WGGB has joined six other trade unions in publishing an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in opposition to proposed funding cuts to creative and performative arts subjects in the Higher Education Teaching Grant budget for 2021–2022.

The other unions are Equity UK, University and College Union (UCU), Bectu, Musicians’ Union, Unison and Unite.

The cuts have been proposed by the Department for Education’s Office for Students body and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, and suggest halving the grants going to “high cost” Higher Education arts subjects in England to prioritise funding to “subjects vital to the economy and labour markets”.

This, the unions write, “threatens the health and accessibility of the entertainment and education sectors, jeopardises the livelihoods of HE and creative workers, and narrows training opportunities for future generations.”

The unions have also launched a joint petition (find out more here).

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