A quick guide to arts and culture in the local elections
On May 7th, millions of people across England will take to the polling stations to vote in their local elections. Approximately 5,000 council seats will be determined across 136 council races. It’s a chaotic affair, to say the least, with plenty of coined crises spinning indeterminably out of control.
In all of the boroughs, the role of mayor will lead local councils on a wide array of sociopolitical issues, ranging from community safety, services for vulnerable adults and children, cost of living crises and housing, to parks and open spaces. There are many things to tally, and with a steady decline in voter turnout in recent years, the complex political landscape becomes itself a preventative means for voter engagement.
But fear not – often, a necessary means through which to consider the political promises of an organisation, or a candidate, is through their focus (or lack thereof) on arts and culture.
Beyond the rising prices flashing from planet-sized billboards down every road, a separate, vital facet of British culture is on a shocking downward trajectory: according to some estimates, local government arts funding has dropped 55% in Britain since 2010, resulting in a 61% fall in England alone.
Despite this, Arts Council England has reported a significant rise in attendance at cultural events; Timothee Chalamet’s self-centred comments on the ballet and opera only seemed to have the opposite effect across the pond.
Clearly, greater investment in arts and culture is what the people want, but what some of the parties in local elections seem unwilling to give. In the words of John Lennon, “Art is a functional part of society. If you don’t have artists, you don’t have society.” So, what is each party promising?
Labour Party
Under the current Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, Labour is defending 2,569 of the council seats up for election. Their 2024 plan for the creative industries promised an ongoing focus on regional cultural growth, utilising arts to transform areas through a dedicated ‘Space to Create’ team.
The team aim to “nurture fledgling arts spaces and defend existing grassroots music venues, art galleries, pubs and sports pitches by exploring whether protections for cultural infrastructure within the planning system would be appropriate.”
The plan also promised to introduce a National Music Education Network for parents, carers and teachers to have a one-stop shop for resources and learning opportunities in the arts.
As for access to national museums and galleries, Labour will require publicly-funded national museums and galleries to increase their regional and national engagement and loans to public spaces.
Speaking of access, in light of the recent resale issues plaguing the music sector, the party pledged to cap resale prices to protect both the industry and fans from “exorbitant” prices.
At the local level, Southwark Labour has made one of its promises a free culture pass, working alongside cultural institutions to establish a pass that includes access to theatres, galleries and nightclubs, as per its plan.
Conservative Party
With a focus on “getting Britain working again,” the Conservative Party are instigating a wider focus on economic regeneration, rather than a local-level commitment to extracurricular cultural events or new community-building initiatives.
In direct opposition to Starmer’s community focus, local chairman Simon Jones has called out Labour for their current support of arts and culture, blaming “a dependent culture” stirred up by Labour, in which “people expect the government to provide for them”.
As such, arts and culture are likely to fall further into the hands of the individual and the private sector, under a Conservative seat.
In this vein, Kemi Badenoch launched the local election campaigns with a promise to cut regulations and lower tax burdens.
Elsewhere, some local manifestos, such as in Camden and Hounslow, mention a move to protect and improve cultural sites in their boroughs, as well as an initiative to ensure libraries stay open.
Liberal Democrats
“Culture is society’s glue; it connects people and breaks down barriers,” the Liberal Democratic Party have shared on their official website. As such, the party have pledged to “exploit Britain’s worldwide reputation in the creative industries to help regenerate our economy, our communities and our society.”
Additionally, Ed Davey and co have pledged to boost funding in this area by applying to participate fully in the EU’s Creative Europe programme, in order to stave off the effects of loneliness and isolation through community hubs and centres.
He shared passionately, “The Liberal Democrats want to breathe new life into British high streets and community centres to give everyone a place to do what they love, with other people who love it too. It is so important that we do not allow isolation to become the new normal.”
At the local level, Camden’s Liberal Democrats commit to encouraging public art with a keen eye on busking. The Party will work with partners to deliver local festivals and cultural events as part of a commitment to make arts and culture a key to revitalise the high streets
Additionally, the Liberal Democrats currently have control over the Sutton council, and have pledged to set up a new Arts and Culture Future Forum to inform new culture plans going forward.
Green Party
Since Zack Polanski’s leadership win in September 2025, party membership has surged from roughly 66,000 to over 215,000 by March 2026, most notably in the under-29-year-old region. As such, the party has a sustained focus on social justice initiatives; as it is mostly run by volunteers, community activism, and by extension arts and culture, is at the heart of the party’s initiative.
In 2024, the Green Party’s 2024 manifesto included ambitious pledges for a £5 billion fund over five years to help local governments keep historic venues alive, increased funding for arts education and plans to reduce ticket costs for museums, music gigs, and live theatre. The focus is still central to their mission.
“The power and the value of community art, of independent art, of art to heal people,” Polanski told Bricks Magazine in a recent interview, adding, “is that it brings people together, but it also solves problems we don’t always talk about in the same breath as arts funding – the mental health crisis, the climate crisis, the lack of community and integration. Art is not the only answer, but it can be a huge answer to a lot of these issues.”
At the high-street level, the party have pledged to use council powers, including compulsory purchase orders, to convert long-term empty shops into arts, music, and leisure facilities, while promoting affordable access to culture and supporting the night-time economy.
Polanski and fellow Green Party politician Hannah Spencer also co-headlined the “House Against Hate” rally in Trafalgar Square on March 28th, which featured music alongside political speeches, exemplifying their commitment to a politics of art, culture, and community care.
Reform Party
Following an unexpected performance in the 2024 election, whereby the Party won five seats and was backed by four million voters, Nigel Farage’s party are running with a less localised approach to the mayoral elections.
Their committed slogan “Reform will fix it” heightens the anti-immigration rhetoric central to their right-wing ethos, as well as focusing on “anti-woke” policies at the local government level. Instead, Farage has emphasised a return to “Judeo-Christian principles”.
The 2024 manifesto pledged further arts funding cuts, shaving off another £5 for every £100 spent in the arts, to “save £50 billion per year, ensure tax cuts and boost our economy.”
The Party also want to move to replace the 2010 Equality Act, and scrap Diversity, Equality and Inclusion rules. Additionally, they proposed an abolition of the BBC’s funding model, likely to inhibit wider public access to the arts.
