skip to main content

Brum, Rise Up! Join the MU to Campaign Against Birmingham City Council Cuts

MU Midlands members are urged to join us outside Birmingham City Council House on Tuesday 18 June to demand a reversal of the cuts to the city's vital services, libraries and arts sector.

Photo ofStephen Brown
By Stephen Brown Published: 11 June 2024 | 5:22 PM Updated: 14 June 2024 | 12:41 PM
A protest in Birmingham against city council cuts, with protesters waving flags and holding banners.
We urge Midlands members to join us in sending a message to the council and prospective Birmingham MPs that they must reinvest in our city and save our arts and culture. Image credit: The MU.

The MU has teamed up with community activists, trade unions and citizens - facilitated by The People’s Assembly - to fight the cuts to Birmingham’s vital services, libraries, and arts sector.

On Tuesday 18 June, we will be lobbying outside Birmingham City Council House to demand a reversal to the cuts and a plan to restore the city’s jobs, services and culture.

A drastic impact on Birmingham’s cultural sector

Birmingham City Council is making £300 million cuts over the next two years, including £3.2 million of cultural cuts.

The cuts will end all funding to many of the city’s key cultural organisations such as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and The Rep.

The impact will be devastating for Birmingham’s cultural sector, further eroding opportunities for musicians to forge a sustainable career in the region.

We demand a reversal of the cuts and the devastation they will bring

Brum Rise Up is calling for an end to the cuts and reinvestment in our services with a simple, two-part message:

  1. Birmingham City Council must pause the cuts, especially in light of the General Election: We demand a reversal of the cuts and a plan to reinvest in the city’s communities and arts as soon as possible.
  2. MPs must fight for more council funding in Westminster: Austerity is the underlying issue. We need our MPs to raise their voice and call for better funding to Birmingham City Council and removal of the commissioners costing us millions and adding to the financial problems.

In the run-up to the General Election, Brum Rise Up is working hard to try and get Council funding on the national agenda and will be holding events and lobbies as part of this demand.

Join the arts and culture lobby at 5:00 pm

MU Midlands members are invited to join us on Tuesday 18 June. We will be lobbying the next full council meeting outside Birmingham City Council House in two stages:

12:00pm - 2:00pm
Concentrating on Libraries, SEND, and people with disabilities

5:00pm - 7:00pm
Concentrating on arts and culture

Address
Birmingham City Council House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B1 1BB

We’d love for you to join us in sending a message to the council and prospective Birmingham MPs that they must reinvest in our city and save our arts and culture.

Be a changemaker and get your voice heard

Make a change in your local area or within your music sector, or to be part of the governing body of the union. Get involved with the Musicians' Union's work.

Members can get involved and shape the future of music through the MU's democratic structures.

There are many ways to get involved 

and much more.

Shape MU policy

Be a changemaker and get your voice heard

Continue reading

Exterior of the Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff, where the Welsh National Opera is based.

MU Responds to Welsh National Opera Cuts

Musicians' Union members in the orchestra of Welsh National Opera (WNO) are facing a reduction in working weeks, equating to a 15% pay cut as a result of a funding shortfall for the company.

Published: 28 March 2024

Read more about MU Responds to Welsh National Opera Cuts