The Stage

Morris defends Whitehall role in ACE policy

Published Tuesday 8 March 2005 at 15:35 by Jeremy Austin

Arts minister Estelle Morris has defended the government’s level of influence over Arts Council England policy following recent claims by the quango’s chairman Christopher Frayling that Whitehall is having too much say in how its allocation of money is spent.

Three weeks ago Frayling used his first public speech at the Royal Society for the Arts to express his concern that the sacrosanct principle of arm’s-length funding of the arts had been undermined to such an extent that ACE is now considered merely to be an extension of culture secretary Tessa Jowell’s department. In his well-attended and widely reported speech he said the system had been reduced to “Venus de Milo proportions”.

However, speaking at the select committee for culture, media and sport’s investigation entitled Arts Development: Theatre, Morris, who is standing down at the next election, said she had never received any indication from the funding body that there was any concern about the closeness of the relationship between the two.

“Our relationship with ACE is good and positive, and I enjoy our debates. I have never, ever felt from them that they feel controlled by us. They have never indicated to me personally that the arm of government is too short or that it has got shorter. I have never had that conversation - and I meet with them on a regular basis,” she said.

Quizzed on how much involvement she thought central government should have on arts council policy, Morris conceded that the DCMS had a duty to ensure that taxpayers’ money is being spent efficiently. However, she added that “in this field perhaps more than many - or even any - other of government activity, government’s hands should be off it”.

She continued: “The notion of running our theatres or our cultural life from central government is a recipe for not doing it very well but it is also particularly dangerous in the wider sense and the wider debate. We are entitled on behalf of the taxpayer to indicate some directions of travel [for funds]. I do not think we are entitled to tell [ACE] how to spend the money. I think we have got the balance about right.”

Morris added that she felt it was right to tell ACE what the government’s priorities are - citing access for more people and arts organisations taking on an education role - but said: “I do not think this is too much control. I do not think this is control at all.

“We contribute to the policy. Even securing extra funding for theatre is a policy. It is the government saying theatre is important. So, in terms of the strategic headlines, I do feel that I have got an involvement but, beyond that, no.

“In terms of how they allocate their money or how they prioritise who they want to fund, I have never felt that that was part of my business. However, I do feel entitled to ask them, when they come in, for an explanation and a discussion with them.”