The Coalition's arts cuts have contributed only 0.25% of the UK's deficit reduction total

As The Guardian point out, although culture and the creative economy have both been lauded by party leaders, the topic has rarely surfaced in terms of headlines and pledges. Last year, the government said that the industry was worth "£8 million an hour" (or over £70 billion a year) to the UK's coffers. Musical exports like One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Adele and The Rolling Stones, whatever your opinion on the noises they make, have certainly been a boon in such an unsteady global economy. It's not just music though - the UK is renowned across the board for its culture, boosting tourism, and championing new media. For example, the UK's video game trade, raked in double the government's estimates last year - £1.72 billion.

Given the amount they raise, why eviscerate the arts? New figures show that for all the cuts (see examples here, here, here and a whole continuous list here), they've only managed to saved enough money to reduce the deficit by 0.25% over five years (that's not per year, either).

It's not over either by the looks of things: in the Conservatives' ambiguous £12 billion "savings" package, it's likely that arts and culture would suffer another blow (possibly again at 36% of the total budget, as it has since 2010). Though they've not vocalised any cuts to arts ahead of the impending general election - though, why would they? - those cuts have to come from somewhere, and there's only so much to-the-boning other areas can withstand as well. It looks especially likely that the party will axe arts as David Cameron has promised that the NHS will get an £8 billion increase, and that pensions, overseas aid and Trident won't be touched. In fact, Trident will be replaced at giddying sums - but that's a different kettle of fish for now.

Labour aren't really offering any better, with Ed Balls saying that its unlikely Coalition cuts would be reversed. Ed Miliband, in his only speech on the topic of culture, promised to protect arts education to the point that no school would receive an Ofsted 'Outstanding' rating without "outstanding arts teaching". He also promised to decentralise the arts from London and the South East. Better than the Conservatives, perhaps, but only a small silver lining to the already-cracked economy-buttress.

Though George Osborne has recently pledged a new venue - The Factory - in Manchester (costing £78 million), The Guardian point out that "his government has stripped £168.5m in real terms from the English arts as a whole since 2010". They also note that arts/culture topic teachers have dropped over 10% since the Coalition took office.

Read the main UK parties' manifestos, and their respective arts/media/culture manifesto (where applicable) sections here:

Labour

Conservatives (page 41)

Liberal Democrats (no clear culture section)

Greens (page 61)

SNP (no clear culture section)

Plaid Cymru (page 37)

UKIP (page 60)

(by the way, there's an election coming up next week (who knew!), and voting is one way to ensure that your voice is heard, regardless of your stance on arts cuts)