An Arts Council England (ACE) assessment into the way it funded the Public art centre in West Bromwich has concluded that the council made “poor judgements” in funding the project despite “explicit misgivings”.
An earlier report by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee into the funding of the arts and heritage criticised the funding of the Public by ACE as a “gross waste of public money” and a “failure of leadership”.
ACE gave £32m to the Public between 1996 and 2009, up from an original funding agreement of £19m.
The ACE report, which was carried out by chartered accountant Anthony Blackstock, largely centres on the decision by ACE to ignore its own concerns about funding gaps and the leadership of developers.
“ACE agreed to fund a building that was not fit for purpose,” writes Blackstock. “It should have judged that this was the case and demanded a radical downscaling in 1999/2000.”
After failing to do this, the arts council “apparently found it politically impossible not to continue its support in the teeth of every setback”, he adds.
ACE is also accused in the report of overplaying its own role in the project and crossing the line from funder to developer. While ACE should influence and encourage projects, “it must not act as the shadow promoter of a project”, Blackstock writes.
Despite his criticism of the way ACE handled the project, Blackstock does offer some absolution: “I find the arts council is properly chastened by its involvement in this deeply troubled process and outcome.
"Its record across the whole range of 399 major capital projects totalling £1,486m has been excellent in the main. The example of the Public taught the arts council critical lessons for the future management of its capital funds.”
The Public fully opened in 2009, two years late and at twice the original budget. Its operating company, The Public Gallery, went into administration and then liquidation in the same year. Sandwell Arts Trust has since been appointed to run the centre.
Links
Anthony Blackstock's report into the Public (pdf)
The Culture Select Committee's report into the funding of arts and heritage
An earlier report by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee into the funding of the arts and heritage criticised the funding of the Public by ACE as a “gross waste of public money” and a “failure of leadership”.
ACE gave £32m to the Public between 1996 and 2009, up from an original funding agreement of £19m.
The ACE report, which was carried out by chartered accountant Anthony Blackstock, largely centres on the decision by ACE to ignore its own concerns about funding gaps and the leadership of developers.
“ACE agreed to fund a building that was not fit for purpose,” writes Blackstock. “It should have judged that this was the case and demanded a radical downscaling in 1999/2000.”
After failing to do this, the arts council “apparently found it politically impossible not to continue its support in the teeth of every setback”, he adds.
ACE is also accused in the report of overplaying its own role in the project and crossing the line from funder to developer. While ACE should influence and encourage projects, “it must not act as the shadow promoter of a project”, Blackstock writes.
Despite his criticism of the way ACE handled the project, Blackstock does offer some absolution: “I find the arts council is properly chastened by its involvement in this deeply troubled process and outcome.
"Its record across the whole range of 399 major capital projects totalling £1,486m has been excellent in the main. The example of the Public taught the arts council critical lessons for the future management of its capital funds.”
The Public fully opened in 2009, two years late and at twice the original budget. Its operating company, The Public Gallery, went into administration and then liquidation in the same year. Sandwell Arts Trust has since been appointed to run the centre.
Links
Anthony Blackstock's report into the Public (pdf)
The Culture Select Committee's report into the funding of arts and heritage