ACE Stakeholder Focus 2012

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Arts Council EnglandStakeholder Focus Research

March 2013


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Legal notice

2013 DHA Communications Ltd & ICM Researchall rights reserved

The contents of this report constitute the sole and exclusive property of DHA Communications Ltd & ICM

Research


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This document is an independent report commissioned by Arts Council England.

We introduced the regular Stakeholder Focus survey in 2009, as part of our publicvalue work, helping us to strengthen our relationships with the public and otherstakeholders and to support our mission to bring great art to everyone. The aim ofthe research is to ensure we are in touch with the views of our external stakeholdersand the public, and to explore levels of trust and confidence in the Arts Council, as

well as perceptions of accountability.


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Contents

Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... 1

1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 6

2 General public attitudes ................................................................................................... 14

3 General perceptions of the Arts Council .......................................................................... 26

4 The Arts Councils role and impact ................................................................................... 41

5 Working Relationships ...................................................................................................... 60

6 Values and behaviours...................................................................................................... 67

7 Communication ................................................................................................................ 86

8 Future priorities ................................................................................................................ 90

9 Conclusions and recommendations ................................................................................. 94

10 Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 99


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Index of Figures

General public view of the arts ................................................................................................ 15

General public views on public funding of arts and culture, 1 ................................................ 16

General public views on public funding of arts and culture, 2 ................................................ 17

General public views on lottery funding of arts and culture, comparison with public views onpublic funding of the arts ......................................................................................................... 18

Does public funding benefit you or your friends and family?, 1 ............................................. 19

Does public funding benefit everyone/you, your friends and family?, 2 ................................ 20

What should public funding of the arts achieve? .................................................................... 22

General Public views on the Arts Council ................................................................................ 23

Knowledge among the arts and cultural sector and partners ................................................. 26

Favourability among the arts and cultural sector and partners, 1 .......................................... 29

Favourability among the arts and cultural sector and partners, 2 .......................................... 30

Advocacy, 1 .............................................................................................................................. 31

Advocacy, 2 .............................................................................................................................. 32Impressions of the Arts Council ............................................................................................... 35

Impressions of the Arts Council, Year on Year Comparison of Corporate Values ................... 37

Mission and relevance ............................................................................................................. 43

Effectiveness in achieving mission, 1 ....................................................................................... 46

Effectiveness in achieving mission, 2 ....................................................................................... 47

Reasons for improvement of effectiveness in achieving mission ........................................... 48

Reasons for deterioration of effectiveness in achieving mission ............................................ 49

Understanding the Arts Councils goals and priorities............................................................ 51

Impact at geographical levels .................................................................................................. 52

Comparison of those who currently benefit and those who should benefit .......................... 55Impact against key activities and goals .................................................................................... 57

Impact against key goals, year on year comparison 2011 and 2012 ....................................... 59

Working relationshipstype of relationship .......................................................................... 60

Working relationshipsquality of relationship ...................................................................... 61

Changes in working relationships in the last year ................................................................... 64

Reasons for improvement of working relationship ................................................................. 65

Reasons for deterioration of working relationship ................................................................. 66

Openness, 1.............................................................................................................................. 67

Openness, 2.............................................................................................................................. 68

Clarity, coherence and consistency ......................................................................................... 71Respect and confidence ........................................................................................................... 74

Partnership working ................................................................................................................. 78

Investment decisions ............................................................................................................... 81

Funding and monitoring processes .......................................................................................... 84

Feeling informed (1) ................................................................................................................. 86

Feeling informed (2) ................................................................................................................. 87

Communication channels ........................................................................................................ 88

Length of contact with the Arts Council .................................................................................. 89

Priorities for the next yearkeep doing ................................................................................. 90

Priorities for the next yearneed to do or change ................................................................ 92


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Executive Summary

Arts Council England is a public body, responsible for significant public investment in the

arts sector. As such, it has a wide range of stakeholders who have an interest in the choicesit makes and in the results and impacts of those choices. It functions within a complex

ecology, engaging with government, a range of public infrastructures, a diverse

organisational sector and with individuals pursuing artistic practices. It is also funded by the

tax-payer. Understanding how the Arts Council serves its stakeholders is key to

understanding its relevance as a public body.

Arts Council England commissioned DHA and ICM Research to explore the relationships

between the Arts Council and its stakeholders, building on previous phases of stakeholder

research from 2009 and 2011. The fieldwork included a survey of the general public, an

online survey of the arts sector and partners and a series of semi-structured interviews withopinion-formers. The fieldwork took place between September 2012 and January 2013.

Overall perceptions of the Arts CouncilThe Arts Council is seen as having a crucial role on behalf of the arts and cultural

sector, in developing the sector and in communicating on its behalf to a range of key

stakeholders.

The Arts Council is seen as having improved its ability to make investment choices,

and to explain those choices. Stakeholders understand that there are potentially

difficult choices to be made, and feel that the Arts Council is, on the whole, trying to

get things right.

There is significant concern for the future capacity of the Arts Council, and the

significant potential for loss of on-the-ground relationships and of strategic

partnerships.

Role and ImpactThe Arts Council is perceived as having a complex and broad role, which has changed

significantly with new responsibilities for libraries and museums, responsibilities for

music education hubs, and a range of new emerging strategic partnerships and

funding streams. Opinion-formers are clear that the Arts Council has a unique and

important function, particularly in relation to both central and local government, and

that the arms-length principle is crucial to this. There is uncertainty about whether

the new responsibilities help to consolidate this function, or may serve to diffuse its

focus.

There was particular emphasis this year on a range of strategic areas in which the

Arts Council can play a crucial role. These include its overview of the developmental

needs of the arts and cultural sector, and its role in championing the value of arts

and culture to government, as well as in building alliances and partnerships with the

public infrastructure.

The Arts Councils mission and strategic framework, including the new publication

for museums and libraries, are widely known. Broadly speaking, the mission and

framework are felt to bring focus to the Arts Councils communications and


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relationship with the sector. There is, however, uncertainty about the plans for

achieving the Arts Councils aims, and about the relationship between government

policy and recent and forthcoming changes, and the mission.

The Arts Council is felt to have a positive impact on arts and culture across the

regions. Where relationships are good, the Arts Council is characterised as a strategic

partner, and its continued presence across the different regions is felt to be crucial.

Some opinion-formers still identify a tension between a focus on London and the

other regions, whilst others identify a tension between larger and more established

organisations, and smaller, newer organisations.

Working RelationshipsWorking relationships are varied and complex across the range of different

stakeholders. Whilst a significant group of stakeholders have a main, single point of

contact, more have a range of different relationships, including engagement with

both a regional and head office.

Working relationships are rated in a similar way to previous years. The quality of

relationships is closely linked to experiences and engagement with individual staff,

and the way in which those staff operate and are viewed. This year fewer

respondents feel that their relationship with the Arts Council has got worse, and

more feel that it has stayed the same.

On the whole, working relationships are described by opinion-formers as friendly,

constructive, committed and honest. Frankness and clarity are particularly prized by

respondents, as is the enthusiasm and expertise of individual officers.

There are also significant concerns about the capacity of the Arts Council to maintain

these relationships and continue to build new partnerships, particularly with key

sectors such as local government.

There are also significant concerns about the Arts Councils future presence in

different areas and the degree to which individual officers and offices will be able to

maintain regular on-the-ground contact with organisations and individuals, and the

potential lack of local knowledge which may follow. These concerns are directly

related to forthcoming change in structure at the Arts Council, which comes into

place in July 2013.

Values and behaviours

The Arts Council is felt by stakeholders to be open and honest, though for some thisis either an area for improvement or something which is necessarily limited by its

role.

The Arts Council is seen as inviting feedback and opinion-formers feel they can be

honest with it. However, some opinion-formers feel that the Arts Council does not

necessarily make use of that feedback. In addition, several opinion-formers feel that

then Arts Council is limited in the way in which it learns from experience and that

more could be done in a range of areas to build this learning. For some, this

opportunity is being limited by the amount of new requirements and the pace of

change taking place as a result of changes in public investment.

The improvement seen in last years findings in the Arts Councils confidence inmaking and defending decisions has been maintained. Opinion-formers cited


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examples of the national portfolio organisation funding process, and also examples

of sophisticated engagement with partnerships.

There is, overall, confidence in the current leadership at the Arts Council; this does

not always necessarily mean head office, but in some cases regional leadership.

There is limited understanding and some uncertainty about the role of National

Council itself, and Regional Councils, though several opinion-formers reference both

the current and the forthcoming chair in their discussions of leadership.

The way in which the Arts Council works is important for many in the arts and

cultural sector and partners. Many feel that there will be a growing emphasis on the

need to work in partnership with key areas, such as local government. The Arts

Council role beyond funding is crucial here, particularly in its ability to build

sustained partnerships and to facilitate partnership across different sectoral areas.

Opinion-formers had praise for some of the recent examples of partnership by the

Arts Council, but some raise significant concerns about the coherence and direction

of strategic funds.

There is some sense that the Arts Council finds it difficult to evidence and explain the

value of some of the choices it makes. Respondents are unsure whether the Arts

Council makes good use of the data it collects, and opinion-formers raise issues

concerning the recent process of developing key performance indicators as an

indication that the potential burden of monitoring data is becoming more

substantial.

CommunicationOverall, stakeholders feel sufficiently well informed about the Arts Council work. In-

person relationships are still considered to be the most important and useful by themajority of respondents, and opinion-formers cite the qualities of individual

members of staff as sources of information in their day-to-day relationships.

Future prioritiesThe arts and cultural sector and partners and opinion-formers suggest a wide range

of future priorities for the Arts Council. The overwhelming issues identified are the

need for continued investment and questions about the future capacity of the Arts

Council to continue to support organisations, individuals and partnerships in the

future.

General publicSupport for public funding of arts and culture is stronger than in 2011, returning it to

a level similar to that of 2009. This may reflect a correction to the downturn in

2011, when the question was asked in a period in which significant discussions about

all areas of public investment were taking place.1

1

It is important to note that in this year the phrasing of questions in the public survey were altered to reflectthe Arts Councils new responsibilities. Thus, those questions which in 2009 and 2011previously asked about

views relating to the arts, in 2012 asked about views relating to arts and culture.


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Support for lottery funding of arts and culture is stronger than support for public

funding through taxes.2

There is a small rise in the proportion of people who feel that they, their friends and

family benefit from public funding of arts and culture. As with support for public

funding of arts and culture, this returns the proportion of people who agree that

they see benefit to levels similar to those from 2009.

Members of the public feel that public funding of the arts should primarily be used

to improve access to the arts. Interesting in this year, the Arts Councils role in

developing new artistic talent is also highlighted by respondents as a first priority,

slightly more than in the previous year.

Issues to exploreThere remains uncertainty for some about the way in which the mission and

strategic framework will be made tangible through plans and activities, about the

cohesion of new areas of responsibility and about the place of strategic funds and

partnerships in the context of the mission and the Arts Councils overall direction.

There are concerns about the new structure, and its potential impact on the quality

of working relationships, on local knowledge and on the ability of the Arts Council to

provide the necessary expertise and facilitation in complex areas, such as engaging

with local government.

Partnership working is considered key to the Arts Councils ability to develop the

sector in the future, but there are concerns about the organisations capacity to

support further work in this area.

The Arts Councils ability to learn, and to use thedata and evidence it collects to

develop future practice, is considered important. There have been some challenges

relating to recently developed processes for monitoring, and again there are

concerns about the Arts Councils capacity to engage dynamically in this area in the

future.

There remain diverse views concerning the Arts Councils role in relation to the

public, and particularly concerning the question of how the value of the Arts Council

(both through its investment and through its strategic role) is communicated to the

public. This is connected to the way in which stakeholders feel that the wider case

for public investment in arts and culture should be made, which is felt to be a crucial

challenge for the sector.

2

Respondents were asked to reflect on the principle of different kinds of funding sources, but were not giveninformation about the criteria attached to these different types of funding, or the different uses to which they

are put.


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Introduction


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1 Introduction1.1 ObjectivesDHA and ICM Research were commissioned to follow-up on a first phase of stakeholderresearch undertaken in 2009 by Ipsos Mori (there was no fieldwork in 2010). In the summer

of 2011 a second phase of fieldwork was undertaken, and in Autumn 2012 a third. For this

third phase the questionnaires, methodology and stakeholder sample have been updated

where appropriate.3

The research aims were to:

ensure that the Arts Council is in touch with the view of its external stakeholders and

the public

explore what characteristics and behaviours enable successful relationships between

the Arts Council and its stakeholders

measure overall knowledge of the Arts Council, and understanding of its role and

goals

measure recognition of the Arts Councils missionand understand its relevance

identify areas where the Arts Council is performing well and where there are areas

for improvement

explore levels of trust and confidence in the Arts Council, and perceptions of

accountability

assess stakeholdersunderstanding and views of decision-making, funding and other

processes

assess stakeholdersviews of the impact and effectiveness of the Arts Council, both

in relation to its goals and in its day-to-day activities

produce transparent findings using a replicable methodology, enabling trends to be

recognised and understood over a number of years

3These are included in Appendices.


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1.2 ContextThe period for this years fieldwork was the autumn of 2012. We noted in the 2011 report

the range of high profile activities and processes, relating to public investment, which had

provided a particular context to the 2011 fieldwork. As significant developments continued

to take place in the year between the 2011 and 2012 fieldwork, it is valuable to

acknowledge these developments in order to understand the background to this years

findings.

The National Portfolio funding agreements commenced in April 2012, following an

application process in late 2010/early 2011. Some arts organisations moved from

being a Regularly Funded Organisation to being a National Portfolio Organisation.

Others were new additions to Arts Council revenue funding, whilst others lost their

revenue funding. The ten Bridge organisations, focusing on children and young

people, also commenced their new remit in April 2012.

In September 2011 the Arts Council published Culture, knowledge and

understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone, which sought to integrate

the Arts Councils new responsibilities for museums and libraries into the ten-year

strategic framework already established inAchieving great art for everyone.The

museums and libraries formally transferred to Arts Council England on 1st

October

2011. New funding programmes administered by Arts Council England included the

Renaissance in the Regions major grants programme for museums and the Libraries

Development Initiative.

The Arts Council took on responsibility as the fund holder for the music educationhubs, part of the Department of Educations response to Darren Henleys Review of

Music in Englandand the subsequent national plan for music education, The

Importance of Music. The application process for hubs was undertaken in late

2011/early 2012, and hubs commenced their activities as part of the new network

from August 2012.

In October 2012 the Arts Council announced the details of its new structure,

designed in response to the details of the 2011-15 settlement from government. The

new structure would come into place in July 2013.

Following the Autumn Statement 2012 (December), the Arts Council received

notification of a revised funding settlement for the period 2013-15, detailing a

budget cut of 1% for 2013-14 and 2% for 2014-15.

These last two items occurred within and after the period of the fieldwork. The fact of the

Arts Council moving to a new structure was known in advance of the October details being

published. A range of activities highlighting the value of investment in arts and cultural

funding also took place across the arts and cultural sector in advance of the Autumn

statement. Both items are, therefore, relevant elements of the context within which this

years fieldwork took place.


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1.3 FieldworkDHA and ICM Research worked with staff from the Arts Council to review the questions used

in 2011, and to:

identify where findings had been useful, or less useful

refine questions, where possible

align the questions with the Arts Councils, especially with regards to museums and

libraries, and with providers working across the new music education hubs and other

areas of delivery for children and young people such as the bridge organisations

consider the best period and approach for the fieldwork to ensure full and

meaningful responses, particularly in the light of complex public investment

timescales

There were three separate elements to the fieldwork: an online survey with members of the

general public; an online survey with stakeholders from amongst the arts and cultural sector

and partners; and a series of semi-structured interviews with opinion-formers. As with the

previous wave of research, the first and second of these elements allow us to track changes

in some areas from the data collected in 2009, and in most areas against the second phase

of data collected in 2011, whilst the interviews supply more detailed and rich information

about peoples experiences of the Arts Council amongst individuals within and connected to

the sector.

An online survey of the general publicas part of the ICM Research Online Omnibustook

place. 1,750 adults aged 18+ from England were questioned, and data was weighted to

match the profile of the population of England. The survey took place in September 2012.

DHA and ICM Research carried out an online survey with the arts and cultural sector and

partners. The potential sample included arts organisations and artists who were or had been

recently funded by the Arts Council, as well as museums, libraries and delivery organisations

for the music education hubs and other work with children and young people. Local

authorities and a range of other contacts were also included, from higher educational

institutions, economic development agencies and the creative and tourism industries. Thesample was compiled by the Arts Council, with substantial input from regional offices.

In total there were 762 responses, from a possible total of 2,550 invitations, a response rate

of 30%. An initial invitation was sent from the Arts Council, signed by Alan Davey, Chief

Executive. Two reminder emails were sent to those who had not completed the survey. The

survey took place between 20th September and 24th

October.


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When considering the quantitative data from the arts and cultural sector and partners

survey in this report, and particularly when considering differences in results between

different groups or types of respondents, it is important to remember that:

sample sizes for different types or groups of respondents are often quite small,

affecting the statistical validity of comparisons. All comparisons should, therefore, be

treated carefully.

respondents were self-selecting, deciding for themselves whether to take part in the

survey or not. There will, therefore, be differences in results caused by this self-

selection bias which are likely to affect potential comparisons between different

subsets within the overall sample.

the context within which respondents engage with the Arts Council varies. For

example, when considering potential differences in results between regions, it is

important to reflect upon the infrastructural differences between those regions,

within which the relationship between the individual/organisation and the Arts

Council takes place. Regions have different local governmental structures, different

economic bases, urban/rural makeup, and different artistic and cultural assets.

These issues affect the different kinds of circumstances in which arts and cultural

support is delivered by the Arts Council, and should be borne in mind when

considering any comparison.

comparisons offered within this report focus predominantly on different types of

stakeholders and on regional differences. These are most valuable in setting the

context for the variable circumstances in which the arts and cultural sector andpartners, and the Arts Council itself, operate.

DHA conducted 25 semi-structured interviews by telephone with a range of opinion-

formers. Arts Council staff supplied a list of 149 individuals perceived to have a major

influence on or particular experience of the arts and cultural sector or the policy

environment in which the Arts Council operates. This list was made up of politicians,

journalists, chairs and chief executives of major arts and cultural organisations and other

relevant national and regional agencies. DHA selected and recruited a sample of 25 opinion

formers from this list to take part in the research, ensuring a regional, art-form and

organisational spread, where suitable. The interviews took place between 20th September2012 and 21st January 2013.


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1.4 Defining stakeholdersStakeholder groups

Within this report a number of terms are used to refer to different stakeholder groups for

the Arts Council.

These groups are as follows:

Stakeholders: everyone who has an interest in or is affected by the Arts Councils work. This

is used on occasion as a collective term for respondents in this research, including members

of the public.

Opinion-formers: senior individuals within the arts and cultural sector or related areas who

are considered to be influential, or to represent a particular experience of the sector. This

group were interviewed.

The general public: members of the public who took part in the Omnibus survey

The arts and cultural sector and partners: individuals and organisations with whom the Arts

Council has a regular working relationship. This group took part in the online survey of arts

and cultural sector and partners.

Within this arts and cultural sector and partners group, there are a number of sub-groups:

Arts organisations- NPOs: members of the National Portfolio

- Not NPOs: organisations which are not part of the National Portfolio

Arts individuals, predominantly artists

Music Education Hubs and other - predominantly organisations involved in delivering

the music education hubs

Museums

Libraries

Local authorities

Organisations engaged in economic development activities, including the creative

industries and tourism development, and Local Enterprise Partnerships.


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Sample

The following table shows a breakdown, by type of respondent and Arts Council region, of

the sample for the quantitative survey of the arts and cultural sector and partners.

The arts and cultural sector and partners

Type of respondent

2012

%

2011

% Region

2012

%

2011

%

Arts individuals 12 14 East 7 6

Arts organisations 66 76 East Midlands 7 8

Local authorities 7 8 London 26 26

Music education hubs and

other organisations 4 -

North East 6 8

Museums 5 - North West 9 9

Libraries 1 - South East 8 9

Economic Development 1 - South West 12 13

Other 4 2 West Midlands 9 9

Yorkshire 13 12

Not region specific 3 0.4

The inclusion, in 2012, of a significant number of museums, libraries and music educationhubs and other organisations has contributed to a small difference from the 2011 sample in

the overall proportion of respondents in the sample who are arts individuals or from arts

organisations. The regional spreads remain similar between the two years.

In total, 25 interviews were undertaken with key opinion formers. The following table shows

the numbers of interviews by type of respondent and region, and the comparison with the

2011 sample. It is worth noting that some respondents were categorised differently in the

two samples, and so the type of respondent is not strictly comparable between the two

years.

In addition, in the 2012 sample we specifically sought to include a wider range of

respondents from different kinds of arts organisations, including different sizes of

organisation and organisations with different levels of funding relationship. This was done

to ensure that the interviews cover a sample which could be said to be more closely

representative of those respondents to the online survey, thus supporting the analysis of

interview data to elucidate findings from the online survey.


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Opinion formers

Type of respondent

2012

No.

2011

No. Region

2012

No.

2011

No.

Arts and cultural sector 13 12 East 1 2

Representative andsignificant organisations/

individuals 4 - East Midlands 1 2

Arts sector associations - 2 London 4 1

Central government 2 3 Not region specific 9 13

Creative industries 1 2 North East 3 1

Local government 4 5 North West 2 1

Press 1 1 South East 1 1

South West 1 1

West Midlands 2 2Yorkshire 1 1

1.5 AcknowledgementsDHA and ICM Research would like to thank Alexandra Albert, Richard Russell, Rachel

Smithies, Samantha Lavender and James Doeser at the Arts Council for their input and

engagement with this research. We are also grateful to the members of the public, arts

sector and partners and opinion-formers who took part in surveys and interviews.


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The General Public


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2 General public attitudesThe survey of the general public, undertaken via an online omnibus survey, looks at a range

of broad attitudes to and views of arts and culture. It explores responses to public funding

of arts and culture, responses to lottery funding of arts and culture, knowledge of the Arts

Council and views on what public funding of arts and culture should achieve.

The findings from this research provide useful context to the detail of the survey of the arts

and cultural sector and partners, and the views of opinion-formers, with whom the Arts

Council has significantly more contact and direct engagement. It also provides a useful

baseline against which to understand discussions within the arts and cultural sector about

the value of its activity, and about the mission and goals of the Arts Council.4

2.1 Attitudes towards arts and cultureRespondents to the public survey were asked to indicate whether they had attended or

participated in the arts in the last year, attended a museum or gallery, or used a publiclibrary. This question was primarily asked not to supply data about arts and cultural

engagement per se, but to enable us to understand the potential relationship between arts

and cultural engagement and responses to other questions in the survey. Social grade is the

factor which correlates most strongly with arts attendance and participation, and visiting

museums and galleries. This is not the case with use of public libraries. Women (48%), also

show higher levels of arts and cultural engagement across all activities than men. There is

some small regional variation, with London and the East Midlands generally showing a

higher level of engagement than other areas.

The survey asked members of the general public how they feel about arts and culture.5It is

important to note that in 2012 this question, and a number of other questions, were asked

in a different way. In previous years (2009 and 2011) the questions had focused upon

attitudes to the arts. In this years surveythe wording in these questions has been changed

to test attitudes to arts and culture, in line with the Arts Councils broader portfolio of

responsibilities. Whilst comparisons with previous years data are shown here, this change

in wording must be borne in mind when drawing any conclusion about these comparisons.

Just over a quarter (27%) say that they like arts and culture but prefer to spend my leisure

time in other ways(2011: 36%; 2009: 30%). Just under a fifth (18%) say they are not

interested in arts and culture (2011: 18%; 2009: 22%) and a small proportion (7%) say that

the arts are not for people like me(2011: 7%; 2009: 5%). More than a quarter (27%) say

that they would like to have more to do with the arts if they could (2011: 23%; 2009: 19%); a

further 24% say that the arts are an important part of their lives (2011: 16%; 2009: 21%). A

fifth (20%) say that there are lots of opportunities for them to get involved in the arts, if

they chose to do so (2011: 17%). It seems likely that some of these changes may reflect, at

least to some extent, the change in the wording for these questions, and suggest that the

4A more detailed picture of public engagement and enjoyment of the arts, and of the relationship between demographic

and other factors and public engagement, is available through DCMS Taking Part data, the Active People Survey and

through the Arts Councils own segmentation work,Arts audiences: insight.5

In 2011 and 2012 respondents were encouraged to select more than one statement, if they wishedhence, comparisonswith 2009 findings should be treated with care.


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addition of culture is perhaps understood as indicating a broader range of activity. In

considering a year-on-year comparison, interest in engaging with arts and culture appears to

have increased, while active disinterest has stayed the same.

1 General public view of the arts

Which of the following statements do you agree with?

There is a clear correlation between social grade and identifying arts and culture as an

important part of a respondents life, as with engagement in arts and culture activity.

Generally speaking, those aged 18-34 and those aged 55+ are most likely to say that the arts

are an important part of their lives. 34% of those aged 18-24 would like to have more to do

with arts and culture if they could, compared to 19% of over 65s. BME adults (35%) are

more likely to say that they would like to have more to do with the arts if they could thanwhite adults (26%). Respondents from London and the West Midlands are most likely to say

that they believe that there are lots of opportunities to get involved in arts and culture (25%

and 27% respectively).

56% of respondents selected one statement only; 30% of respondents selected more than

one statement. Of the total response, 3% of people say that they are not interested, and

arts and culture are not for them. 5% say that they prefer to spend leisure time in other

ways, but that they would like to have more to do with arts and culture. 15% say that arts

and culture are important to them, and that they would like to do more of it.

7%

18%

17%

16%

36%

23%

7%

18%

20%

24%

27%

27%

Arts and culture are not for people

like me

I'm not interested in arts and culture

There are lots of opportunities to get

involved with arts and culture if I want

Arts and culture are an important part

of my life

I like arts and culture but prefer to

spend my leisure time in other ways

I'd like to have more to do with arts

and culture if I could

2012

2011*

Weighted Base: All England adults 18+ 1,750, 7-9 September 2012; All England adults 18+ 1,732, 15-16 June 2011 Source: dha & ICM

* Please note that there was a change in question wording between 2011 and 2012. In 2012 the words and culture were added to the

statements.


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Attitudes towards public funding of arts and culture

49% of the general public support public funding of the arts (2011: 44%; 2009: 52%),

showing a slight rise on the previous year. 15% strongly support it (2011: 12%; 2009: 16%).

14% of the general public oppose public funding of the arts (2011: 19%; 2009: 14%), and 5%

strongly oppose it (2011: 7%; 2009: 5%). A third of respondents neither support nor oppose

the principle, a similar finding to both 2011 and 2009.

2 General public views on public funding of arts and culture, 1

As you may know, some arts and culture in England are funded by the taxes we all pay. To

what extent do you support or oppose this public funding of arts and culture?

There is a slight statistical increase in support for public funding of arts and culture. Wenoted in 2011 the potential effects of the context of global economic conditions and

domestic fiscal circumstances against which discussions concerning public funding were

taking place. The change in this year may indicate a correction of sorts, bringing the

response closer to that seen in 2009. As with the previous question, it is worth noting the

change of wording from the arts to arts and culture when reflecting upon these year-on-

year comparisons. The following figure shows the year-on-year comparison for total support

and total opposition to public funding of the arts.

49%

15%

34% 33%

9%5%

14%

4%

44%

12%

32% 33%

12%

7%

19%

4%

Total

support

Strongly

support

Tend to

support

Neither

support nor

oppose

Tend to

oppose

Strongly

oppose

Total

oppose

Don't

know/no

opinion

2012 2011*



statements.


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dha & ICM 17

3 General public views on public funding of arts and culture, 2

Attitudes towards lottery funding of the arts

In this year a new question was added, to ask the general public about their views on lottery

funding of arts and culture. In comparison with views about public funding through taxes,

there is significantly higher support (62%) for lottery funding, with more than a quarter(27%) of respondents indicating that they strongly support lottery funding. There is also less

opposition to lottery funding of arts and culture, than to public funding through taxes, as

well as fewer neutral responses.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

2009 2010 2011 2012

Total Support

Total Oppose


2009 Base: 1,001 adults aged 15+ in England Source: Ipsos MORI


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dha & ICM 18

4 General public views on lottery funding of arts and culture, comparison with public

views on public funding of the arts

Some arts and culture in England are funded through the National Lottery. To what extent

do you support or oppose this use of National Lottery funds?

Social grade remains significant in support of both public funding through taxes and lottery

funding. 61% of those of social grade ABC1 support public funding through taxes, and 69%

support lottery funding. Amongst those of social grade C2DE, 39% support public funding

through taxes, rising to 56% in support of lottery funding.

49%

15%

34% 33%

9%5%

14%

62%

27%

35%

26%

5%3%

8%

Total

Support

Strongly

support

Tend to

support

Neither

support nor

oppose

Tend to

oppose

Strongly

oppose

Total

Oppose

Public funding of arts and culture National Lottery funding of arts and culture

Weighted Base: All England adults 18+ 1,750 Source: dha & ICM


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dha & ICM 19

Who does public funding of the arts benefit?

Respondents were asked to consider who they felt public funding benefited. This year a

single question was included, to understand the views of the general public on the impact of

public funding of the arts on themselves and their friends and family.6Overall, 43% of the

general public agree that they themselves or their friends and family do benefit from public

funding of arts and culture (2011: 36%); 23% of respondents disagree (2011: 33%) , resulting

in a net agreement of +19%7, and 30% neither agree nor disagree. Net agreement in 2009

was +17%, soas with support for the principle of public fundingthere may be some

degree of correction taking place here. Again, the change in wording to refer to arts and

culture must also be borne in mind.

5 Does public funding benefit you or your friends and family?, 1

To what extent do you agree or disagree that public funding of the arts and culture benefits

you or your family and friends?

As with engagement in arts and cultural activities, and support for public funding, there is a

correlation between social grade and agreement that public funding of arts and culture benefits a

respondent or their family and friends. Interestingly, 25-34 year olds are more likely than any other

6In the previous year two questions had been asked of the general public, exploring benefits to you or your friends and

family and benefits to everyone in England (the latter of which was included in 2009). The responses to both questions

were very similar, and thus one question only has been included in this years survey. 7Net agreement is calculated as the percentage of respondents who agreed minus the percentage of respondents who did

not agree. This may result in a plus figurewhere the percentage of those agreeing is higher than the percentage of those

disagreeingor a minus figure, where the reverse is the case.

12%

31%

30%

14%

9% 4%Strongly agree

Tend to agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Tend to disagree

Strongly disagree

Don't know



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dha & ICM 20

age-group to strongly agree that this is the case (17%). Londoners are also more likely to say

that public funding benefits them, their friends and family and everyone. In comparison,

respondents from the South West are the least likely to agree that this is the case.

A strict year-on-year comparison of responses to this question is not available, because of

changes to the wording of the question.8However, the minimal differences shown in

responses between different wordings suggest that the results can be compared

meaningfully. The figure below shows this year on year comparison, which exhibits a similar,

small change to that shown in the findings on support for public funding of arts and culture.

As noted previously, the change from arts to arts and culture may be partially responsible

for this alteration. It is also possible that some degree of reversion, following an acute

period of discussion about public investment across all areas, may be in evidence.

6 Does public funding benefit everyone/you, your friends and family?, 2

8In 2009, the question asked respondents about the benefit to everyone in England; in 2011, the question was asked

twice, one concerning the benefit to everyone in England, and one concerning the benefit to you, your friends and family.There were minimal differences between the results to the two questions in 2011, and so in 2012 the question concerns

benefit to you, your friends and family.

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

2009 2010 2011 2012

Total Agree

Total Disagree


2009 Base: 1,001 adults aged 15+ in England Source: Ipsos MORI


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dha & ICM 21

What public funding should achieve

Using a range of statements coherent with the Arts Councils goals and priorities,

respondents were asked what public funding of the arts should achieve, by ranking the

statements according to importance. In this year two additional statements were added to

reflect the Arts Councils new responsibilities for museums and libraries. The three aims

selected as most important are:

Giving every child the opportunity to access art and culture and artistic and cultural

experiences (most important: 13%)

Developing new artistic talent (most important: 10%)

Encouraging more ordinary people to engage with arts and culture (most important

= 10%)

The most important aims chosen by the public are largely concerned with access to the arts,

though the aim developing new artistic talent shows a small increase this year in being

selected as most important.

The least popular aims are:

Supporting artists and arts and cultural organisations to take risks and try new things

out (most important = 0%)

Enabling more people to have a say in the kinds of arts and culture and artistic and

cultural experiences available in their communities (most important = 1%)

Both responses to the most important and least popular aims are similar to those in 2011,


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dha & ICM 22

The following chart shows the mean scores for the different aims; mean scores are

calculated on the basis of the number of respondents selecting a statement as the most

important, second most important, third most important, and so forth. These numbers

providing a weighting score against each level of importance for a statement, which is then

converted to a mean. Those statements with a higher mean score gained more selections at

the higher levels of importance.

7 What should public funding of the arts achieve?

What do you think public funding of the arts should achieve?

4.49

5.41

5.58

6.26

6.31

6.4

7.22

7.25

7.73

7.96

8.21

8.56

Supporting artists and arts and cultural organisations

to take risks and try new and innovative things out

Enabling more people to have a say in the kinds of

arts and culture and artistic and cultural experiences

available in their communities

Enabling a wider range of people to develop careers

in arts and culture

Supporting a diverse range of arts and culture, and

artistic and cultural experiences

Preserving and caring for our cultural collections

Supporting excellent and high quality arts and

culture, and artistic and cultural experiences

Supporting arts and cultural organisations such astheatres, orchestras, galleries, museums, libraries and

dance companies to run themselves more successfully

Developing new artistic talent

Ensuring access to knowledge and learning

experiences for all

Enabling access to arts and culture for people who

would not normally have that opportunity

Encouraging more ordinary people to engage with

arts and culture

Giving every child the opportunity to access arts and

culture and artistic and cultural experiences


Mean importance

score out of 10


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dha & ICM 23

Knowledge of the Arts Council

Knowledge of the Arts Council remains relatively low amongst the general public, with only

31% of respondents indicating that they know a little bit or a fair amount about the Arts

Council (2011: 31%; 2009: 32%). Half the general public say that they have heard of the Arts

Council, but know nothing about it (2011: 51%; 2009: 39%). One in seven (15%) say that

they have never heard of it (2011: 15%; 2009: 28%).

Views of the Arts Council

There is a small increase in the proportion of the general public who agree that the Arts

Council is important for enabling access to arts and culture and that it has a positive impact

upon arts and culture (2011: both 21%). 15% agree that the Arts Council is a respected

organisation (a drop on the previous year), and only 7% of respondents feel that the Arts

Council communicates the value of arts and culture well. There is also a small reduction inthe proportion of the general public who believe that the Arts Council only benefits a small

number of people.

The following table shows the percentage of respondents agreeing with each statement:

8 General Public views on the Arts Council

7%

11%

20%

23%

21%

21%

7%

9%

15%

19%

24%

24%

The Arts Council is good at communicating the

value of arts [and culture]*

The Arts Council spends public money poorly

and inefficiently

The Arts Council is a respected organisation

The Arts Council only benefits a small number

of people

The Arts Council has a positive impact on

artists and arts [and cultural] organisations*

The Arts Council is important for enabling

everyone to access arts [and culture]*

2012

2011



statements.


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dha & ICM 24

18-34 year olds are less likely (10%) than those aged 55-64 (19%) and 65+ (22%) to feel that

the Arts Council is a respected organisation. A similar pattern is the case across respondents

who agree that the Arts Council is important for enabling access.

25% of respondents agree with more than one statement. 4% of all respondents agree that

the Arts Council only benefits a small number of people, and that it spends money poorly

and inefficiently. 14% of all respondents agree that the Arts Council enables access and

positive impacts upon provision.


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The Arts and Cultural Sector

and Partners


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dha & ICM 26

3 General perceptions of the Arts Council3.1 KnowledgeThere is a high level of knowledge of the Arts Council amongst the arts and cultural sector

and partners and the opinion-formers who were interviewed for this research, though it is

worth noting that the introduction of respondents from newer areas of the Arts Councilsportfolioparticularly museums and music education hubs and other organisations

means that there is a slight reduction in the overall proportion of respondents who feel that

they know the Arts Council well.

Knowledge of the Arts Council is related to the length of contact respondents have had with

the Arts Council, how well informed they feel about its work and how well they feel they

understand the Arts Councils goals(all of which are asked about elsewhere in the survey).

In total, 87% of respondents say they know the Arts Council at least fairly well (2009: 94%;

2011: 91%).

9 Knowledge among the arts and cultural sector and partners

How well, if at all, do you feel you know the Arts Council?

Length of relationship has a direct correlation with respondents knowledge of the Arts

Council. Only 2% of those respondents who have had contact or worked with the Arts

31% 32%

13%

38%

10%

25%

56%59%

67%

54%

48%

56%

11%9%

17%

7%

35%

13%

2% 3% 1%

8% 5%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Overall

2012

Overall

2011

Arts

individuals

Arts

organisations

Museums Local

authorities

Not at all

well

Not very

well

Fairly well

Very well

Base: All stakeholders (762), 2012; All stakeholders (785), 2011. Source: dha & ICM


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dha & ICM 27

Council for less than a year report knowing the Arts Council very well.9For those with more

than four years contact with the Arts Council, 93% report knowing the Arts Council fairly or

very well. A good understanding of the Arts Councils goals also correlates with knowledge

of the organisation. Arts organisations are more familiar with the Arts Council than other

types of respondents.

Generally speaking, opinion-formers have substantial knowledge of the Arts Council.

Opinion-formers tended, on the whole, to fall into one of two groups. Many had a multi-

layered relationship, which might include a formal funder-fundee relationship with their

regional office, engagement through a relationship manager and with an art-form director

or a regional director, engagement in consultation processes or sub-regional and regional

partnerships, and contact through broader networking. On the whole, those with a multi-

layered relationship were predominantly those with a direct funding relationship with the

Arts Council. Othersas with the 2011 findingscited particular knowledge which came

through very specific relationships, or which was predominantly concerned with one or two

aspects of the Arts Councils activity.

Reflecting partly the inclusion of museums and libraries in this years sample, and the

inclusion of a wider range of arts organisations in terms of size and relationship, more

stakeholders indicated that they did have a relationship with a number of officers, but that

this did not extend to head office at the Arts Council.

most of the time we only really have contact with [name], our officer from the

regional office.

Whereas for other funded clients, there are relationships at all levels:

The chief exec has been to visit us, and I've had email correspondence with him, so

even at the most senior level. Their team in the [region].I really feel like they're

consistently present, coming to see events

Some opinion-formers specifically referred to the limits of their knowledge about National

or Regional Council:

I know the officers and officials of the Arts Council very well, I can't say that I know

the actual Council. I think that's a bit faceless, so we deal with the people whoimplement the decisions, but we tend not to meet the people who make the

decisions.

Several stakeholders referred to a sense of having previously known the Arts Council, but

feeling that current and potential future changes would affect this knowledge:

I used to know them very well*Im+ feeling a little bit anxious. It's the sheer volume

of change, combined with the regularity of new programmes, changing in functions,

the funding and development balance changing in their work, and the forthcoming

9This sub-group is a small sample size, at 54.


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dha & ICM 28

large-scale administrative cuts. And how that will impact upon the relationship that

we have with individual officers, and what we're expected to do in return to satisfy

Arts Council's changing priorities.

I know bits of the Arts Council well, but one of the things that's always been tricky

with the Arts Council, and it's particularly accentuated with all the change that's about

to happen, it's the sense that I don't actually know where the organisation as a whole

is going...

3.2 Favourability73% of the arts and cultural sector and partners are favourable towards the Arts Council

(2011: 71%) with 15% regarding it very favourably(2011: 19%). 12% of respondents regard

the Arts Council either mainly or very unfavourably (2011: 13%); this increases significantly

for those arts organisations who are not NPOs. These results show no significant changefrom 2009 findings.


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dha & ICM 29

10 Favourability among the arts and cultural sector and partners, 1

We are interested in your overall impressions, how favourably or unfavourably do you regard

the Arts Council?

How favourably respondents regard the Arts Council is linked to their knowledge of the Arts

Council and their understanding of its goals.

As already noted, there has been little change on the overall findings between the different

years (2009, 2011 and 2012) of fieldwork. The figure on the following page shows the trend

across the three years for all those who indicated that they regarded the Arts Council mainly

or very favourably, and all those who indicated that they regarded the Arts Council mainly

or very unfavourably.

What is perhaps worth noting is that the findings alter only very slightly, despite both

significant changes at the Arts Council and to some participantsfunding relationships, and

despite the influx of organisations like museums, libraries and music education hubs who

are relatively new in their relationship with the Arts Council.

19%15%

29%

17%25%

18%

54%56%

52%

56%48%

55%

15%15%

12%

14%20% 18%

10%10%

3%11%

3% 9%

2% 3% 2% 2% 5%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Overall

2012

Overall

2011

Arts

individuals

Arts

organisations

Museums Local authorities

Very unfavourably Mainly unfavourably Neither Mainly favourably Very favourably



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dha & ICM 30

11 Favourability among the arts and cultural sector and partners, 2

Most opinion-formers regard the Arts Council favourably. Some situate this in the context of

good communications, either through discussion or more corporately:

I think our relationship with the Arts Council is one of a critical friend. They seem

much less secretive, they are much less about the control of communication...more

'we want to try and communicate well', not 'we want to communicate on our own

terms'.

There is a sense of clarity about what their ambitions are.Once you understand

what their limitations are, it becomes easier.

Other opinion-formers particularly focus on the structural importance of the Arts Council:

Without them it would be a lot worse.

Someone's got to do that job.

*I+ regard them very favourably, because they are our partners and, you know, they

are the way into helping both them and DCMS get a bigger chunk of funding and a

stronger voice round the cabinet table....

A small number of opinion-formers regard the Arts Council less favourably. Some raise

specific issues concerning elements of the Arts Councils current activity:

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2009 2010 2011 2012

Total Favourable

Total

Unfavourable


2009 Base: Arts sector and partners: all respondents (946) Source: Ipsos MORI


36/141


dha & ICM 31

Well, there's two answers to that really. One relates to day-to-day relationships in

which I would regard them favourably, and one is in the process of the [strategic fund]

application, in which I would have to say is quite unfavourable.

Whilst for others, the significant changes taking place are a problem:

There are issues about the way it sees itself, and it feels a bit under siege.they've

got to get sorted out, otherwise they'll begin to lose a bit of credibility, when it looks

as if theyre much more interested in getting their own raison d'etre

3.3 AdvocacyMore than half (55%) of the arts and cultural sector and partners say they would be

advocates of the Arts Council, a slight increase on 2011 (49%), with 22% saying they would

speak highly of the Arts Council without being asked and 33% if asked. By comparison, 16%would be critical (2011: 20%) and only 3% would be critical without being asked.

12 Advocacy, 1

Which of these phrases best describes the way you would speak of the Arts Council to other

people?

Respondents who feel more informed and familiar with the Arts Council and whounderstand the Arts Councilsgoals were more likely to be advocates for the Arts Council.

22%

33%

27%

13%

3%

I would speak highly of the Arts

Council without being asked

I would speak highly of the Arts

Council if I were asked

I would be neutral towards the Arts

Council

I would be critical of the Arts Councilif I were asked

I would be critical of the Arts Council

without being asked

Base: All stakeholders (762) Source: dha & ICM


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dha & ICM 32

Arts individuals are more likely than other types of respondents to say that they would be

advocates without being asked. Groups which are new to this survey and to the Arts Council

museums and music education hubs and otherand local authorities are more likely than

arts individuals and arts and cultural organisations to say that they would be neutral.

There were also some differences in advocacy between respondents from different areas,

with net advocacy scores ranging from +60% to +22%, with a mean overall net advocacy of

+39% (2011: +30%).10

Net advocacy by Arts Council regions is given in the following table:

Net advocacy by Arts Council region

2012 2011 2012 2011

East +47% +51% South East +33% +10%

East Midlands +60% +54% South West +39% +32%

London +27% +26% WestMidlands

+47% +32%

North East +22% +10% Yorkshire +50% +47%

North West +37% +17%

The following figures looks at the year-on-year comparison of respondents who identified

that they would either be advocates (speak highly of the Arts Council) or critics (be critical of

the Arts Council). As with the trend for favourability towards the Arts Council, there is

relatively little movement in the findings between different years.

13 Advocacy, 2

10Net advocacy scores look at those respondents who indicate that they would speak positively of the Arts Council, and

subtracts those respondents who indicate that they would be critical. This leaves an overall net score for advocacy.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

2009 2010 2011 2012

Total Advocates

Total Critics


2009 Base: Arts sector and partners: all respondents (946) Source: Ipsos MORI


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dha & ICM 33

The majority of opinion-formers would speak highly of the Arts Council. Positive views of the

2011 application process remain a significant driver:

I think the NPO process was a very radical thing really

As do positive responses to the ten-year strategic framework:

.they've been very clear about where they are going.

And more generally to the Arts Councils approach to its core activities:

The Arts Council does have an element of risk, they believe in the artist and theyre

curious about the project, and when you combine those two things together you have

a wonderful outcome.

Other opinion-formers raised issues concerning the current degree of change taking place,

and the ability of the Arts Council to manage that change:

They work incredibly hard to do the right thing, but unfortunately they've got their

hands tied behind their backs.

I do think they've bitten off a lot The danger is taking on too much work, and not

doing any of it properly.

Generally speaking, there was still a sense, however, of the structural importance of the Arts

Council:

Yes [I would speak highly], because I think they're a supportive organisation and I

actually think that if you're going to not speak well of them you have to have an idea

of what the alternative should be, and I think that there isn't really a good

alternative.


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dha & ICM 34

3.4 ImageThe arts and cultural sector and partners were asked to select words from a list, developed

by Ipsos Mori in conjunction with Arts Council staff and subsequently added to in order to

reflect the Arts Councils corporate values, which fit their current impressions of the Arts

Council, and then to select again according to what they thought the Arts Council shouldbe

seeking to be.

Of the ten most selected words reflecting the current impressions of the Arts Council, eight

are positive, including helpful (43%), strategic (41%), supportive(39%), accountable

(30%), useful (27%), knowledgeable (25%), credible (21%) and collaborative (17%). 44%

of respondents chose bureaucratic and 18% distant.

The following chart plots the relationship between current ideas or impressions of the Arts

Council, and what respondents felt that the Arts Council should be seeking to be. Quadrant

lines have been inserted at the average (mean) level of response across all words, to eachquestion.


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dha & ICM 35

14 Impressions of the Arts Council

For each of the following words and phrases please tick those which fit your ideas or impressions of the Arts Council?

For each of the following words and phrases please tick those which fit your ideas of what the Arts Council should be seeking to be? You may

pick a maximum of six

Accountable

Authoritative

Bold

Bureaucratic

Creative

Closed

Confident

Collaborative

Credible

Decisive

Democratic

Distant

Diverse

Dynamic

Elitist

Expert

Flexible

Helpful

Honest

Impermeable

Innovative

Knowledgeable

Nurturing

Old fashioned

Open

Passionate

Responsive

Strategic

Supportive

Trustworthy

Useful

Weak

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

TheArtsCouncilshouldbeseekingtobe%

Current image of the Arts Council %

Base: All stakeholders (762) Source: dha & ICM


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dha & ICM 36

Those words ringed in the top right-hand quadrant are those where there is a close

correlation between the current image and what respondents feel the Arts Council should

be seeking to be. Strategic and supportive arethe first and third most chosen words for

what the Arts Council should be seeking to be, and are in the top four words relating to

current impressions. In this year strategic has replaced collaborative as the most selected

word for what the Arts Council should be seeking to be. Both accountable and

knowledgeable areselected in the top eight words for both current impressions, and what

the Arts Council should be seeking to be.

Between 2011 and 2012 there have been small statistically significant rises in the proportion

of respondents selecting strategic and bold as things which the Arts Council should be

seeking to be.

Creative and collaborative are both in the top four words which respondents feel the Arts

Council should be seeking to be, and both score 20 or more percentage points higher on this

axis than on respondents view of the current image of the Arts Council. Other facets whichindicate some discrepancy between what the Arts Council is, and what it should be seeking

to be, include innovative, bold, responsive and nurturing.

The bottom right-hand quadrant shows characteristics which the arts and cultural sector

and partners think apply to the Arts Council, but do not think it should seek to be.

Bureaucratic, with 44% of respondents identifying it as part of their current impressions,

remains the most significant of these characteristics (2011: 48%).

Specifically in terms of the Arts Councils five corporate values, responses are as follows:

The Arts Councils corporate values: stakeholder views of what the Arts

Council is, and what it should be

Values Current impressions Should be

2012 2011 2012 2011

Passionate 8% 7% 15% 17%

Knowledgeable 25% 24% 27% 28%

Accountable 30% 25% 35% 34%

Collaborative 17% 15% 41% 41%

Nurturing 9% 6% 24% 22%

Bold 3% 2% 26% 21%

The following chart offers a comparison of the current impressions of the Arts Councils

corporate values, with a comparison with 2011.


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dha & ICM 37

15 Impressions of the Arts Council, Year on Year Comparison of Corporate Values

For each of the following words and phrases please tick those which fit your ideas or

impressions of the Arts Council? You may pick a maximum of six

Opinion-formers were asked to reflect both on their overall impressions of the Arts Council,

and also on what they felt the organisations strengths and weaknesses were.

Some opinion-formers indicated, as with the question on the online survey, a range of

characteristics which they identified with the Arts Council:

Integrity. Commitment. Communication. Vision. Creativity.

Committed, political, over-stretched, bureaucratic.

Large. Bureaucratic. But suppportive, listening and open to change.

Further to this sense of bureaucracy, some opinion-formers raised doubts about whether an

organisation like the Arts Council can actually function in the ways in which stakeholders

might wish it to:

I do think it's institutionally dysfunctional on some levels[but] I think the people

within it are often really, really good people.. I just sense that there's something

about the institution that doesn't quite work, and almost never could. It's got a

difficult path to tread.

30%

25%

17%

9%

8%

3%

25%

24%

15%

6%

7%

2%

Accountable

Knowledgeable

Collaborative

Nurturing

Passionate

Bold

2012

2011



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dha & ICM 38

This is similar to the sense in the 2011 findings that, for some opinion-formers, the

bureaucratic nature of the Arts Council is something of a necessity, albeit an unfortunate

one.

Many opinion-formers overall impressions are tied closely to concerns about what the role

of the Arts Council is:

I see them very much as playing quite an active role in promoting the arts and being

advocates for the arts, so, and very supportive of initiatives.

For some, this revealed a sense of the changing the priorities of the Arts Council, though

different opinion-formers see these changes differently:

I think they have responded to changing times and different agendas....I think they are

much more connected with some of the agendas that are relevant to us, in terms of

digital agendas and community-based agendas. So yeah, I'm very encouraged by that.

I think its strengths are that in the last few years it appears to be more focused on the

art.

It's feeling a bit more, how can I put it, actually customer-focused...and by that I don't

mean artists and the things, but actually the public.

Several opinion-formers highlighted the difficulties of the Arts Councils role, and of the

current circumstances in which it operates:

It's got a challenging remit, it's got fingers in lots of different pots...

Well, they're doing a good job, you know, and I think they handled the last spending

round very well. Very competent, but also rather in on itself, because they're having to

cut themselves in half.

I think one of the weaknesses it may have is not necessarily of its own making, but is

being forced upon it by government, that it's been given too much to do.

For some opinion-formers whose engagement with the Arts Council takes placepredominantly through a regional office, there are questions about the overall direction of

the Arts Council:

I think the main thing as far as we're concerned is you know we're just wondering

about the effectiveness at a national level, I think I'm not saying that that's not

happening, but it is a concern....

With other opinion-formers, some of the challenges are about understanding the way in

which the Arts Council operates:


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Whilst I feel I'm quite engaged with the regional structure.some of the actual

structures and functions and the processes of grant-making and the relationship with

that, that side of the structure, are less transparent to me at the moment.

When asked about the Arts Councils weaknesses, some opinion-formers feel that the

forthcoming structural changes were necessary, and would be beneficial:

Sometimes I think they actually got too big.

I think it's overly complex, interestingly, in many areas I think there are too many of

them and that actually a more focused approach to who they are and what they do

would be helpful.

Whilst, where cited, the 2011 national portfolio organisation application process is widely

felt to be a positive process, some opinion-formers still feel that the Arts Council could be

bolder in its approach to funding:

Also there's still that challenge that the really large, established, traditional

organisations... In the major change up that just happened recently it would have been

interesting to see a bit more challenge to some of those larger organisations and bit

more of those resources spread to smaller organisations and mid-size organisations.

Other areas of weakness for some opinion-formers include the range of recent strategic

funds which have been launched by the Arts Council:

Instituting quite a lot of new funding streams, without making sure that kind of, it's notall about new all the timethere's needs to be some sustainability going on.

In an ideal world, I'd like to see fewer strategic commissioning funds, and basically

more trust placed in those that do enjoy revenue funding, to fund them properly and

just let them get on with the job.

Some opinion-formers cite very specific areas of weakness, such as evaluation and learning

within the organisation:

It's [the Arts Council] under-invested in research...and evaluation as wellIt's quitetired in its approach to evaluationI think it looks at it in 1990s perspectives of impact,

and doesn't really think about itself as a dynamic learning organisation.

Whereas for other opinion-formers, what is most important is the degree to which the Arts

Council can be seen to be successfully engaging with government:

I think its a bit toothless, when it comes to it. I don't think it's in a position where it

can lobby and fight it's corner. It is more and more as time goes on a kind of arm of

government, if you know what I mean.

I think they haven't always proved perhaps as politically adept as they might be.


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When asked about the Arts Councils strengths, opinion-formers cite both the specialist

expertise of officers, the connection with the sector and the confidence which the sector

has in the Arts Council:

Genuine expertise, and also genuine commitment.As funders go they're pretty

light touch really

A lot of backing from the arts industry sector. I think it's done a good job in changing

perceptions of the relationship between it and the national government funding, some

of which has not been the Arts Council's responsibility.

Having people with different specialisms, and that's again kind of a concern that I

would have if everything becomes too centralised that you kind of lose the ability to

have that real specialist advice.

Sheer dedication and quite a long of creative strength going on there.

they [the Arts Council] also understand arts organisations and understand the artistic

and creative process, so when things go wrong and need sorting out, they're grown-up

about how you can sort those things out.

For some opinion-formers, the widened responsibilities of the Arts Council are a strength,

enabling an overview which joins up different areas of cultural activity:

I think the fact that it provides a single authoritative voice for arts and more widerculture, including museums and libraries.

Clearly its funding position, and the fact that its increased its remit to include

museums and music hubs and things like that, which helps it sort of consolidate its

position.

For others, the ten-year strategic framework provides clarity:

Its mission statement is very clear, I think that's its main strength, in that everybody I

think understands what they're there for.

The focus, the arts for everyone, I think we've clear about the vision.

Finally, for some opinion-formers the structural principal of the Arts Council as an arms-

length funding organisation is its biggest strength:

Well, I believe in the Arts Councilin a mechanism which isat arms-length from

government.

Well, the arms-length principal. I think that's a massive strength. To actually keepthat is vitally important.


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4 The Arts Councils role and impact4.1 The Arts Councils roleOpinion-formers were asked to consider what they felt the Arts Councils role and remit

should be. Many opinion-formers view the Arts Councils role as primarily to advocate forthe arts across different sectors and stakeholders and more specifically to government:

*The Arts Councils role is to+ absolutely advocate for the arts and to get as much

money to come into the arts as they possibly can.

For some opinion-formers, that advocacy role extends to a responsibility to engage with the

public and to ensure that the perceived unique contribution of arts and culture is

communicated:

I think actually that the Arts Council has a really big role to play, particularly at themoment, in making the public more aware of what the arts can do for them. One of

the things that worries me hugely is the pu

ACE Stakeholder Focus 2012

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