Full scale of university arts cuts emerges

At least 14 universities are implementing redundancy programmes affecting arts degrees or closing creative courses, it has emerged.

Data compiled by Queen Mary University of London’s branch of the University & College Union shows eight universities have imposed direct cuts on creative degrees.

A further six have implemented university-wide redundancies that impact arts faculties over the last year.

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Institutions featured in the list include the University of Bedfordshire which, following a restructure last summer, “all but closed” its performing arts department, the research says, alongside making eight members of staff in media redundant and reducing the size of its School of Arts and the Creative Industries.

Elsewhere, the University of Portsmouth is planning to merge the faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences and Creative and Cultural Industries next year – although staff have told local press it is not planning to close any courses.

Meanwhile, Oxford Brookes University proposed folding their music department in November, which would lead to the redundancies of all staff. The department has since launched a protest and petition. Meanwhile, wider-reaching cuts at the university are leading to compulsory redundancies in the drama department.

Other universities are planning wider cuts that could impact their arts faculties. The research says “every department has been hit” by cuts at Coventry University, including its School of Art and Design and School of Media and Performing Arts, as it attempts to make savings totalling £100m.

Elsewhere, 100 redundancies are planned at the University of Huddersfield, including 15 in arts and humanities, while University of Staffordshire, home to degrees in acting, drama, art and design, film and media and music and sound, is planning cuts to 100 posts university-wide.

Queen Mary University London (QMUL) and the University of Surrey have both recently opened voluntary severance schemes covering several faculties. Though neither set specific redundancy targets, applications from QMUL’s drama and film schools and Surrey’s acting department were encouraged. In Surrey, 130 staff took voluntary severance over Easter.

The research contains details of cuts at several universities previously reported by Arts Professional, including the University of Kent’s phasing out of its music course, Goldsmiths’ redundancies affecting its music, theatre, performance and visual cultures courses and the University of Middlesex’s plan to make its entire theatre department redundant, with a loss of 13 academic posts alongside more jobs losses in music and dance.

A further 19 universities are currently carrying out university-wide voluntary severance schemes covering the whole university, according to the research, meaning in theory, creative teachers, researchers and degrees could be impacted.

The majority of these universities say their schemes are down to drops in student numbers and public funding. Some are threatening compulsory redundancies if voluntary schemes do not fulfil planned quotas.

"The universities on this list are the ones with announced and confirmed redundancies as well as restructures and interventions that drastically transform the working and learning conditions in their institution," the union said.

"More are rumoured about, and even more have been shrinking staff by not renewing fixed-term contracts or reducing hours of fractional contracts. These cuts are not as visible but are equally impactful, reducing programmes [and] stretching remaining staff."

Reduced government support

The analysis comes shortly after the union warned against an "assault on the arts" by the current government.

Earlier this month, the union called on university Vice Chancellors to oppose government plans to cut funding for performing and creative arts courses.

The call followed guidance issued by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, which stated grants intended to meet the extra costs of offering music, drama, fashion and other arts courses for undergraduates should be frozen.

The move was the latest in a string of government decisions deemed to negatively impact arts degrees. Last year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that from academic year 2024/25, limits will be imposed on courses that do not have a high proportion of graduates getting professional jobs, pursuing further studies or starting businesses.

The cap, aimed at what have been billed as ‘low value’ degrees, is largely expected to impact creative degrees, as graduates are less likely to follow traditional employment routes.

The pattern of growing cuts to creative degrees and redundancies coincides with declining uptake in creative GCSEs and A-levels. Creative subjects made up 7.1% of all GCSE exam entries and 10.7% of all A-level exam entries last summer, the lowest percentage share in both instances to date.