Vote of confidence

Almost three-quarters (74%) of the arts sector feel positive about the function and role of Arts Council England (ACE), according to new stakeholder research conducted by Ipsos MORI in 2009. Findings from the report, published this month, are based on responses from just under 1,000 arts organisations (which includes regularly funded organisations, development agencies, non-funded trusts and foundations) and partners (local authorities, national government and the voluntary sector). Researchers also conducted 20 interviews with “senior opinion formers”, namely chief executives and chairs of major arts organisations.

There is overwhelming agreement (79%) that ACE is passionate about its work and has “a positive impact at both national and regional level”. Consistently upbeat responses come from the South East, North West and Yorkshire regions. Rebecca Storey, Press & Media Manager at York Theatre Royal told AP: “We feel ACE has been clear and realistic in its relationship with us and has kept an open dialogue about all developments and possible outcomes.” Unsurprisingly, organisations in receipt of ACE funding are happiest with working relationships which, following the critical fall-out from funding decisions made in 2007, are now described as “close, strong and mutually supportive" by a large majority of stakeholders. Staff are considered to be more helpful; 35% of arts organisations confirm that their relationship with ACE has improved in the past year and that ACE has become more collaborative. The body’s 2004 report on stakeholder research showed that better communication of its objectives was an area in which ACE needed to improve: most respondents now believe that ACE is “clear in how it articulates its priorities”.
There is concern about ACE’s mission statement (“great art for everyone”), with respondents questioning whether “great art” and “art for everyone”, can be reconciled. Criticism concentrates on transparency: there is still room for improvement, particularly at a national level. Furthermore, just 30% per cent of respondents agree that ACE’s objectives and priorities are relevant to and valued by the wider public. As ever, there is “significant concern” that ACE can be too bureaucratic. Many feel that “more could be done to ensure more collaborative working and to develop a more outward focus”. There is also suggestion that ACE should work more effectively with organisations outside the immediate arts ecology, and some respondents believe that its relations with local government could be better.
The most critical responses came from local authorities themselves. Those canvassed raised “questions about how harmonious the working relationship between ACE and local authorities is at times, and whether there is a sufficient sense of working towards shared aims”. Twenty-one per cent of local authority respondents believe that ACE’s effectiveness has diminished over the past year. Lorna Browne, Chair of the National Association of Local Government Arts Officers told AP that relations vary widely across the country, and “while some regional [ACE] offices have excellent reputations for their dealings with local authorities, that isn't consistent”. She remains confident, however, that ACE recognises and is addressing these specific problems.
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