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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sapphire Hope

Arts snobbery row erupts as opera gets seven times more funding than brass band

Arts Council Esther McVey Timothée Chalamet

Government funding for opera has outstripped support for brass bands by a factor of seven in recent years, sparking accusations of "snobbishness" and a "southern and metropolitan bias" in arts funding. The disparity challenges long-held stereotypes about brass bands being solely a "working class" pursuit or confined to Yorkshire.

Figures from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) reveal that over £226 million was allocated to opera through Arts Council grants between 2022 and 2025. In stark contrast, brass bands received just £31.5 million during the same period.

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