What’s in a name?

In AP223, Gareth Hunt writes about the closeness of arts organisations to voluntary organisations, but also cites John Tusa’s comment on the relationship as “not yet firm friends, perhaps distant cousins”. I am a member of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) and sit on the Arts and Heritage Special Interest Group. While I look for detailed arts information and support from within my own arts networks, I can find broad, more general, support and advice for us as a charity from ACEVO, whose officers are talking at senior levels across many government departments.
In no way do I feel my charity is different, it is merely distinctive – in that charities (or voluntary organisations) fit into numerous distinct sectors (health, overseas development, etc). Arts organisations are charities, social enterprises but also voluntary organisations.
It is clear, accepting that such a divide is illusory, that together we can be stronger – so, for example, Ed Vaizey is due to attend a meeting of this special interest group in September, because he can meet a wide cross-section of organisations at one time. In these tricky financial times, we should certainly look to create far more partnerships beyond the arts sector, while not diluting our own distinct and powerful missions.