Arts Council England (ACE) today released its Annual Review for 2012/13, detailing the organisation's ongoing investment in arts and culture.
Aside from assessing its overall performance, the report also examines how Arts Council subsidy compares with other sources of income (local government funding, earned income, philanthropy) and offers an insight into how the creative industries are impacting the UK economy.
The review is also a chance for ACE to see how its performance lined up with its aim of achieving great art for everyone. As part of its 10-year framework, the organisation set out five goals:
• That talent and excellence are thriving and celebrated
• That more people experience and are inspired by the arts
• That arts and cultural organisations are sustainable, resilient and innovative
• That leadership and the workforce is diverse and highly skilled
• That every young person has the opportunity to experience what the sector has to offer
Attained or not, it was undoubtedly a unique year for ACE, given its role in the Cultural Olympiad, and for the first time distributing funding for the Department of Education to improve cultural learning. It launched digital media service The Space and new funding initiatives such as the National Portfolio programme.
The organisation also underwent a significant restructure, cutting its administrative costs by 50% and ending the tenure of Dame Liz Forgan as chair – replaced by Sir Peter Bazalgette in February.
But for all the chair swapping and stats in the report, it's you we want to hear from. We've published tales of great triumph and loss on the Culture Professionals Network, from engagement and opportunity to closures and cutbacks – let us know below the line how you would review the performance of ACE in 2012/13.
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