This raises a crucial question: can the government commit to investing in arts and culture?
The current state of the arts sector is bleak. Decades of neglect have taken its toll, and the system that supports it is broken. The Arts Council England has seen a 32% reduction in real-term funding since 2010, with its main grant-giving platform collapsing for four months this year.
Meanwhile, £400m is being poured into grassroots facilities, but not a fraction of that amount is allocated to arts and culture. UK Research and Innovation spends less than 2% of its budget on the arts and humanities.
The absence of targeted investment in arts will have devastating consequences. Many organizations will struggle to survive the next financial year, with business rates relief for cultural buildings set to expire. Local authorities face further real-terms cuts.
Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary, recently stated that "sport tells our story in a way few other things can." But what about art? It's what connects us across time and place, what inspires us, and what makes us human.
The government's failure to recognize the value of arts is stark. Investment in imagination, shared experience, and national storytelling is essential. We invest in trains, hospitals, and clean water because they're crucial; why not art?
Sector leaders are now calling for a new national arts recovery plan – not charity but public investment on par with other key sectors.
Durham's people understood this. Year after year, they came together to celebrate light, laughter, and quiet awe. Now, the lights are out, and we're left with flags and banners. Unless something changes, Lumiere won't be the last to go dark."
Durham, a city in North East England, was bathed in light and art every two years during the Lumiere festival. For 15 years, more than 250 artists from around the world illuminated its streets, cathedral, and castle. The event drew over 1.3 million people, generated £43m for the local economy, and involved nearly 14,000 community projects.
But with the festival's demise, a piece of the UK's cultural fabric has been lost forever. This raises a crucial question: can the government commit to investing in arts and culture?
The current state of the arts sector is bleak. Decades of neglect have taken its toll, and the system that supports it is broken. The Arts Council England has seen a 32% reduction in real-term funding since 2010, with its main grant-giving platform collapsing for four months this year.
Meanwhile, £400m is being poured into grassroots facilities, but not a fraction of that amount is allocated to arts and culture. UK Research and Innovation spends less than 2% of its budget on the arts and humanities.
The absence of targeted investment in arts will have devastating consequences. Many organizations will struggle to survive the next financial year, with business rates relief for cultural buildings set to expire. Local authorities face further real-terms cuts.
Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary, recently stated that "sport tells our story in a way few other things can." But what about art? It's what connects us across time and place, what inspires us, and what makes us human.
The government's failure to recognize the value of arts is stark. Investment in imagination, shared experience, and national storytelling is essential. We invest in trains, hospitals, and clean water because they're crucial; why not art?
Sector leaders are now calling for a new national arts recovery plan – not charity but public investment on par with other key sectors.
Durham's people understood this. Year after year, they came together to celebrate light, laughter, and quiet awe. Now, the lights are out, and we're left with flags and banners. Unless something changes, Lumiere won't be the last to go dark."
I'm literally heartbroken about Lumiere Durham's demise 
It was like a part of my soul was ripped away 
Every two years, Durham would transform into this magical wonderland and it was just incredible 
The festival not only brought art and culture to the people but also generated so much economic growth 
And can we talk about how it brought the community together? 
It's like the government has forgotten what arts and culture mean to us 
We need public investment on par with other key sectors because that's what our imagination, shared experiences, and national storytelling deserve 
I mean, why do we invest in trains, hospitals, and clean water but not art? 
It's all about recognizing the value of arts and giving them the recognition they deserve 
So let's keep the spirit of Lumiere Durham alive 
and make sure that our government understands the importance of arts and culture in our lives! 
Like, what's the point of having all this talent if no one's gonna support it? 15 years of Durham shining bright and now... nothing. It's like we're slowly losing our sense of community and culture. We need that artsy vibe in our lives, you know? And £400m for grassroots facilities but barely a pebble for the actual arts scene? No cap, that's just whack 
I mean, Lisa Nandy saying sport is more important than art? C'mon, lady, art is what makes us human! We need investment in imagination and shared experiences. Can't we throw some love into that pot too? 
The government needs to get on board with a new national arts recovery plan ASAP, stat! No more "oh, the arts are just a charity case"... they're not 
I'm not surprised to see another art festival bite the dust. It's like the UK just keeps draining its creative soul 
. They keep throwing money at grassroots facilities but barely scratch the surface of arts funding 
. Meanwhile, we're still waiting for that promised 'levelling up' which sounds more like a PR stunt 
. Durham was just a small example, but it's clear that our government doesn't value art or community projects. It's all about pouring cash into stuff they can control and sell us on, not investing in things that truly matter to people's lives 
.
The realist in me says it's not just Lumiere that's lost its spark, it's a bigger problem. We've been neglecting arts & culture for far too long 
32% reduction in funding since 2010? That's like saying we're cutting off our nose to spite our face 
. Sector leaders are right, we can't just rely on donations or goodwill, we need solid public investment 
.
. We need to recognize the value of arts in our society, not just as a feel-good thing, but as something that brings us together and makes us human 
. Can we really put a price on imagination & shared experience? I hope so, because if not, we're doomed 
. Nowadays, it's all about flashy events that disappear as quickly as they appear 
.
. I mean, what about the museums, galleries, and theaters that bring us all together? Don't they deserve some love too? 
And what really gets my goat is the government not recognizing the value of art. They're all about investing in sport and hospitals but where's the love for the creative side? 
We need a national arts recovery plan ASAP, like sector leaders are saying. It's time to bring back that light and magic to Durham... or is it too late now? 
. Can't we talk about the emotional impact of losing Lumiere Durham without it being a "rant" thread? 
. I mean, I get that we live in tough times, but do we really need to prioritize infrastructure projects over arts and culture? 
That's just basic human values right there 
. We should be investing in experiences that connect us as a nation, not just some random sport 
.
. Can we please have more spaces for passionate but respectful conversations? 