Should funding for art-based higher education courses be cut?

In recent years funding for education in the arts has been cut time and time again and as of May 2021 plans have been put in place by the UK government for a 50% funding cut for art subjects at universities. Such funding cuts will supposedly lead to less courses and places being offered for art based subjects. The question is then should funding for art-based education be cut? 

Perhaps there is an argument for cutting arts funding as other subjects may be classed as more important and more worthy of the funding. Of course innovation in science is important especially in areas such as medicine and environmental sciences. Further, one could argue that one can pursue the arts without needing further education in an artistic field as one need only think of the amount of actors who have degrees in subjects such as English Literature or History who have gone on to become some of the greatest actors of our generation. Indeed, there is some initial grounding to the notion that the arts don't need funding and can be pursued as a hobby. 

However, this is a very shallow outlook on the situation and the budget cuts to arts education is clearly delivered by those who know very little about the value of the arts. Whilst I myself did not pursue arts at a university level I know many people who did whilst also maintaining a great appreciation of all things artistic. In having completed a degree which falls under the category of social science (or sometimes humanities) I know all to well what its like to have your degree undervalued. As whilst Philosophy still seems to be appreciated enough to not have funding cuts there are very few subject specific scholarships available and most career fairs are only tailored towards business or STEM students. It seems overall that academia is being forced to prioritise only those subjects deemed instantly profitable or those which will show off the UK as technologically advanced. 

Indeed arts subjects are being completely disregarded and abandoned  with little thought for what result that could produce. By reducing funding to arts education one undermines the arts as a legitimate career path and as an important pursuit. This could produce less people viewing arts-based subjects as important and even taking them up after university. Also whilst the arts can be practised as hobbies or taken up as a career on ones own initiative by reducing the access to arts education one also reduces the number of artists with an arsenal of skill and knowledge behind their work. As indeed, having an education in performance or fine art from leading professionals in one's field can lead to greater success in the arts. That is perhaps more revolutionary artworks being produced or better movies being made. I have also yet to note how important university courses in film or theatre is for the non-actors in the industry as it is simply far harder for many to gain adequate experience with a camera or behind a stage . Indeed, such reduction in arts education can lead to a lesser output of artworks, films and music setting back the UK's creative industry as whole. Whilst the loss of art production is inherently negative in and of itself, it will also cause strife for the economy as not only does the arts industry provide a plethora of jobs but provides more for the economy than sporting events. 

I think it is also important to highlight that by the government cutting funding for arts education they are undermining and discrediting the UK's vivid history of art and culture. Indeed, the UK has produced so many artists and musicians who have a firm place in history as some of the greatest creative minds the world has seen. The UK also credited with producing great theatre, indeed Shakespeare would have been nothing if his plays were strictly resigned to paper. By cutting funding for art education the government is stating that the arts aren't important and by stating art is not important is stating that the UK's artistic history, thus figures such as Turner, Constable and in some regards Shakespeare are insignificant. Indeed, this complete disregard for the importance of art directly attacks something which is so crucial to our history and by the government cutting the funding arts education they greatly restricts the future of artistic expression and all the benefits it brings.