The Arts Council England (ACE) announcement of grant-in-aid allocations for its national portfolio of arts organisations from 2012 has created upheaval across the sector.
There were some big winners but also lots of losers. In total, 51 current Regularly Funded Organisations from the visual arts sector had their applications rejected. A further 58 visual arts organisations suffered funding reductions.
Of the 1,330 organisations across all art forms that had applied for funding for 2012-15, 638 lost out. Of these, 206 had been regularly funded by ACE.
Peter Jones, chairman, ArtSway, Sway, Hampshire
-100%
“We knew we were in for a difficult time but this is an abandonment of a 15-year project which has local, national and international acclaim.”
Tracey McNulty, senior head of tourism and leisure, Eastbourne Borough Council, on behalf of Towner Art Gallery
+81%
“We are especially thankful to the arts council assessors for awarding Towner additional funding of £199,000 per annum at this time of economic hardship, which more than doubles our current level of arts council funding – a decision that reflects the outstanding value that Towner currently offers and our exceptional ability to deliver Arts Council England’s strategy of ‘Great Art for Everyone’.”
Nick Dodd, chief executive, Museums Sheffield
-100%
“This is very disappointing news. With arts council support Museums Sheffield has helped bring contemporary art to huge audiences over the past few years, including over a million visitors in the last year alone.
"We’ll now be focussing our energy on seeking out alternative funding sources and opportunities in order to deliver as much as possible of our contemporary art programme in the next few years.”
Iwona Blazwick, director, Whitechapel Gallery, London
+14%
“The sustained and valued support of the Arts Council England in these challenging times will ensure that the gallery builds on its important work as a touchstone for art internationally; provide art programmes for over 3,000 children and young people each year; and contribute to the growth of the world’s most vibrant cultural quarter.”
Godfrey Worsdale, director, Baltic, Gateshead
-6.2%
“Those of us who have been successful in the process should also consider the many organisations that arts council is no longer able to support. It is critical that we all continue to be mutually supportive to ensure that the richness and diversity of arts provision is maintained as fully as possible.”
David Brownlee, chief executive, Audiences UK (speaking on behalf of Audience Development Agencies, which ACE will no longer fund as part of its core portfolio)
-100%
“The rationale for this blanket decision is hard to understand given the priority given to increasing and broadening audiences in the arts council's strategy for the next ten years and the excellent assessments of the proposals submitted by many of the agencies.
"It also seems strange at a time when Arts Council England is taking on a broader cultural remit to threaten the sustainability of an internationally renowned support structure that is already working effectively with museums and beginning to help tackle the major issues facing Library Services.”
Hilary Gresty, director, Visual Arts and Galleries Association
-100%
“It is extremely concerning that an organisation with the reputation and history of VAGA is no longer able to benefit from regular funding from Arts Council England, and it is a measure of the depth and extent of this challenging funding climate. Ironically, in such difficult times an organisation with the perspective and supportive outlook of VAGA is crucial to so many in the sector.”
Samuel West, board member, National Campaign for the Arts
“We predicted that there would be blood on the carpet and there is. The arts council has had some very difficult decisions to make, and has been fair and open in impossible circumstances. But the government must understand the consequences of a 30% cut to the arts budget together with a 28% cut to local authority funding.
"The arts are being squeezed on all sides. We're looking today at the results of a cut of £100m to Arts funding. That's just 10% of the figure awarded in bonuses to RBS bankers this year. Bonuses, not salaries. To a company which this year made a £1.1bn loss, and is 84% owned by us.”
Ivan Lewis, shadow culture secretary
“This is the day when the chilling impact of disproportionate cuts to the arts, imposed by this Conservative-led Government, becomes clear for all to see. Over 500 arts organisations will either lose their funding or suffer cuts. Some will go to the wall.
"Many will have to increase ticket prices, at a time when people’s incomes are being squeezed, and scale back their work with communities and young people traditionally denied access to cultural opportunities. I fear a return to the 80s and 90s when the arts were for the few, not the many. Jeremy Hunt’s claim to have protected frontline arts organisations has turned out to be all spin and no substance.”
Jeremy Hunt, culture secretary
“While this is obviously a difficult day for many arts organisations the Government has limited cuts to frontline arts organisations and at the same time increased significantly the amount of Lottery money going to the arts. This means that the arts council’s overall annual budget will reduce by £20 million (11.8%) by April 2015, putting it in a much better position than many other parts of the public sector.
"The UK has some of the best culture in the world and we are doing all we can to support it through the challenges of dealing with the deficit, including measures to boost the amount of private giving going to the arts.”
Alan Davey, chief executive, Arts Council England
“There have been some really hard choices as we had so many good applications – more than we were able to fund. In advance of the Spending Review, we said “cut us, don’t kill us”.
"Well, with the help of Lottery income, for which we are grateful, we’re alive and kicking. But we do regret that we have been unable to fund perfectly good organisations, and I know this will be taken hard by those affected.”
There were some big winners but also lots of losers. In total, 51 current Regularly Funded Organisations from the visual arts sector had their applications rejected. A further 58 visual arts organisations suffered funding reductions.
Of the 1,330 organisations across all art forms that had applied for funding for 2012-15, 638 lost out. Of these, 206 had been regularly funded by ACE.
Here are some comments from those affected:
Peter Jones, chairman, ArtSway, Sway, Hampshire
-100%
“We knew we were in for a difficult time but this is an abandonment of a 15-year project which has local, national and international acclaim.”
Tracey McNulty, senior head of tourism and leisure, Eastbourne Borough Council, on behalf of Towner Art Gallery
+81%
“We are especially thankful to the arts council assessors for awarding Towner additional funding of £199,000 per annum at this time of economic hardship, which more than doubles our current level of arts council funding – a decision that reflects the outstanding value that Towner currently offers and our exceptional ability to deliver Arts Council England’s strategy of ‘Great Art for Everyone’.”
Nick Dodd, chief executive, Museums Sheffield
-100%
“This is very disappointing news. With arts council support Museums Sheffield has helped bring contemporary art to huge audiences over the past few years, including over a million visitors in the last year alone.
"We’ll now be focussing our energy on seeking out alternative funding sources and opportunities in order to deliver as much as possible of our contemporary art programme in the next few years.”
Iwona Blazwick, director, Whitechapel Gallery, London
+14%
“The sustained and valued support of the Arts Council England in these challenging times will ensure that the gallery builds on its important work as a touchstone for art internationally; provide art programmes for over 3,000 children and young people each year; and contribute to the growth of the world’s most vibrant cultural quarter.”
Godfrey Worsdale, director, Baltic, Gateshead
-6.2%
“Those of us who have been successful in the process should also consider the many organisations that arts council is no longer able to support. It is critical that we all continue to be mutually supportive to ensure that the richness and diversity of arts provision is maintained as fully as possible.”
David Brownlee, chief executive, Audiences UK (speaking on behalf of Audience Development Agencies, which ACE will no longer fund as part of its core portfolio)
-100%
“The rationale for this blanket decision is hard to understand given the priority given to increasing and broadening audiences in the arts council's strategy for the next ten years and the excellent assessments of the proposals submitted by many of the agencies.
"It also seems strange at a time when Arts Council England is taking on a broader cultural remit to threaten the sustainability of an internationally renowned support structure that is already working effectively with museums and beginning to help tackle the major issues facing Library Services.”
Hilary Gresty, director, Visual Arts and Galleries Association
-100%
“It is extremely concerning that an organisation with the reputation and history of VAGA is no longer able to benefit from regular funding from Arts Council England, and it is a measure of the depth and extent of this challenging funding climate. Ironically, in such difficult times an organisation with the perspective and supportive outlook of VAGA is crucial to so many in the sector.”
Samuel West, board member, National Campaign for the Arts
“We predicted that there would be blood on the carpet and there is. The arts council has had some very difficult decisions to make, and has been fair and open in impossible circumstances. But the government must understand the consequences of a 30% cut to the arts budget together with a 28% cut to local authority funding.
"The arts are being squeezed on all sides. We're looking today at the results of a cut of £100m to Arts funding. That's just 10% of the figure awarded in bonuses to RBS bankers this year. Bonuses, not salaries. To a company which this year made a £1.1bn loss, and is 84% owned by us.”
Ivan Lewis, shadow culture secretary
“This is the day when the chilling impact of disproportionate cuts to the arts, imposed by this Conservative-led Government, becomes clear for all to see. Over 500 arts organisations will either lose their funding or suffer cuts. Some will go to the wall.
"Many will have to increase ticket prices, at a time when people’s incomes are being squeezed, and scale back their work with communities and young people traditionally denied access to cultural opportunities. I fear a return to the 80s and 90s when the arts were for the few, not the many. Jeremy Hunt’s claim to have protected frontline arts organisations has turned out to be all spin and no substance.”
Jeremy Hunt, culture secretary
“While this is obviously a difficult day for many arts organisations the Government has limited cuts to frontline arts organisations and at the same time increased significantly the amount of Lottery money going to the arts. This means that the arts council’s overall annual budget will reduce by £20 million (11.8%) by April 2015, putting it in a much better position than many other parts of the public sector.
"The UK has some of the best culture in the world and we are doing all we can to support it through the challenges of dealing with the deficit, including measures to boost the amount of private giving going to the arts.”
Alan Davey, chief executive, Arts Council England
“There have been some really hard choices as we had so many good applications – more than we were able to fund. In advance of the Spending Review, we said “cut us, don’t kill us”.
"Well, with the help of Lottery income, for which we are grateful, we’re alive and kicking. But we do regret that we have been unable to fund perfectly good organisations, and I know this will be taken hard by those affected.”
