Arts Council England (ACE) has written to its regularly funded arts organisations, detailing the process it is going through to decide on funding from 2008 to 2011. Outgoing Executive Director of ACE, London, Sarah Weir, professed herself delighted by the above-inflation funding level achieved in the Comprehensive Spending Review, saying that this settlement indicates that Government listened to the case for the arts made by us all.
Although no decisions have yet been made about the funding for its own clients, ACE is looking for a portfolio of strong, effective organisations that collectively can help to deliver increased attendance and participation in high quality arts, appropriate provision in emerging priority places, and the recommendations of Turning Point, our strategic review of the visual arts sector. The DCMS has also asked for building artistic excellence and innovation in our funding decisions to be prioritised, along with work for children and young people and to making a significant contribution to the creation of a successful Cultural Olympiad. While ACE intends to give at least an inflation uplift of 2.7% on its 2007/08 funding level to most funded organisations, there will be a number of organisations [which] will not have their funding agreements renewed. All regularly funded organisations will be given provisional notification of ACEs proposal for revenue funding by 14 December, with confirmation in February 2008, and ACE will also contact local authorities, other regional funding bodies and Members of Parliament to keep them abreast of relevant recommendations and decisions.
Published: 05-11-2007