Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Arts Council England Funding Decisions

Thursday 1 December 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Arts Council has reviewed over 1700 applications and provided 12.6 million in transition funding.
  • The Arts Council is an arm's length organisation, encouraged to continue dialogue with the English National Opera.
  • London will continue to receive significant Arts Council funding, while other areas like Blackburn are receiving increased support.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Green Lib Dem Chesham and Amersham
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Arts Council's decision to cease funding the English National Opera has left many artists in Sarah Green's constituency out of work or forced to relocate. The cut was announced with little warning, causing distress among those affected.

Question

I thank the Minister for his answer. The Arts Council's decision to stop funding the English National Opera will leave hundreds of talented artists and professionals either out of work or forced to uproot their lives. Some live in my constituency and are devastated by the decision with very little warning. Were the impacted artists consulted before this decision was made?

Answer from Stuart Andrew

The Arts Council has taken considerable time reviewing over 1,700 applications and ensuring that £12.6 million in transition funding is available for those leaving their current setup. The dialogue between the Arts Council and the English National Opera continues.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Whether affected artists were directly consulted before the decision

How: Dialogue Between The Organisations

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Q2 Sarah Green Lib Dem Chesham and Amersham
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The recent Arts Council funding decisions are seen as part of a levelling-up agenda to correct London-centric bias. However, these cuts have left established institutions like the English National Opera with insufficient notice and in dire straits.

Question

In levelling up efforts, while acknowledging past London-centric biases due to subsidies for the Royal Opera House, is it not crucial that the Arts Council avoids damaging well-established institutions like the English National Opera by imposing sudden funding cuts without a plan? Does he agree there's a need for careful transition and dialogue?

Answer from Stuart Andrew

The Arts Council is an arm's length organisation. We have encouraged it to increase transition period funding, recognising difficulties faced by others. Both Arts Council England and English National Opera are encouraged to continue their dialogue on future possibilities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific plan for protecting institutions from sudden cuts

How: Encouragement Of Continued Dialogue

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Q3 Julian Knight Con
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

While a fair distribution of arts funds outside London is supported, the sudden shift in allocation from a shrinking pot without adequate consultation could harm existing arts organisations. The decision has prompted legal threats from affected entities like English National Opera.

Question

We support distributing arts funding more fairly to regions and communities beyond London, but levelling up should not pit arts organizations against each other. Addressing regional disparity by shifting funds lacks consultation and imposes very short timeframes, potentially damaging the arts ecosystem. Is this approach agreed upon?

Answer from Stuart Andrew

London will continue to receive significant Arts Council funding, but areas like Blackburn are now receiving funds for four projects. Artists in Blackburn should have access to the same opportunities as those in London.

Not addressed: Negative impact on arts ecosystem

How: Shift Focus To New Regional Beneficiaries

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