Who will get grants and who will get loans?
So far we have been told that the £1.15 billion support pot for cultural organisations in England will be made up of £270 million in repayable finance and £880 million grants. What we don’t know is who is eligible for what. Presumably those in an impecunious state will be awarded grants, while those with healthier reserves will get loans.
Will the money be distributed through the regions?
Dowden has stated that while protecting the crown jewels (that is, the big London powerhouses with international clout), the money will also be spread throughout the whole of the UK to ensure that those places which have fewer cultural institutions will still benefit. The new funding also means an extra £188 million for the devolved institutions in the home nations.
What will be the split between the commercial and subsidised sector?
The scramble for money is going to be hard fought, and one assumes that everything will be assessed on a case by case basis. That means subsidised organisations which will come under the jurisdiction of Arts Council England should be on an equal footing with those commercial operations which never receive state subsidy.
Who will be in the room when the decisions are made?
The bailout is designed for “UK culture” in toto, but not everyone thinks the bureaucrats are fair. To name one of many instances: Arts Council England gives 62 per cent of its main music fund to opera, and just 15 per cent to rock, pop, jazz, folk and other “popular” styles. Since ACE will advise on funding decisions, music promoters will be watching like hawks.
Will freelancers receive any help?
Freelance artists and performers are the unsung heroes of the arts, from bottom to top – even opera singers are largely paid by the performance, not contracted full-time. Speaking yesterday, however, the Culture Secretary suggested that the furlough scheme would protect freelancers – while this scheme is due to end in October.
What are these performers supposed to do then?
This package is clearly designed for organisations not individuals.
Read more:
The arts have been bailed out – time to drop the woke agenda and focus on entertainment
British rock and pop will roar again – if the Arts Council snobs are frozen out
