CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus: Arts sector fears ‘cultural catastrophe’

The National Theatre has warned of massive economic challenges
The National Theatre has warned of massive economic challenges
ALAMY

Britain faces a “cultural catastrophe” after the Covid-19 pandemic, leaders in the creative industries have warned.

The sector would be hit twice as hard as the wider economy and one in five jobs is expected to be lost, according to Oxford Economics. Creative industries employ more than two million people and contribute nearly £112 billion annually to the economy.

Music and performing arts are predicted to be among the worst affected, with theatres, recording studios and concert venues losing more than 50 per cent of their revenue and nearly 60 per cent of their employees, the report said.

Caroline Norbury, head of the Creative Industries Federation, said that without government intervention the effect on the nation would be “devastating and irreversible”.

Organisations outside London would