Tamara Rojo wades into bitter row over London arts funding

Tamara Rojo said cultural institutions in capital cities drive creativity and bring wealth, cohesion, identity, investment and tourism. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

One of the ballet world’s biggest stars has accused Arts Council England of “simplistic” decision-making by transferring arts funding out of London.

Tamara Rojo, the outgoing artistic director at English National Ballet, told the BBC that “punishing” the capital would not help anyone, and expressed concern about the UK’s future as a global centre for culture.