Annual review 2009 Great art for everyone – the Arts Council plan Building on artistic foundations Insight into arts audiences National Lottery etc Act 1993 (as amended by the National Lottery Act 1998) Presented pursuant to section c39, section 35 (5) of the National Lottery etc Act 1993 (as amended by the National Lottery Act 1998) for the year ending 31 March 2009, together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon. Arts Council England grant-in-aid and Lottery annual report and accounts 2008/09 Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 16 July 2009 HC 854 London: The Stationery Office £26.60 Arts Council England annual review Arts Council England works to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artistic experiences that enrich people’s lives. As the national development agency for the arts, we support a range of artistic activities from theatre to music, literature to dance, photography to digital art, carnival to crafts. Great art inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around WELCOMEus. In short, it makes life better. Between 2008 and 2011 we’ll invest in excess of £1.6 billion of public money from the government and the National Lottery to create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. © Crown Copyright 2009 The text in this document (excluding the Royal Arms and other departmental or agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the document specified. Where we have identified any third party copyright material you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. For any other use of this material please write to Office of Public Sector Information, Information Policy Team, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU or e-mail: [email protected] ISBN: 9780102960259 Contents 02 Chair’s report 40 Creative Partnerships Dame Liz Forgan remarks on In April 2009 we demerged demanding but heartening times Creative Partnerships, and set up 04 Chief Executive’s report Creativity, Culture and Education, Alan Davey reflects on a year of which will become our biggest challenges, changes – and great art regularly funded organisation 06 Finances at a glance 42 A year in the life of a new In 2008/09, we invested more regularly funded organisation than £570 million of public money Artichoke are best known from the government and the for their fantastical large- National Lottery in the arts scale productions such as 10 The Arts Council plan, 2008–2011 The Sultan’s Elephantt and Our mission for the next three La Princesse, and specialise in years, 10 years and beyond is clear taking great art to the street and unequivocal. It is about great 44 Grants for the arts art for everyone Matt Stokes used our funding 14 A year across the arts to travel between his base in As the national development Gateshead, to Camden, London, agency for the arts, we support and Austin, Texas, to create two a range of artistic activities from very different artworks theatre to music, literature to 46 Personal bests dance, photography to digital art, Staff from across the organisation carnival to crafts choose their personal arts 34 Timeline highlights of 2008/09 From the Cultural Olympiad 48 Arts audience segmentation launch to A Night Less Ordinary, In 2008 we developed an in-depth see our year at a glance ‘segmentation’ that breaks 36 Capital programmes down the English adult population Our capital programme makes it in terms of their attendance at arts possible for organisations to events, participation at arts events invest in bricks and mortar, and attitudes towards the arts creating valuable arts infrastructure across England Arts Council England annual review 02 Chair’s report Dame Liz Forgan remarks on demanding but heartening times CHALLENGESCHAH OPPORTUNITIES What a pleasure to be writing my first We know there are going to be tough times ahead, and that we must all do report as Chair of the Arts Council. our bit to maintain clear vision and better relationships than ever before with artists, arts organisations and It’s been a demanding two months in each other. Everyone I have met since which the current and future effects becoming Chair, at the Arts Council and in the arts sector, has an appetite for of the economic downturn on the the challenges. They are motivated and arts has concerned us all, but it has passionate about the work they do and also been a heartening time, full of that’s a tremendous bonus. forward thinking about how the arts In June 2009, we outlined a number of practical steps that we’re taking to can contribute to recovery. ensure the continued success story of the arts through the recession. Sustain, a £40 million, open application fund will provide extra support for organisations under pressure as a result of recession. Sustain is one way that we can sustain artistic excellence in the context of the economic downturn. Arts Council England annual review 03 ‘The arts are now more available all over the country,y, offering g us escape, p , comfort,,g understanding and reference in toughgyp times. They cheer us up.’ We’re also providing additional support available in this country is the envy of Sustained investment in the arts has for individual artists and smaller arts the world, part of what makes Britain made the cultural landscape so different organisations through a £4 million distinctive and a valuable contributor from that in previous periods of deep increase to the Grants for the arts to the creative economy. recession. The arts are now more budget, and have set aside £500,000 available all over the country, offering to support the Town Centres Initiative I was also encouraged by the response us escape, comfort, understanding and through a fund to which artists can apply that we received to A Night Less reference in tough times. They cheer us for grants to help them carry out artistic Ordinary, our initiative to get more up. This is something that Sir Christopher activities in empty shops. young people into live theatre. This believed in passionately, and his legacy collaboration between the Arts Council will serve us well in the years to come. The main challenge in the year ahead and over 200 venues across England, – for the Arts Council and therefore for from village halls in Cornwall to the Over the coming year the Arts Council me – is to continue to deliver great art National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare will do everything it can to champion during a recession. People might think Company and the Donmar will ensure the cause of sustained investment in that there is not enough money for new that 618,000 free theatre tickets are the arts and never let government lose ideas and innovation. The temptation available to anyone under 26, many of sight of the role of the arts in recovery might be to stay with the secure and whom may not have been to the theatre from recession. We will continue to known, but it’s vital that we encourage since they left school. I’m proud that the lead the fight for a just settlement in new arts. That’s going to be the case Arts Council is leading an initiative that the next spending review and we’ll not just for this year but for some time. will develop a new generation of arts need every single stakeholder in the audiences. arts – artists, arts organisations, elected In March I saw the inspirational Destino representatives, audiences – to come at Sadler’s Wells. An exhilarating I’d like to pay tribute to my predecessor, with us. example of the power of the arts to Sir Christopher Frayling, for his part transcend social and economic barriers, in the years of creative and financial Showing that we can make a real it was a dynamic performance. I was investment that have resulted in contribution in even the most difficult of also privileged to see Dido and Aeneas the impressive and substantial arts times will be the best case we can make and Acis and Galatea at the Royal Opera infrastructure that England has today. for continued public investment in the House. These two new interpretations arts and culture through – and just as of great works of British opera reminded importantly – beyond the recession. me why the great art that is widely Arts Council England annual review 04 Chief Executive’s report Alan Davey reflects on a year of changes, challenges – and great art COURAGEE CONVICTIONION Back in November 2008, I talked Barenboim Beethoven series at the Royal Festival Hall; Gurrelieder kicking about the need for artists, arts off the Philharmonia’s groundbreaking organisations, boards, funders and exploration of Vienna; ENO emerging as a major force of innovation and politicians to show courage and to excellence under the musical direction of keep risk, innovation and great art Ed Gardner; Heiner Goebbels’ mysterious and beautiful Stifters Dinge; and the afloat during the hard times ahead. evolution of Hofesh Shechter’s Uprising into a huge event at the Roundhouse. Little did we know then how hard the hard times would be in terms of public Then there’s Liverpool, which enjoyed a finances, but I’m glad to say that the successful year but also a successful legacy, arts have shown courage and continue with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic to produce interesting and challenging established as a major musical force under work that people want to see.