Press Story

London receives twice as much culture funding as the North
Leading think tank and The Great North unite to call out culture divide
New research by IPPR North lays bare the compounding crises facing northern young people

The leading think tank for the north of England has revealed the arts and culture funding gap between the North and London to be £450 million.

Analysis contained in IPPR North’s ‘State of the North’ report shows that in the Arts Council’s current funding round (between 2023 and early 2025), the North received £450 million, or £28 per person. At the same time, London received £519 million, or £57 per person.

Had the North received the same per person Arts Council funding as London, it would have seen £450 million more. That’s roughly equivalent to putting on 10 Bradford City of Cultures every three years.

This gap has shrunk from the previous funding round between 2018 and 2022, when IPPR North identified a £700m chasm. Yet researchers say there remains a clear need to redress historic underfunding and cultural exclusion in regions like the North. They say responsibility and funding for arts and culture should be handed over to mayors so that local leaders can deliver opportunities for locals – including young people.

IPPR North says the culture chasm is just one part of the “unacceptable baseline” that young northerners are born into. In 18 years’ time, Gen Z and younger will make up 60 per cent of the working population in the North. Yet, those very people who are the future of the region are facing serious inequalities today:

One million northern children are growing up in poverty.
Waiting times for talking therapies for anxiety and depression are 10 times longer in the North West than in London.
School pupils in the North receive 10 per cent less funding than their peers in London and record worse outcomes.
Yorkshire and Humber and the North East have some of the smallest parks, public gardens and playing fields in England. On average, Yorkshire and Humber’s parks are 2.5 times smaller than London’s, while the North East’s are twice as small as the capital’s.
An early relationship with reading is vital, yet library closures have disproportionately affected the north of England – over half of England’s library closures (183 of 347) between 2010 and 2024 were in the North.
While six per cent of primary schools in the South East do not have a library, 18 per cent in the North East lack one.

Experts at IPPR North argue that it’s time to break the cycle of regional inequality which holds back the next generations of northerners. They say that young people deserve a “better baseline”, the opportunity to live a “good life” and a stronger democratic voice - including by lowering the voting age to 16.

Chair of the Great North group of northern leaders, Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

“Culture is in the North's DNA, and our talent and creativity is known across the globe.

“Yet too much power is held in London, and by unelected quangos, where decision makers hold the future of Northern arts in their hands.

“It's little surprise the North has missed out on our fair share of culture investment, which has stifled the potential of our people and place.

“We know culture and creative industries are a catalyst for growth and pride, and as leaders across the Great North, we are determined to end the days where the North loses out. Through One Creative North led by Mayor Tracy Brabin, we have a blueprint to nurture a new generation of talent and investment across the North.

“I know this Government backs our devolution call, and I look forward to discussing this report with ministers”.

Report author and IPPR North research fellow, Ryan Swift commented:

“The kids aren’t alright. Arts and culture shouldn’t be the preserve of people born in the ‘right’ places to the ‘right’ money. Young people across the North want and deserve the access to entertainment, recreation, and opportunity afforded to their peers in other parts of the country.

“There is a clear need now to address the culture and opportunity chasms for the next generation of northerners to break out of the vicious cycle of regional inequality which acts as a barrier to life chances and satisfaction. Leaders should do so by taking steps to provide a better baseline for young people in the North, and by making sure that young peoples’ views and priorities are listened to and acted upon”.

Alun Francis, Chair of the Social Mobility Commission said:

"IPPR’s ‘State of the North 2025’ brings important focus on the specific challenges faced by many young people in the north of England.

"I welcome their use of the Social Mobility Commission's research to illustrate the role that childhood conditions and local labour market conditions play in influencing young people’s later life chances. Our State of the Nation report has been used to show how child poverty has risen in all of the north’s regions since 2014/15 and our Data Explorer Tool reveals that many places across the North have some of the lowest access to higher professional jobs.

"State of the North makes an important contribution to this debate, one which I believe supports and strengthens our call for place-based approaches to address local challenges and spread opportunity to all areas of the country."

ENDS

Contact: Rosie Lockwood, head of media and advocacy for IPPR North, on 07585772633 or r.lockwood@ippr.org.

Notes:

IPPR North spokespeople are available for interview.

IPPR North is the leading think-tank in the north of England, developing bold ideas for a stronger economy and prosperous places and people. For more information, visit ippr.org/north.