An open letter to Chris Bryant, the tenth UK arts minister in ten years

Visitor numbers in museums are currently about 15% lower than pre-pandemic levels, compounded by funding cuts that resulted in a national loss of 30% last year.

Grant-in-aid for Arts Council England has declined by almost a fifth in real terms over the past five years, severely affecting regional museums and their sustainability.

Only a few major London museums are capable of increasing their own revenue, raising concerns about the accessibility of public collections when monetized.

The debate continues on whether UK taxpayers should subsidize free entry for tourists, especially given that many visitors to museums are from abroad.

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