New structure for Arts Council & an Interactive Map

The result of the spending review at the Arts Council has been announced. The Government required the Arts Council England (ACE) to reduce its administrative costs by some 50% as part of the 2010 Spending Review.

The report and explanation of what is happening
available as a pdf file

It was a foregone conclusion that this could not be a death by a thousand cuts exercises.  Radical changes had to be made to the way the Arts Council worked.

Structural change

Art Council England - New areas and the offices that survived

The main points are:

• changes come into effect from 1 July 2013
• 21% reduction in numbers of staff
• top jobs halved
• property costs to be halved by 50%
• offices to close and regions to be cut from 9 to 5 and merge.  
• The new areas are London, the South East, the South West, the Midlands and the North

The explanation of their Final operating model and organisation structure is available as a pdf file

we will have to do things differently, through more streamlined investment processes and a more focused set of priorities - we will do less and do it differently

National Portfolio - interactive map

I took a look at the interactive map which seeks to explain where the funding is now going and what sort of level of funding goes on what type of activity

Two things you need to do to get the map to work properly

• Tick the filters on the left in order to sort and highlight organisations by artform, region or funding amount and then click the search tab.  (Thus you can identify all visual arts organisations in London (or any other region) receiving funding of any amount (or a specific funding level)
• Click the pink map pins to find out more about the visual arts organisations who are receiving funding.

I was wholly underwhelmed by the visual arts organisations in London getting in excess of £1million pa. You can also View these results as a list

At the end of the day this is an organisation which is going to be judged by the quality of organisation which it supports on the ground.

How is it for you in your area?