Leeds Lieder has announced that it has been unsuccessful in its application to the Arts Council for funding towards the 2023 festival, launching on Friday. The Leeds-based charity, founded in 2004 and directed by pianist Joseph Middleton since 2014, has been rejected for a grant of £60,000 leaving it 'severely depleted' of funds and unable to live-stream any of this years concerts.

The news comes following six months of funding cuts to other arts organisations, including English National Opera, the Britten Sinfonia and Psappha, whose loss of ACE funding has led to closure.

Writing today in the Arts Desk, artistic director Joseph Middleton said: 'Levelling up is a catch-phrase constantly banded around, but if the government wants art to be experienced all over the country, invest in organisations already successfully doing this.'

He continued, 'Leeds Lieder in Yorkshire, the Britten Sinfonia in East Anglia, Psappha in Manchester, the Glyndebourne Tour to Liverpool, Canterbury, Norwich and Milton Keynes, have lost funding. All these organisations are now in jeopardy or have shut up shop.'

A campaign to raise the £60,000 lost in funding has been set up by Leeds Lieder who says: 'While this does not mean that the (2023) Festival cannot go ahead our financial reserves will be severely depleted. This will have a significant impact on our forward planning for the 2023-24 Concert Season, the 2024 Festival, and our vital outreach work.'

A focus on developing and promoting song, Leeds Lieder brings together international and young artists, as well as commissioning new work, supporting underrepresented voices and training opportunities for young singers and pianists through a Young Artists Programme.

A video to accompany the campaign, includes words from artists Carolyn Sampson, Roderick Williams, Sarah Connolly, Alice Coote and Dame Felicity Lott, who said: 'More and more research is done into the benefits of singing to young and old alike, and yet there's less and less money available for it...Leeds Lieder is a brilliant organisation.'