Arts Council England (ACE) has acknowledged its implementation of the 10-year strategy aimed at bringing \u201cworld-class art and culture to people\u2019s doorsteps\u201d has been \u201ctoo prescriptive\u201d, following criticism in an independent review of the funding body.<\/p>\n
Published today (Tuesday 16 December), Baroness Margaret Hodge\u2019s assessment of ACE said many in the sector supported the equality principles of Let\u2019s Create, but felt it had become \u201ca straitjacket\u201d with applicants feeling forced to \u201ctick all the ACE boxes\u201d to secure funding, rather than explain their artistic strategies and ambitions.<\/p>\n
ACE responded that it was \u201cheartening\u201d to know the tenet of Let\u2019s Create was backed by the sector, but recognised artists and organisations must be given \u201cmore space to articulate their ambition\u201d.<\/p>\n
In response to Hodge\u2019s demand that ACE \u201cradically reform\u201d its application and reporting requirements to become less \u201cbureaucratic\u201d, ACE also pledged to \u201creduce the administrative burden\u201d on applicants.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have already begun to simplify our application and monitoring processes, but we know that we must\u202fdo more, more quickly, to ensure that all our processes are smoother, faster, and easier to use,\u201d said ACE adding that it is \u201ccommitted to using\u202fthe review\u2019s findings to improve, so that we can better meet the needs of the people we serve\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2018A big day\u2019<\/p>\n
Calling the report\u2019s publication \u201ca big day for artists and for cultural organisations\u201d, ACE chief executive Darren Henley said: \u201cWe want people to\u202fspend less time on our paperwork and more time on their creative work.\u201d\u202f<\/p>\n
He continued, \u201cOur mission over the\u202fmonths to come\u202fis to roll up our sleeves and\u202fmake\u202fthat happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
ACE chair Sir Nicholas Serota welcomed the report as an \u201copportunity to listen, learn, and improve \u2013 so that we can continue to nurture\u202fambition,\u202fexcellence, and\u202faccess to excellence in the artists and organisations that we support\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2018Contentious\u2019 decisions on opera<\/p>\n
Leaders from across the sector have been quick to react to the much-anticipated review, which was originally commissioned in February 2024\u00a0 under the Conservative government.<\/p>\n
Alex Beard, chief executive of Royal Ballet and Opera, said the review comes \u201cat an ideal moment\u201d to \u201crevisit\u201d ACE\u2019s Let\u2019s Create strategy, noting that it was \u201cwritten before the pandemic\u201d and that \u201cthe creative sector has evolved significantly in recent years\u201d.<\/p>\n
The report highlights ACE\u2019s \u201ccontentious\u201d decision to move away from artform and sector strategies, and the way this impacted funding for opera and classical music organisations in particular. Hodge concluded that it was \u201cunclear\u201d how and why decisions were taken in the last National Portfolio funding round to cut English National Opera and touring grants for the Welsh National Opera and Glyndebourne.<\/p>\n
\u201cBaroness Hodge\u2019s proposals have the potential to be transformative for performing arts organisations by crowding in funding and widening access for all,\u201d said Beard, adding, \u201cAbove all, our priority remains delivering the highest quality artistic experiences to the broadest possible audience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Barely scratch the surface\u2019<\/p>\n
In her findings, Hodge also recommended the development of a new National Programme for Individuals, to support up to 500 emerging and mid-career individuals from low-income backgrounds, underrepresented groups and underserved areas.<\/p>\n
However, the advocacy organisation Freelancers Make Theatre Work (FMTW) said such a scheme would \u201cbarely scratch the surface\u201d of the \u201cwidespread crisis\u201d affecting freelancers in the theatre industry alone.<\/p>\n
Welcoming the \u201cthorough and impactful report,\u201d FMTW said that while the recommendations for individual funding are \u201ca constructive first step\u201d, it would like to see the government \u201cgo further and faster\u201d by committing additional funds to \u201cback the arts freelancers on whom Britain\u2019s global creative success story depends\u201d.<\/p>\n
Devolution<\/p>\n
Joshua McTaggart, CEO of Theatres Trust said that among a raft of \u201csensible suggestions on funding\u201d he was \u201cheartened\u201d to read Hodge\u2019s calls for a statutory duty for local government to prepare a cultural strategy every five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cLocal authorities have a crucial role to play in creating the conditions that the arts need to flourish,\u201d said McTaggart.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnsuring each local area has a strategic and forward-facing cultural plan will ensure theatres up and down the country can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Independent think tank Culture Commons also welcomed the \u201ctone and direction\u201d of the review and, in particular, what it may signal for devolution and local leadership \u2013 specifically \u201cthe opportunities this creates to embed culture, creativity and heritage more firmly within England\u2019s evolving governance landscape\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the review\u2019s recommendations are taken forward, there is now a real opportunity to align national reform with devolved and democratic leadership, and to ensure culture, creativity and heritage play their full role in society,\u201d the organisation wrote on social media.<\/p>\n
Phased reform<\/p>\n
Society of London Theatre (SOLT) & UK Theatre co-CEO Claire Walker said they were \u201cpleased\u201d with the review\u2019s ambition to increase financial and funding pathways into the theatre ecosystem, but said \u201cmeaningful sector engagement\u201d is required to \u201cfully assess the implications of some of the proposed measures\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
They continued, \u201cEqually, a national approach to investment must properly weigh all elements of the ecosystem. This must include touring, co-production, specific art forms, and infrastructure that enables work to reach audiences in every part of the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognise that change creates uncertainty, and it is vital that any reform is phased, evidence-led, and developed in close partnership with the sector. A clear and public timeline is needed to mitigate instability.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack Gamble, director of the Campaign for the Arts, said Baroness Hodge had been clear there was a need for \u201ca strong, independent Arts Council more than ever\u201d but had also delivered a \u201ctimely reminder\u201d to the government about \u201cthe bleak financial position of artists and cultural organisations after years of funding cuts\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is absolutely right to say that these cuts pose an \u2018existential threat\u2019, and that even \u2018modest resource\u2019 would unlock transformational benefits,\u201d said Gamble. He called on ministers to \u201cnot only consider the Arts Council\u2019s crucial role in our national cultural life, but how to urgently restore the investment required to sustain it\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Arts Council England (ACE) has acknowledged its implementation of the 10-year strategy aimed at bringing \u201cworld-class art and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":322199,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-322198","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-design","12":"tag-entertainment","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322198"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322198\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/322199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}