TakeArtBrochureJantoJun2020 FINAL YUMPA

Fighting for a Future
Take Art's Chief Executive Ralph Lister
believes that England’s rural arts
infrastructure could disappear entirely within
the next five years unless ACE takes steps to
readdress the funding imbalance.
He would like to see a better balance in
funding between urban and rural areas as
ACE finalises its new ten-year strategy:
“Art fights loneliness and isolation
really well at the local theatres and
arts centres, it’s exactly the sort of
thing we stand for. It’s not posh stuff
in the evening, it’s social glue.”
Actor Samuel West, BBC, Countryfile
There is no denying, rural communities are
getting a raw deal when it comes to funding
for arts and culture. There are nearly 12
million people living in the UKs countryside
and around nine million in London but the
disparity in funding is huge.
In England, the Arts Council’s main funding
pot allocates rural areas just £5.50 per head
compared to London’s £18. According to
Arts Council England (ACE)'s recent Rural
Evidence and Data Review, of the £1.6bn
which ACE is providing to its National
Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) from 2018 to
2022, less than 3% (£40m) is going to rural
areas – despite 18% of England’s population
living in these parts of the country.
England’s rural arts leaders have serious
concerns about the future of their
organisations and are calling for more
support – whether through Arts Council
funding, partnerships with city-based venues
or organisational development schemes.
26 Features
“A modest tweak in their NPO funding
levels for rural-based NPOs could
result in a significant positive impact.
An increase from approximately
2.5% to 5.0% would mean finding a
further £40m out of the total budget
and result in a 100% increase in rural
funding – and thereby a massive
increase in activity.” Ralph Lister
At the moment there is all to play for but it
is crucial for all rural arts organisations to
advocate for a shift in funding priorities.
September January - December - June 2020 2017 | Take Art