Arts Council England makes future funding decisions
National Portfolio announcement made by Arms-Length Body.
Arts Council England today announced their National Portfolio funding decisions from April 2012 onwards. National Portfolio funding replaces the previous ‘Regular Funding’ programme. Delivering this change forms part of the DCMS Business Plan.
All individual decisions on funding are made independently by Arts Council England, at arm’s length from Government.
Responding to the announcement, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said:
“While this is obviously a difficult day for many arts organisations the Government has limited cuts to frontline arts organisations and at the same time increased significantly the amount of Lottery money going to the arts. This means that the Arts Council’s overall annual budget will reduce by £20 million (11.8 per cent) by April 2015, putting it in a much better position than many other parts of the public sector.
“The UK has some of the best culture in the world and we are doing all we can to support it through the challenges of dealing with the deficit, including measures to boost the amount of private giving going to the arts.”
Facts and figures
The overall budget for the Arts Council will reduce by 11.8% over four years in real terms (including Lottery funding).
- The Government has asked the Arts Council to ensure that the cut to the overall budget for National Portfolio arts organisations is no more than 15% in real terms over the next four years.
- We have also asked the Arts Council to reduce its administration costs by 50%, ensuring as much money as possible goes to arts organisations.
- An additional £80m will go into the arts from the National Lottery each year from 2013.
- £2.25bn of public money will be going into the arts over the next four years, down from £2.39bn over the previous four
In addition to Government funding, we are promoting a sustainable mixed funding model for the arts by encouraging private giving. Action so far includes
- an £80m match-funding scheme to encourage cultural philanthropists
- a package of measures in last week’s budget including inheritance tax relief for people recognising cultural organisations in their wills