49Th Annual Report S* D Accoun
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49th annual report S*d accoun ' 1 eIV,'p III' = Allen reports on op t Ihr Ca. I with its first-ever cash rut - an. !1 anrtiltg to ~ntknjd ►vi I ' achicm!i6enTs in ti] allocated grants u t ztns, and (t here their tota l front. ttnh~ is who atu•nci art% is to .W, U4'cl'1ng, from 'rnlcnl:s in ; }7ort the vc,lr' s It~:CS' entti. Ill, Alt,( anhd, ;L,, , Itntain x a, L Ir 11"i u l :1n4u,t 1946 rl 1 iU l z l 1 n l R in hcacctimc Ilic tt, .1 6 l,Cgull tt 1711 g . IN CrI1111, lf l Stlpp, lrr is ITIc ( .1 ImI, 1 ', L the t' Ili l,yga trlt'111 „ t Mu,Ic anti lltc Art, I' ll , Ans C , YIIIICII t 14, 4I3Ii , un11c•r .1 rc%i%t:t1 Rm A ( barter gr.mtcd In I`1 C in ullkh ire object, are SI .ItC,I as. 1 a 1 n+ tlrrclor(, .1111 Improw thr kn,mlc-11trc . 1311dcnras1111ng an d pracucc of ilic Arts. I b I to tncrc .tu th e aut .Sstl,rhn of tltc art ., t, . 71c public ilmmjgll„+ u GrcaF Britain _ I t : , n, adl I,c• And o , operate ulrh .Icl,.trtmcri , oI r1FCrmncm, In2.1 1 atlt umlic, end olhc t k,dics The Arts (tnund, a• a puhlnh accAnnrtat+lc 1,,,Jt . pJ1,11,11c, .111 all11tla l rcp, .11 grid a-- nlt, n , +Wkslk PAIIl,1311011 X111 III,' t;c lwrll I,'.Ihlt, Il I711 a' 1 ,llcrl i[i\ It Ilii 1C .]r + 1, t,rt Chairman's introduction I have long admircd the work (if since our f6tindation in 1940 - the Arts Council . Since Fohn coincided with the cllccts of the Maynard Keynes established it in recession on constuticrs and a 1946 it has not only acted as the dccrease in both local authorii N conduit filr state support of th e bending and btnsincsS sponsorship . arts. It has sometimes coaxed or Given economic ditlielillies anti driven arts organisations into difficult political choices, the las t realising their potential ; an d nvo sources held up rc[narkab l sometimes responded -with speed well, But I cannot hide that a t and prescience to cultural change s present the Arts Council i s wrought by the organisations engaged not in nurturing the art s thciltselves. It is a focus for (subsidy is, aticr all, only the criticism, and this can be deserved . infant feed of,ui active and hugcl + But if we did not have it we would successfid national industry bil l have to invent sonic comparable in staffing, an increasingly body to take its place. The arin's- crti+vdcd casua11V ward . I ana length principle, which th e beginning to ti cI like an under- Onvir uncm has reaffirnied, does study tin- Donald Skit licriand' s not exist to thwart elected repre- Ha+vkcye part in M.A .S.H. sentatives. It serves them and th e ['here is a pervasive vier- in arts, and saves them and the arts. government circles (not, in m y 1 -was therefore proud and experience, restricted to on e grateful to be given the political party) that while art s Opportunity to serve the arts , s[thaidV may he small it is wholly together with my colleagues o n open entled : Oliver Twist alway s the Council, our officers in asks fix mo re. There is sonic trot h London and our tollcagucs and in this . The +rr- success of th e otli.crs among the Regional Art s arts in Britain, not Ieast becaus e Boards. The Arts Council o f of the Arts Council, has led to a England is a new body with a ne w surge in interest and demand tha t Royal Charter . In this funding no governrncril, lio"-c%c r wear 1 1194 ;9:; we are, in effect, a N113CCCnidn, Could easily fulfil . Tcn caretaker administration fo r ycars ago the tabloi d N decisions taken by the previou s had little arts coverage; no++ the Arts Council of Great Britain last middle range offers a lot . But not %•car. We shall be announcing ou r being able to accede to demand i s oven dispositions late this Autum n not the sonic as administering a to take rftcct in the Spring o f selective and unfair cut, withou t 1991- . 1 should like to welcom e logic or niacroccononii c the no%ly-appointed members o f significance . The respectiv e the Council - Maggie Guillehaud , Secretaries of State gave Wales al l Sir Richard Rogers, Trevor Nunn, uplift and Scotland a standstil l Stephen Phillips, Llsha Prasha r grant. England was cut- This was and Gavin Henderson - and t o particular) l}3rd on nn - express nn• gratitude to those predecessor, Lord Palumbo, i n ,.vho continue to sen .e. We al l enlightened and far-seeing 111311 , cOtagratttlatC our new Secrctan- - and a poor reward tin tile scmic e General, Mary Allcn, and he r he gave . dcput+•, Suc Hole, on thei r It is nevcrthcicss fair to ca w_ apl-m nnncnis. that s0111t' nfthc old Arts The Council is having in deal Council's wounds were self - +with considerable diflicttltlcs thi s inflicted . With the befit possibl e year. A cash cut of C3,2111 in our will, the Council took soni c grant - e&:tiwely almost tric e decisions +vhith, at least in publi c that ailuxint in real terms and th e perceptions, it had not though t first ever imposed by governnicnt through or felt unable to implement when it came to th e among, our biggest contributors considerable difficulties woul d crunch . The provision for th e to overseas earnings and the remain and controversial decision s London orchestras was a case tax take . " would be required in order to in Point . We ourselves (light add tha t overcome them . With regard to Our task is to work for the the crossover from the state to th e the Lottery itself, I swish to mak e restoration of our cut . Even if private sector is more intense i n it uncompromisingly clear that we successful it will not lead to sunli t this than in any other field . The shall nut ncglect applications frolic uplands. Because rile Arts Counci l career (done of our Counci l smaller or highly localised hodies . must respond to lies, sources o f mcmhcrs, Trevor Nunn, is a case The Council intends the Lotter y activity, and earmark develop- in point. He ran the Royal to celebrate our artistic life in it s mcnt<ll money for that purpose , Shakespeare (,ompany, .1 jewel t o entirety . I have delivered thi s utlpopUlar decisions will Brill need the subsidised crox rn. He directed message on hehalfofthe (,OUllCi l to be made . I;ut we will at leas t Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cote, the to the tress Sevres(' of State , be able to sunVivc under stati c most commercially- successfu l Stephen Morrell, whose funding (a substantial loss in real show in the histon- of theatre . appointment we have welcomed . terms) over three years, which i s Nunn may he touched with Plural finding - by was' o f the stated ainl of Governmen t genius but this kind of interactio n local and central government , polio-. We have already under- between public and private in th e turnstiles and box offices, busines s taken a fierce reduction in ou r arts is COnyCtllional enough . sponsors and patrons - is th e own overheads. ackntnvledge, too, that there n.une of the game for the arts in T remain concerned at some o f is a political temptation to say , Britain . 1, for one, ,vould not the hoops we require the "The arts get a fifth of th e wish this to he different : the art s organisations we fund to jump National Lotten , proceeds. Other need nurturing, not cossering . through in order to justifi• a interests would give their right Making a career in this field was reward which, as oaten as not, fail s arms for less than that, so sto p ah,avs hard, competitive, insecur e to appear. I have asked Mary swhingins " Ministers are indeed and, overall, poorly paid . It Allen to concentrate initially on to be congratulated for getting probably always will be . In the our relations with our companies ; tale Lottcn onto the statute hook last year of his miraculous life , I travel extensivcly round th e and into the system, and I shoul d Mozart fell victim ui a fierce counts' myself. We need the. like to pay Illy WWII tribute to th e public expenditure squeeze i n muscle of the arts world more former Secretary of State, Pete r Vienna . Ironically, had he than ally eloquence or influence Brooke. The official Opposition , followed the advice of his friend of our oswn to make our case . not without their Methodist and mentor, Haydn, and Tonle to Restoring credibility in our own traditions, should also be praise d London he would have done ycr' held is essential . for their reception and the Libera l well and no doubt survived . The greatest need is for the Democrats have been supportive . Nevcnhcless he remained an kind of ministerial and politica l This is a welcome and owerdti c optimist about life and the powe r will that says to the public : chance to repair the fabric of th e of art to the end .