Arts Council England is facing criticism for its allocation of taxpayer funds towards projects described as "woke," including a gay retelling of Romeo and Juliet and a queer pan-Asian cabaret, at a time when traditional museums are reportedly closing due to insufficient funding.
The organization distributes over £840 million annually from taxpayer and National Lottery funds. Recent awards highlighted include a £100,000 grant for the Migration Matters Festival in Sheffield, which featured a flag-making workshop intended to counter what organizers called the "divisive use of the St George's flag." The workshop's stated aim was to "reclaim public space with inclusive narratives" in response to the flag being perceived by some as a symbol of racism and xenophobia.
The festival also included "The Bull and the Moon," a dance production for children aged three and older. Its creators described the show as a "celebration of gender diversity," centered on a bull character who wishes to become a cow.
Other funded projects include £29,950 to The Bitten Peach Ltd, a "queer, pan-Asian cabaret collective," and £35,434 to Curl Girl Productions for "Panjabi Princesses," a story about two queer princesses. 
A gay adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet," which sets the story in a Croydon rave and features the protagonist falling for a Muslim man named Mohammed, received £30,807. The Arts Council deemed this production "culturally significant." The play, which is scheduled for a one-week run at Riverside Studios, used its grant to cover mental health support and industry-standard wages for its cast.
These funding decisions have drawn sharp criticism from political figures. Reform UK's Treasury spokesman, Lee Anderson, described the grants as an "appalling waste of taxpayer money" and pledged to "restore common sense" and "root out this divisive woke nonsense" if his party forms a government. Conservative MP Neil O'Brien stated it was "disgraceful" that funds were being allocated to "culture wars" projects while institutions of "genuine national significance" faced cutbacks.
In contrast, the Arts Council England spokesperson defended the funding, stating that the organization supports a "wide range of artists and organisations to produce work that caters to the broad interests, tastes, voices and experiences of people across the country." The spokesperson added that "projects can often explore different issues through their work, including social and political subjects."
During the same period these grants were awarded, 16 museums across the UK reportedly closed. Among them were the RAF Signals Museum, Durham Museum, Llancaiach Fawr Living History Museum, Westbury Manor Museum, and Alyth Museum, which focused on local history and working-class culture. The Arts Council states its mission includes helping to develop museums for a wide audience across the country.