Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Vanessa Thorpe

Conductor Simon Rattle says cutting UK tax relief for orchestras would be a catastrophe

Rattle says tax relief has been a lifeline for the City of Birmingham Orchestra, where he made his name.
Rattle says tax relief has been a lifeline for the City of Birmingham Orchestra, where he made his name. Photograph: Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images

Sir Simon Rattle, the world-renowned British conductor, has urged the government not to slash crucial tax relief for orchestras, after the collapse of regional funding for the arts.

Speaking to the Observer this ­weekend, Rattle, who made his name with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in the 1980s, is calling on Westminster ­politicians not to allow classical music and the wider arts to be forgotten as a ­growing number of city and county councils face bankruptcy and decide to “defund” the arts.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.