Protect and survive

Local authorities (LAs) provide a vital backbone of arts services. Without their investment artists and arts organisations would be far poorer and some might not exist at all.
This is often taken for granted with little examination of how LA arts services are delivered. It’s usually assumed that an officer and a budget within the authority is the best and only way. The National Association of Local Government Arts Officers (nalgao) has been tracking a decline in arts officers and services, especially in smaller LAs. It is a worrying trend that Government public spending challenges may accelerate.
Last year, nalgao started to look at alternatives. It examined different models of delivering arts services. I undertook some fast track research. I identified five different ways of delivering local authority arts services, talked to nine externalised arts services and canvassed their experience. My colleague Rick Bond put together a matrix of check lists for those embarking on externalisation. The alternatives include contracting out a defined aspect of the service, for example a theatre; contracting out all cultural services into an independent trust run by local people; contracting out the management of cultural services to a commercial company; working more closely with neighbouring authorities and through this finding common ground and service efficiencies; and, establishing a trust just to run arts services. Contracting out arts and cultural services offers several benefits, particularly protecting valued resources by making savings. But the organisations I spoke to had also found ways of developing their arts services, including taking on new staff.
These options and associated issues are contained in nalgao’s ‘Outside In’ report. It contains no quick fixes but should be a valuable tool for protecting and growing arts and cultural services in the medium term.