TWO weeks ago, I wrote, ‘So, finally the government has put together a package of money for the arts, £1.57 billion’.

I pointed out that I thought it was long overdue and desperately needed. We are now three weeks on from the announcement and guess what? Nothing! No money, no word of who is getting it, no information about the criteria, nothing about the time scale, nothing about how people will apply, just nothing.

Without being overly political, there has been a tendency since the start of the pandemic for the Government to make announcements and then work out the detail.

This seems to be the pattern. In this case, it’s kept the arts lobby quiet for three weeks, but not helped them in any way. And while there is no information coming out, and no money coming out, venues are closing down for good, staff are being made redundant, and will never get their jobs back, and thousands of talented freelancers are looking for jobs outside the arts.

Please, Messrs Johnson and Dowden, stop giving sound bites are start giving money.

The Worcester Festival is going ahead despite all the odds, with a huge number of live and virtual eclectic events, August 15-31, with the vast majority of them free. Watch this space!