The UK government has announced that it will support the arts and culture industry - which is suffering heavy losses through the COVID-19 crisis - with a £1.57bn emergency support package. Experts in theatre and culture from the University of Warwick react.

"Like the weather, a pandemic hits everyone, but the wealthy are always more ready to survive the storm." Dr Maria Barrett, Assistant Professor in the Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies, comments on the impact of coronavirus on the arts and theatre sector, especially on smaller theatres and galleries

As the Chancellor prepares to announce a package of support for workers whose jobs are at risk because of COVID19, Dr Heidi Ashton from the Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies highlights the particular challenges for people in the creative sector.

More must be done to the address the imbalance in arts funding between London and the rest of the country. That's the conclusion of a Culture, Media and Sport Committee report out today (15 December).

Dr Eric Jensen, Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer), Department of Sociology,says sharing skills as well as collections could be the answer

More must be done to the address the imbalance in arts funding between London and the rest of the country. That's the conclusion of a Culture, Media and Sport Committee report out today (15 December). Chris Bilton , Reader, School of Theatre Studies says the government has been urged to address this imbalance since the 1980s, with relatively little effect