Prof Evelyn Welch, vice-chancellor of the University of Bristol and incoming chair of the Russell Group, says recent cuts to arts and humanities in UK higher education are “absolutely tragic.” Speaking in an exclusive report, she links the controversy to the broader value of arts education, citing her daughter, singer-songwriter Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, as an example of the role creative subjects can play in developing successful careers. Welch argues that reductions in arts and humanities provision undermine the importance of these disciplines within universities and the wider cultural landscape. The comments are presented as part of debate over funding pressures and restructuring across the sector, where some arts and humanities programmes face budget constraints. The article frames her remarks as both personal and institutional, drawing on her experience leading a major research university and her role in representing research-intensive institutions through the Russell Group.