Restructuring the Arts Council 2001-2002

In March 2001, the Arts Council published a Prospectus for Change, proposing to amalgamate the Arts Council of England (ACE) and the ten Regional Arts Boards (RABs), creating a single arts funding and development body with nine regional offices, based on Government planning regions. The arts world was upset by the lack of consultation regarding these changes and persuaded the Arts Council to agree to an independent evaluation of the proposals. The consultation involved the RABs, Regional Assemblies, Regional Development Agencies and local authorities as well as arts organisations and individuals. The NCA liased with RAB representatives, ACE, artists and arts organisations and hosted a meeting between Chief Executives of RABs and leading figures in the arts world to discuss improvements to the funding system.

Click here to read the NCA's response to the Arts Council's proposals and here to read the minutes of the NCA meeting with arts organisations and RABs.

In response to this consultation the Arts Council published Working Together for the Arts, in July 2001, to which the NCA responded. There followed a second consultation, involving artists and arts organisations, on the basis of which ACE produced a Draft Transfer Proposal, issued in November 2001. A revised version was issued in January 2002 and by March 2002, all ten RABs had agreed in principle to the creation of a new, single arts funding and development body to which they would transfer their staff and assets from April 2002.

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