Arts Council responds to 'Rebalancing our Cultural Capital' 13 Dec 2013

The Arts Council has responded to the report Rebalancing our Cultural Capital which argued that London gets too large a share of the available cultural funding. Chief Executive Alan Davey said that looking at per capita arts spend alone was misleading as ‘London is not just for Londoners’ but a national showcase. However, he acknowledged: "There is more to do. We are about to go into an investment process for the next three years where we will target our money intelligently across England. We are already using specific lottery schemes that nurture art and culture where there is not enough, and reach more of the public through touring and digital distribution. It is also vital Local Authorities continue to invest alongside us as partners. Local Authority cuts remain the biggest threat to places outside London.”

In a more detailed five page response, the Arts Council added: “It can be misleading to look at London’s benefit per capita. Figures on Arts Council funding relate to where the organisation is administered from, not where its ‘impact’ is – so funding per-head for organisations and companies that are based in London but which tour or have a regional presence will not give an accurate representation.” Meanwhile Peter Bazalgette has continued to emphasise the benefits of digital to pipe live arts events from London to regional cinemas.  Arts Council (press release), Arts Council (pdf detailed response), Evening Standard