Future Arts Centres welcomes the publication of Baroness Hodge’s independent review of Arts Council England and the Arts Council’s considered response to its findings.

We are encouraged by the clear support for the principles of Let’s Create, which for the first time meaningfully reflected the breadth, depth and social value of the work delivered by arts centres across England. Arts centres sit at the intersection of artistic excellence, participation, place and community, and it has been important to see this activity recognised within national cultural policy.

The report recognises challenges in how the strategy has been implemented, and we would support a shift in approach to this going forward.

We also strongly welcome the review’s reaffirmation of the arm’s length principle. An independent Arts Council remains vital to ensuring that public investment in culture is protected from political influence and responsive to the needs of artists, audiences and communities in all parts of the country.

A move to even greater regional and local decision-making is also welcomed, and will help to ensure that community stakeholders have a real input into funding decisions.

We are pleased to see the acknowledgement of the ‘underfunding that has undermined the arts over the last decade’ and an encouragement for government to find ‘innovative ways of responding’ including new ways to encourage philanthropy, changes to creative tax reliefs, and a local tourism levy.

In responding to the review, Arts Council England’s commitment to reducing reporting and monitoring requirements is particularly positive for our members. Arts centres are operating under sustained financial and capacity pressures, and a lighter-touch, more proportionate approach to accountability will enable organisations to focus more time and resource on delivery, partnership and artistic ambition.

Future Arts Centres looks forward to continuing to work with Arts Council England and sector partners to ensure that the ambitions of Let’s Create are realised in ways that are supportive, enabling and grounded in the realities of arts centre practice.

Arts Council England – an independent review by Baroness Margaret Hodge

Arts Council England – response to publication of the review