W, A l l " - 7, j2 g -1--in Alt- CT III ~ I,"I I~~I fIRI ,II~IL I ~~~ I II, V i ii IIII'I'N III Ih I IIlI~ u lll l~ ; I " 'I ~ III II II I, I ~ II ;~ ~I ~ I . II, ~III~ » I, dill I I ILi ull~ Itemll IIIIII I~I!il'~~I~h ~~' . II, II I 'I 'll ,il~ ~ I~ ~~' ~~I III .IIII ~. ~I~ ~~ _ I II 'I I \ II I I 0 II if Illf ~ f~, Iql ' I I II I , , ll, II I~~ c contents 0 2 C hairman's introduction, A central feature of the Council's work is to evolve a strategy for the arts . Will ou r cultural house be in good order when we enter the third millennium ? 4 The Secretary-General reports on the overhaul of the system of arts support and development in England and says that the artistic act and the artistic experience ar e the focus of the Arts Council's wor k 6 tidier Audiences for the arts continue to grow despite an economic recessio n s Arts Arts Council departments review the past yea r 32 Scottish Arts Counci l 33 Welsh Arts Counci l 34 A personal view by painter Patrick Heron who points to a startling revolution in creativity since th e Sixties 36 Membership of Council, Arts Council staff, advisory structur e 45 dQti lrftlt :llr'#~ a~f:ft~.~~'1~~' for the year ended 31 March 199 1 47 Income analysi s ll6 summary for the partially sighted 2chairman's introductio n _ T i,e Princess of Wales visited the Arts Councd 'n ^eet members of the dance orofession "The fact is that the arts are uniquely placed to set the mood o f the nation and to act as an agency for raising expectations " Looking through my diary for this year, I am struck by the insisten t millennium with our cultural house in good order? What better way i n theme of the celebration of the arts : as a precious national asset, as th e which to mark the year itself than by giving our artists, designers an d means by which we are perceived as a nation in the eyes of the rest o f craftsmen, the opportunity to create a World's Fair - followed in 2001 by the world, as a means of transforming inner-city blight or reviving th e a Festival of Britain - 50 years after the South Bank Festival and 15 0 economic fortunes of towns and cities throughout the country which years after the Great Exhibition of 1851, which made a profit, have lost their traditional industries, as an earner of hard and sof t incidentally, of £200,000, confounding the Jeremiahs of the day, who currency, and as a civilising influence that enhances the quality of life. had predicted failure for what was deemed an unwarranted act o f All this is evident in the insatiable demand for the arts . Many times thi s profligacy. past year, I have left a concert hall or opera house or theatre, a In the last year the Arts Council has set up the Arts Foundation performance of ballet or contemporary dance, an exhibition o f whose main objectives will be to fund experimental art, principally b y paintings, sculpture or photography with my spirits lifted, a mor e young people, through the means of private patronage . confident spring in my step and with a renewed sense of purpose . I t At the same time, we have started work towards the establishment o f would be odd if this were not so since at its best art is the highes t an architectural unit at the Arts Council which, by the setting of th e achievement of which the human spirit is capable . If this simpl e highest standards, will aim to raise the level of visual awareness . It will proposition is true, who can doubt that the arts should be made a n also promote the notion of a permanent exhibition centre for integral part of compulsory education until the school leaving age ? architecture in London in which the discerning public can see and asses s The fact is that the arts are uniquely placed to set the mood of th e for itself the latest design proposals for the capital, for the rest of th e nation and to act as an agency for raising expectations, hence the central country and for other cities in the world. preoccupation of the Arts Council in setting an agenda and evolving a London stands at a world crossroads and it is vital that our capita l strategy for the arts . Last year's chairman's introduction foreshadowe d retains its position as the financial and cultural hub of Europe . We fac e the initiative known as Arts 2000, the selection annually between now stiff opposition from friends and rivals in the Single Market. Our leading and the millennium of a city, town or region that will be designate d edge will only be maintained and honed by an act of political will an d United Kingdom City of Culture, identified with particular excellenc e crucially by harnessing our artistic resources to take up the challenge o f in a particular art form, forging links with cities sharing a simila r making London the capital city in Europe, in which people most want t o distinction throughout the Single Market reaching out to 320 millio n live and work and invest. people. The last 12 months have been notable for regular meetings between The accolade for 1992 goes to Birmingham as City of Music . 199 3 the Arts Council, the Royal Fine Art Commission, under the inspire d will be the Year of Dance . Their Royal Highnesses The Princess of Wale s leadership of Lord St. John of Fawsley, and the Royal Institute of Britis h and The Duchess of York have graciously accepted invitations to be Architects, to whose excellent and enthusiastic President, Maxwell Patrons of Dance and Music, respectively . Hutchinson, we bid farewell whilst welcoming his distinguishe d The Channel Tunnel opens in 1993 and will combine technica l successor, Richard MacCormac. achievement in the high speed movement of people and goods, with The basis of deliberations between these bodies rests upon our belie f potent political symbolism in the man-made subterranean isthmu s that we should cultivate the common ground between its knowing tha t joining us to Europe, comparable to the opening of the Suez Canal i n we can achieve much if we act in concert and lose much if we act apart. 1869 - celebrated, as it happens, by the commission to Verdi and th e Our shared motto, if I may be permitted to articulate it, is one wit h composition of Aida The same rich scope is open to our contemporary which this readership will readily identifv. "Art exists to help us recove r artists and composers, to match their brilliance to the event on th e the sensation of life ." world stage . And so to the millennium . What better way to celebrate that extraordinary moment in time than to embark now upon th e programme of refurbishment of the cultural fabric of the nation that I proposed in this report last year so that we can enter the third Lord Palumbo Chairman, Arts Council of Great Britain .1 w - Wbill SW A. - 47 , -'!7t go~MW-~r 14 secretary-general's report the artistic act, and the artistic experience, are and must remain, the focus of our work ." or anyone working at the Arts Council or the Regional Art s departments in the Arts Council's new organisational structure has bee n Associations, the last year has been heavily burdened by the process o f enhanced; we have a duty to be the national knowledge-bank for th e structural reform . It has been an important, indeed an essential, task to arts and to be their tireless advocate and lobbyist. overhaul a system of arts support and development which has neve r It is also why we have undertaken a thorough review during recen t undergone a fundamental review since its inception nearly 50 years ago . months of the financial needs of all arts organisations which rece n But to many outside observers - especially artists and their publics - th e regular, annual grants from the Arts Council . Through enhancemen t rrforms may have seemed an infuriating and probably costly exercise in funding, made available in the last government settlement, we hav e bureaucratic narcissism. To such critics, I reply : "Wait and see". After 12 been able to demonstrate the substantial returns both in terms o f months of careful preparation and debate (over which three Minister s innovation and artistry, as well as of earnings from non-Arts Council For the Arts have presided, each offering important and valuabl e sources, which substantial subsidy up-grades bring. The survey is contributions to the final reform package), the Arts Council is on th e enabling us to make a similar case to government . We know tha t point of major re-organisation and the ten new Regional Arts Boards , without increased resources, arts organisations will have to cut back on led by very distinguished chairmen and governing committees are abou t the duality and quantity of their work, and their efforts to develop new to enter the stage and make their debuts. audiences (especially through education and outreach work may have I believe that the changes will lead to a cost-effective structure o f to be curtailed.