The future of arts funding – webchat roundup
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Version 0 of 1. Kate Arthurs, the British Council Three key issues we must addressFirst, how can we support artists and organisations to articulate clearly what it is they have to offer? What is their unique and compelling vision? What value do they bring for audiences, partners, artists and communities? Second, how can we foster deeper collaboration? This includes but is not limited to artistic collaboration. Rather it’s about how organisations can work together and how one organisation can contribute to other partner or funder agendas, while staying true to their own purpose. Finally, how can we support organisations and artists to develop mixed and sustainable funding models so that when funding patterns inevitably shift, they can still thrive? Dominic Haddock, OperaUpClose Audiences should have more of a sayWe need to get better at talking and listening to audiences: inviting them to tell us what they think, whether that be in person or in writing. We also need to empower and encourage our audiences to have their say outside of conversations with us, to tell anyone who’ll listen – from their neighbour to a politician – what they think of the arts. The more debate the better. Webchat takeaways Sarah Thirtle, Creative Industry Finance Versatility will be keyThe word “resilient” is used often and is indeed apt, but there is also an argument to suggest that organisations and businesses could benefit from being fleet-of-foot and versatile. Opportunities can present themselves in many forms and being able to grasp them is paramount. One example is being able to clearly articulate your organisation’s offer and outcomes. When accessing finance, a well-designed businesses plan is really useful. It allows lenders to quickly see the purpose, objectives and ambitions of a company. Using the finance to shore up ongoing work and invest in new talent, markets or technology is vital. But it works both ways. Some finance providers could do more to fully understand the inherent value, artistic excellence and brilliant competencies of our country’s creative businesses and organisations. What does the sector need beyond money?We’ve noticed a number of areas that come up again and again that our supported businesses tell us they need finance for and/or support with. Commercial enterprises, for example, are telling us they need working capital to help them meet their already growing demand. They also need advice on how best to price themselves in the market, and routes to new markets. Traditionally grant-funded organisations tell us they need support and advice on their new or current income diversification plans, to help them confidently present their financial projections to manage growth and the repayment of loans. We do also learn from our supported businesses about their experiences of writing business plans. Often the ideas and thinking are there, but it’s confidence that’s needed to recognise these as good and viable. Then there’s the help that’s needed to structure all of this into documentation. One of our advisors recently said that she finds it useful to ask them to think of it more like designing a business, rather than writing a business plan. Mehjabeen Price, Creative England Addressing the London/regional funding imbalanceHow can we ensure the regions outside London get their fair share of investment in the arts? By constantly making the case for the wealth of talent that exists outside of London. The arts and the creative industries are key to UK growth and prosperity. Both the sector and the country at large would benefit greatly if investment into this sector is not just focused on London. There are numerous creative centres that already exist across the country. We should be celebrating them. By further developing these, rather than continuing to focus on the capital, we can bring more diversity and dynamism to make Britain the leader in this field. Don’t forget the creative industriesThe creative industries generate nearly £72bn annually and are growing at a rate of more than 9%. Though politicians and policy-makers band around these figures, they don’t really believe these businesses are the new drivers of growth. The creative industries are the new “manufacturing sector” and to ensure its future, policy-makers need to treat it as an industry and have an industrial strategy for it. Phil Gibby, Arts Council England Marketing and development teams should work togetherTo maximise the potential of individual giving, we need to understand that our audiences and donors are broadly the same marketplace. It’s astonishing that there are still many organisations that run separate marketing and development departments, when there are so many potential synergies in terms of building those long-term relationships. William Wollen, actor, writer and director We need to find our political champions We’re short of them at the moment and understandably so. It’s a brave politician who will shout about the arts in difficult times. We need to find them on both sides of the political divide. As Lord Attenborough said: “The arts are not a luxury.” If that’s the case then we need to have decent public funding to support an artistic (not a bureaucratic) infrastructure. Our theatres, galleries, auditoria and so on should be safe. Not preserved in aspic, but a statutory responsibility for our local authorities. OperaUpClose is a recipient of Creative Industry Finance support, a programme managed by Creative United and publicly funded by Arts Council England Join our community of arts, culture and creative professionals by signing up free to the Guardian Culture Pros Network. |