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Culture Secretary Miller to 'fight corner' for the arts Maria Miller: arts must make economic case
(about 9 hours later)
Culture Secretary Maria Miller will tell arts chiefs later that she will fight for continued public funding but only with their help. Culture Secretary Maria Miller is to tell the arts world it must make the case for public funding by focusing on its economic, not artistic, value.
In her first keynote speech since becoming Culture Secretary, Ms Miller will say: "I am fighting your corner as hard as I can within the government." She will tell arts executives in a speech that they must "hammer home the value of culture to our economy".
But she will add that she needs the arts on board "to hammer home the value of culture to our economy". She is expected to say: "When times are tough and money is tight, our focus must be on culture's economic impact."
The speech will be given to industry figures at the V&A Museum in London. She will add: "I want to make it clear that I am fighting your corner as hard as I can within government."
The arts have faced big challenges since austerity measures were announced in 2010. Her speech will be given at 10:30 BST at the British Museum in London.
Ms Miller will warn arts chiefs: "The government wants participants - not bystanders - and I need you all to accept this fundamental premise, and work with me to develop the argument." Arts organisations are facing big challenges as a result of austerity measures from central and local governments.
Ms Miller will say that "British culture is perhaps the most powerful and compelling product we have available to us", referring to the success of last year's Olympics and Paralympics. "The government wants participants - not bystanders," Ms Miller will say in her first keynote speech since becoming culture secretary last September.
"Either way, British culture and creativity are now more in demand than ever before... the world wants to buy into Britain." "I need you all to accept this fundamental premise, and work with me to develop the argument."
Her speech comes two months before the government's spending review, which gives details of which departments will need to cut their spending, and by how much. The government, she is expected to say, is "committed to a mixed economy model" that combines public and private funding for the arts.
Arts organisations will be told they should "demonstrate the healthy dividends that our investment continues to pay".
Ms Miller will say that "British culture is perhaps the most powerful and compelling product we have available to us", especially after the success of last year's Olympics and Paralympics.
"Either way, British culture and creativity are now more in demand than ever before... The world clearly thinks this is a commodity worth buying into."
Her speech comes two months before the government's spending review, which will give details of which departments will need to cut their spending and by how much.
Last month, the Treasury wrote to departments warning most ministers they will have to cut up to 10% of their budgets for the year 2015-16.Last month, the Treasury wrote to departments warning most ministers they will have to cut up to 10% of their budgets for the year 2015-16.
Defending cuts
Ministers are now preparing for the spending review to be held on 26 June.
Last November, Ms Miller hit back at criticism from senior arts figures over cuts to arts budgets.Last November, Ms Miller hit back at criticism from senior arts figures over cuts to arts budgets.
"Much of what we're hearing from the arts world is close to pure fiction," she wrote in the Evening Standard in London. "Much of what we're hearing from the arts world is close to pure fiction," she wrote in the London Evening Standard. "Accusations that this government neither likes nor supports the arts are disingenuous in the extreme," she continued.
"Accusations that this government neither likes nor supports the arts are disingenuous in the extreme," she said. The culture secretary was responding to attacks on government policy made at last year's Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
She was responding to attacks on government policy made at last year's Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
Among those to speak out were National Theatre boss Sir Nicholas Hytner, actor Stephen Fry and directors Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry, who were honoured for their work on the Olympic ceremonies.Among those to speak out were National Theatre boss Sir Nicholas Hytner, actor Stephen Fry and directors Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry, who were honoured for their work on the Olympic ceremonies.
Sir Nicholas said further cuts to theatre budgets made "no economic sense whatsoever" and called on the culture secretary to fund all theatres to the level enjoyed by the National Theatre in order to stimulate philanthropic giving.Sir Nicholas said further cuts to theatre budgets made "no economic sense whatsoever" and called on the culture secretary to fund all theatres to the level enjoyed by the National Theatre in order to stimulate philanthropic giving.
But Ms Miller added in her comment piece in the Standard: "We have worked with the Arts Council to ensure that frontline arts organisations have their budgets cut by no more than 15% over the next four years." But Ms Miller added in the Evening Standard: "We have worked with the Arts Council to ensure that frontline arts organisations have their budgets cut by no more than 15% over the next four years."