Direct arts funding ‘has an Eastern European feel’, says Burnham

Published Tuesday 1 July 2008 at 14:55 by Lalayn Baluch

Culture secretary Andy Burnham has ruled out direct government funding for the country’s flagship arts companies, claiming that such a move would undermine Arts Council England.

His comments follow a speech given by Conservative shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt last week, which outlined what the Tories’ artistic policies would be if the party wins the next general election.

Hunt proposed a “renewal” of ACE, and highlighted suggestions made by former Barbican Centre managing director John Tusa in a report to the Conservatives, which recommended that larger arts organisations be funded directly by government.

However, speaking at the Vision 2020 conference organised by the Cultural Leadership Programme, Burnham responded: “Having decisions about funding arts organisations taken in ministers’ offices has an Eastern European feel. I will not be going down this path and undermining the arts council in this way.

“Like everybody else, it [ACE] has to work at being excellent. But, as Alan Davey [ACE chief executive] is showing, it is able to listen, learn and improve. It is going in exactly the right direction by developing the system of peer review, which commands wide support [in the industry].”

Meanwhile, the culture secretary praised Brian McMaster’s government commissioned review into the excellence in the arts, saying it provided “a clear vision of the future of the arts”, which encouraged innovation, risk-taking and diversity.

Burnham claimed it was now up to industry leaders to deliver McMaster’s proposals.

He said: “It is not necessarily down to me, it is down to you as cultural leaders to deliver that vision. Of course we can work together and work in partnership, but you are the people who are going to shape the cultural life of this country over the next 20 years and beyond.

“You need to have clarity of thought, courage, and confidence to follow your instincts. To trust your judgement and go for the innovative productions instead of the safe, seat-filling options.”

According to Charlotte Jones, chief executive of the Independent Theatre Council, Burnham’s call to action for cultural leaders was “too simplistic” and “slightly accusatory”.

She told The Stage that the sector should undertake “deep engagement” with the arts council to come up with solutions for the future, and should be involved in a peer review system to give them “ownership” of their work.

However, Jones added that not everyone in the industry agreed with all of McMaster’s proposals, particularly the suggestion that cultural organisations provide one week of free access to the public annually. She claimed it was a gimmick and would only attract “the middle class group” rather than the people it sought to reach.