PERFORMING ARTS
C reative talent in the can all be proud of, not just in terms of the raw talent that’s nurtured, but also the cold, hard cash it generates. Politicians love those big, positive-sounding numbers (and who can blame them?), with visual and performing arts contributing around £11.5 billion to the economy. There are plenty of other good-news stories too. Although the rise of AI is expected to cut a swathe through many previously safe white-collar jobs, live performances are predicted to be one of the survivors. performing arts has long been touted as a national strength. It’s something we
As John Johnson, director of drama and theatre at The Leys School, points out, “AI can create new things, but only if you give it the tools. You need that creativity behind it. “I think it will eventually come back round and people will see the value of studying arts-based subjects,” he adds. I think people will see the value of studying arts-based subjects
Risk assessment For parents anxiously planning their children’s futures, reassurance is urgently needed, however, as evidenced by the latest A-level and GCSE results. As in previous years, the take-up of performing arts subjects such as music and drama remains on a firmly downwards trajectory. A-level music was taken by just 5,000 students this summer, down by almost 5% compared with the previous year – and it is in danger of possible extinction, say bodies like the Independent Society of Musicians. Drama, too, could soon be on the ‘at risk’ list, with the number of A-level entries dropping by 50% in the past ten years.
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2026 87
Powered by FlippingBook