Dundee Rep £300k annual subsidy under threat as council mulls cuts

Dundee Rep has warned that a proposed cut to its council funding would “significantly impact” its activity and threaten the existence of its community engagement programmes.

Dundee City Council needs to reduce spending by £15 million to balance its 2025/26 budget and is currently conducting a public consultation to help determine how.

One option being considered is cutting funding to the city’s cultural organisations, including Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee Science Centre and Dundee Rep.

Dundee Rep currently receives £318,000 every year from Dundee City Council, which represents about nine percent of the theatre’s annual income.

Liam Sinclair, executive director of Dundee Rep, told The Stage: “Proposed budget reductions by Dundee City Council, combined with delays in key funding decisions from Creative Scotland, could significantly impact the future of our work.”

Sinclair added: “These cuts would make it harder for young people to grow their confidence in our creative classes, reduce the support we offer through our community programmes and take away the moments of joy and connection that our productions bring to audiences across Dundee and beyond.”

A statement from local arts organisation Creative Dundee said that cutting culture funding was “counter-intuitive to the city’s future ambitions and risks all that has been collectively built over the decades.”

Creative Dundee urged individuals to write to their local councillor and complete the city council’s budget consultation, which is open until December 29.

Dundee City Council leader Mark Flynn said: “The decisions that elected members will have to make in order to set a balanced budget are more challenging than ever.”

He added: “Before we do that, we want to hear from as many people as possible about what matters to them.”