The Government’s “biggest ever single investment in cultural infrastructure” will pay for building maintenance in musuems, technology for libraries and regeneration projects.
Before praising the Culture Secretary for “responding so positively” to the financial crisis facing the cultural sector, Arts Council England would do well to take a step back and review its own evidence, says Liz Hill.
The ACE and Durham University collaboration says that prioritising exam technique over deep understanding is “far from ideal for government, regulators, heads, teachers or parents”.
New analysis of employment and productivity in the creative industries concludes “it is unlikely that the rest of the UK would catch up” with London in less than 20 years, “even with an ambitious and effective set of policies”.
Arts Council England’s draft ten-year strategy aims to ensure its own bureaucratic survival and reveals the thinking of an organisation that imagines it is in charge. It is not a strategy for the cultural organisations it is meant to serve, says Robert Hewison.
The rise of populism, rejection from investors, a volatile labour market, climate change, digitisation and "economic crisis recovery": a new study surveys the threats and opportunities facing Europe's creative and cultural sectors.
Protesters say the funder’s draft strategy “neither addresses the urgency of the climate and ecological emergency, nor grasps the chance to trumpet boldly the pivotal role arts and culture play in bringing about societal changes”.
The Heritage Alliance is calling for greater recognition and funding to support the historic places and objects that underpin creative and cultural activities, challenging the stereotype of heritage as “a decorative incidental backdrop to contemporary creative work”.
There are calls for the government to consider exempting all Scottish residents from the proposed levy, which would be collected by accommodation providers.
The former Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Education Minister recently came under fire for supporting education policy that would “destroy genuine creativity”.
DCMS has received £100m extra annual funding in the spending review, but Arts Council England has not ruled out revising funding agreements for its National Portfolio Organisations.
A sticking plaster policy
Before praising the Culture Secretary for “responding so positively” to the financial crisis facing the cultural sector, Arts Council England would do well to take a step back and review its own evidence, says Liz Hill.