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So it?s general election time again. A good opportunity to vote into power the party that will do most to support, nurture and promote the value of the arts? Or a disappointing illustration that politicians understand little of the real needs of the sector?

Now that the Natural Law Party has ceased to participate in election battles, and Screaming Lord Such has been promoted to ?spiritual leader? of the Monster Raving Loony Party, just who should you vote for? Do all political parties have a view on arts policy? Certainly not. A quick trawl through the websites of around 20 parties reveals that only five have published policies specifically relating to the arts. Here?s what they say...

Labour Party (http://www.labour.org.uk)

National museums are already free for children and pensioners. Labour is committed to reform the VAT system to ensure they will be made free for everyone from December. By 2004, arts funding will be 60 per cent above its 1997 level in real terms. ... New creative partnerships ? linking schools with artists and arts organisations particularly in disadvantaged areas ? will offer children the chance to develop artistic and creative talents ... Culture online will offer children and adults alike tailored access to our national collections and cultural activity over the Internet. We will create new specialist arts schools and city academies to offer specialist education to the most talented young people,

Public money devoted to the arts should be spent on excellent art, not bureaucracy. The Arts Council is undergoing substantial reform ? creating a simpler structure which gives more power to the regions, cuts bureaucratic costs further, and which can deliver a better service to individual artists and arts organisations.

Conservative Party (http://www.conservatives.com)

? ... the rules which govern applications for Lottery funds are excessively complex. We will reform them, so that they are more accessible to small community groups.

? We will set about freeing the arts from Government interference. Using the proceeds from the sale of Channel 4 and undistributed surpluses from the Lottery, we will create a £3 billion endowment fund for cultural organisations...

? ...We will undertake a radical review of the Arts Council of England and the Regional Arts Boards. We want to create a less bureaucratic funding structure which delivers more for the arts and for artists.

Liberal Democrats (http://www.libdems.org.uk)

... Our goal is to make a substantial increase in investment in the arts to enhance public access, performance opportunities and artistic innovation. The Liberal Democrats will:

? Streamline government involvement in the arts by abolishing QUEST (Quality, Efficiency and Standards Team).

? Reduce interference by central government in culture and arts by decentralising decision-making powers and funding in England...We will also protect the independence of trustees of museums and galleries.

? Remove the anomaly of Home Office regulation of film and video, responsibility passing to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...

? Our Community Arts and Sports Fund, alongside our plans to cut VAT on renovation and redevelopment, will help with the cost of restoring and developing sustainable arts and sports facilities...

? Give all pupils an entitlement to arts education throughout their school careers. We will train more specialist art teachers and ensure that all primary teachers are well trained in the arts. We will restore funding for free instrumental tuition to at least 1990 levels...

? Protect our cultural heritage by lowering the cost of maintaining listed buildings. We will do this by cutting VAT on renovation and repairs, paid for by introducing VAT, at the same low level, on new building.

? ... support artists by maintaining the support provided by Schedule D taxation. We will establish a fund to bring artists to schools, hospitals and prisons.

? Increase the powers of Regional Arts Boards. We will devolve all funding decisions except those involving national companies from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to the Regional Arts Boards.

? ... replacing the Millennium Commission with a Local Initiatives Fund which would give grants to support libraries, museums and galleries in communities across Britain...

Green Party (http://www.greenparty.org.uk)

Values and principles

? We value artistic expression for its honesty, openness, daring, insight, spontaneity, imagination, instinctiveness, integrity, independence and importance in education. We do not value artistic expression primarily for its role in the economy, nor primarily for its contribution to fantasies of national grandeur.

? We respect individual and group creativity in all its diversity and value freedom of expression...

? We value participation as well as excellence in the arts: we do not value hierarchy.

? Artistic expression permeates all human activity and can be thought of holistically as part of, not separate from, people?s lives.

? Decisions about the arts should be made at the most local level.

? Financial support does not entail a right to intervene in other people?s self-expression. Arts policy-making, where it is needed, should be organisational in nature and empowering in character.

Short term policies

? To review existing government legislation as it affects the arts and create where necessary specific, more appropriate and less burdensome legislation.

? To shift responsibility for arts funding, where appropriate, from national to regional levels.

? To encourage the growth of local arts associations made up of practising artists.

? Local arts associations, where they exist, to be represented on Regional Arts Boards rather than local government.

? To bring the level of per capita funding for other regions up to that currently received by London.

? To ensure levels of financial support for buildings housing cultural collections render admission charges unnecessary.

? To zero-rate live performance for VAT.

Long term policies

? To shift responsibility for arts funding, from regional to local levels.

? To develop more autonomous forms of financial support for the arts.

? To reduce to a minimum the need for bureaucratic intervention in the arts.

The Liberal Party (http://www.liberal.org.uk)

Liberals believe that the arts belong to everybody and should be opened up to all. ... we want to foster the maximum participation in artistic and cultural activities and ensure that they are accessible to a wider public.

? We support the bringing together of all the various government responsibilities for the arts into a single department under a minister with a seat in the cabinet...

? We also support the delegation to bodies such as the Arts Councils and Regional Arts Boards of decisions about grants... We are however unhappy with the system of appointments to these bodies and want more elected representatives.

? ... large grants made from Lottery funds to prestige projects do little to encourage or make the arts more accessible to the general public. Liberals therefore call for a larger proportion of the available funds to be directed away from large scale renovations of single venues, to subsidies for arts performances and exhibitions outside London.

? ... Government action in support of the film industry would create jobs, unlock private investment and boost exports. Accordingly we call for tax incentives for investors in British made films.

And here?s what you say...

ArtsProfessionalasked individuals from a range of organisations working in the arts sector what they want politicians to deliver after the election...

?... touring and cross-border co-operation is becoming increasingly difficult. If Westminster gets the different agencies across the UK to talk to each other, that wouldn?t be a bad thing.? Janek Alexander, Director, Chapter Arts Centre

?... increased and inclusive access to out of school provision (such as drama clubs) for disabled pupils and a cast iron commitment to a fully accessible arts environment.? Geof Armstrong, Director, National Disability Arts Forum

?... to see them deliver personal and public creative industry by promoting ?ar?t as a vital fourth ?r? in life-long education.? David Boyd, Director, Beat Initiative

?... to ensure that the institutions within our Higher Education system who are providing training for the managers and performers of the future are adequately funded and recognised as key drivers of change and innovation within the sector as a whole.? Susanne Burns, Head of Management, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts

?... (we) want to see less bureaucracy. We believe that proper funding for the arts will follow recognition of the value of the work of artists and understanding by politicians of the importance for individuals of participation in the creative process.? Caroline Collier, Director, Arnolfini

?... to see the arts as a dynamic, creative, contemporary and culturally diverse phenomenon, resonating through the widest society, as opposed to a traditional heritage industry.? Felix Cross, Artistic Director, NITRO

?... trust and money are the most important commodities the next government can give to the arts; in this climate of over-accountability, only an enlightened government would offer both.? Venu Dhupa, Executive Director, Nottingham Playhouse

?... serious tax benefits for commercial organisations when sponsoring the arts.? Simon Drysdale, Head of Sales & Marketing, The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

?... use spectacular, sexy spin to stimulate cultural consumption instead of dumping complicated schemes on arts promoters. Spend money and creativity biggin? up the arts.? Rosalyn Fry, Freelance Consultant

?... if it signifies anything for the arts in Wales, the 2001 general election underlines the accelerating decline in the influence of Westminster politics on Wales. The significant recent increases for the arts in England have so far failed to manifest themselves in Wales, quite simply because those decisions are no longer taken in London...? Alan Hewson, Joint Chair, Creu Cymru, National Touring Agency for Wales

?... the single law which would revolutionise support for the arts in this country would be to make charitable donations, individual and corporate, tax deductible.? Nina Kaye, Director, Artifax Software

?...in a devolved Scotland, the Westminster Parliament?s views on the arts are now of largely academic interest, but the same can?t be said of broadcasting, which remains a ?reserved? area, denying direct control of the most powerful medium of them all: what scope here for change?? Robert Livingston, Director, Highlands and Islands Arts

?... politicians should encourage business to realise the mutual benefits of working with the arts and their added potential to promote social inclusion, change lives and unlock creativity.? Colin Tweedy, Chief Executive, Arts & Business