News & Policy Briefing / February 11
Recent policy developments include an update on Renaissance and news of the Design Council/ CABE merger. There have also been a number of education announcements including a music education review, National Curriculum consultation, funding allocation for universities and question on craft in parliament.
Read on for more news and policy updates.
Contents:
1) Sector News
- ACE NPO applications
- MLA Renaissance in the Regions programme
- Design Council/ CABE merger
2) Central Government
- Education
- Higher Education
- Culture
- Local and Regional Developments
3) Publications and Research
- Crafts Council Research
- DCMS
- ACE
- NESTA
- Culture Forum
4) Parliamentary Round up
- Select Committee Evidence
- In the Commons
- In the Lords
1) Sector News
Arts Council England (ACE) – National Portfolio Funding Programme
Applications to the new ACE national portfolio funding system closed on 24 January. ACE announced that 1,333 applications had been received.
More here
Funding and Road Map for Renaissance
On 4 February ACE and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) outlined plans for funding the Renaissance programme for regional museums in 2011/12 and a ‘road map’ for its future development.
MLA will be responsible for 2011/12 funding while both organisations will contribute to long-term budget decisions. ACE also affirmed its support of MLA’s plans to remodel Renaissance, and will consult with the museums sector during the spring and summer before announcing plans in the autumn. Applications for Renaissance funding for 2012/15 will open in September, and funding decisions will be announced by the end of 2011.
The role of core museums within the museums sector will be reviewed alongside the role of organisations which will become part of the national portfolio funding system. ACE will continue the V&A and PRISM funds as part of its key museums activity, investing in them via the Renaissance budget.
More here
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and Design Council
David Kester Chief Executive of the Design Council has announced that the Design Council and CABE will merge key activities from 1 April. The new organisation will be financed through a combination of sources including grants from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), but and will retain the name of the Design Council.
More here
2) Central Government
Education:
Music review published and further review of other sectors announced
Findings from ‘Music Education in England – A Review by Darren Henley’, tasked with making recommendations on the improvement of music education in schools, were announced on 7 February. As we reported in December, the recent Schools White Paper The Importance of Teaching, specified that the Henley Review would also inform the Government’s ‘broader approach to cultural education’ (p46). We welcomed the initiative to examine cultural learning but cautioned against privileging one art form in the schools system.
The Review outlines the current state of music education in England and makes a series of recommendations for its future. In the final of six sections the Review recommends the Department should:
‘Examine the next steps for further development, particularly with regard to improving Cultural Education in general…’(p31)
However, of the five recommendations in the final section, four focus on future developments for Music Education. In terms of broader cultural education the Review concludes:
‘It would be necessary to undertake further work to ensure that each of these areas (Dance, Drama, Film, the Visual Arts, Museums, the Built Environment and Heritage) is given proper consideration. The ultimate aim of this further work would be to ensure that England has a coherent policy for the delivery of all areas of Cultural Education to children in all parts of the country.’ (p31)
The Government has published a response to the review in which they commit £82.5 million of ring-fenced funding to local authorities for music education in schools in 2011/12, equal to the 2010/11 figure. The Response also reveals that Darren Henley has now been asked to undertake a separate review examining cultural education more broadly; the terms of reference for which are yet to be drawn up.
Although we strongly welcome a review of cultural education, the focus on music to date is concerning for all non-music cultural organisations. The strength and reputation of our creative industries is dependent on its depth and diversity – from art, craft and design to dance, drama and film. All creative subjects have unique benefits. As with music, developing craft skills has been shown to improve behaviour, numeracy, literacy and language. We will monitor the developments relating to Henley’s further review and respond wherever possible.
Read the Schools White Paper here
Read the Music Review here
Read the Government’s Response here
Read Crafts Council’s response in Guardian Letters here
Crafts Council Executive Director Rosy Greenlees also welcomed the announcement of the further Henley Review of cultural education during questions at the State of the Arts conference, see below.
Review of the National Curriculum
The Department for Education has also announced a major Review of the National Curriculum for 5-16 year olds in England on 20 January, which seeks to slim down the National Curriculum and recommends greater freedoms for teachers and schools.
The Review will take place in two phases; with phase one defining Programmes of Study including the ‘essential knowledge’ that must be covered in the ‘key subject disciplines’ of English, mathematics, science and physical education, and the ages at which this should be taught. This first phase will also advise which other subject areas, including arts and design, should form part of the National Curriculum.
Decisions on Programmes of Study for English, mathematics, science and physical education and the other subjects to be included in the curriculum will be announced in the second phase of the review, beginning in early 2012. New Programmes of Study for English, mathematics, science and physical education, will be available to schools in September 2012, becoming statutory in September 2013.
In early 2013, there will be a public consultation on Programmes of Study for all other subjects to be included in the Curriculum; with Programmes available in September 2013, becoming statutory in September 2014.
The consultation on phase one of the Review, which includes questions on whether art and design should be part of the National Curriculum, is currently open and the Crafts Council will be responding before the 14 April deadline.
Click here for details on the National Curriculum Review.
Click here for the Consultation.
English Baccalaureate
The Schools White Paper also mentions the English Baccalaureate as a potential route to broadening pupils’ knowledge by making an award based on the achievement of A*- C grades in five core subjects – Maths, English, two science qualifications, a foreign language and either history or geography. The current definition of the E-Bacc raises further questions about the Government’s approach to cultural learning as it distinguishes ‘core’ subjects and omits English Literature, Art, Drama and Music. The Schools White Paper states that the E-Bacc should ‘encourage schools to offer a broad set of academic subjects to age 16, whether or not students then go down an academic or vocational route’. (p11)
Read the Schools White Paper here
The Commons Education Select Committee has announced an inquiry into the E-Bacc and is currently calling for written evidence, which should cover the points below. The Crafts Council will submit a response before the 8 March deadline:
- the purpose and benefits of the E-Bacc and its value as a measure of pupil and school performance;
- the choice of subjects included in the E-Bacc;
- the implications of the E-Bacc for pupils, schools and employers;
- international comparators for the E-Bacc.
More here
Education Bill
A new Education Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 26 January. The Bill takes forward the legislative proposals in the Schools White Paper and includes the following key measures:
- Helping teachers maintain good discipline
- Freedoms for schools and colleges
- Accountability
- Using resources fairly
Follow the bill on the Department for Education website
Arts Teacher Training
The Government has also set out initial provisions for teacher training places and the financial incentives arrangement in 2011/12. In a letter sent on 13 January to the Training and Development Agency for Schools, Michael Gove the Secretary of State for Education announced that of the 34,285 total places allocated, 320 art teachers will be trained, compared with 390 music teachers, 545 History teachers and 2365 Maths teachers. Bursaries to support teacher training will only be available for maths, science and modern languages subjects.
Read the letter here
Higher Education:
Funding Allocation
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has announced funding allocations for universities in 2011-12. This follows the grant letter for universities sent to the HEFCE from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in December.
The total allocation for the 2011-12 academic year is £6.5 billion, covering teaching, research, capital and related activities, with grants to individual institutions to be announced in March 2011. The teaching grant will be just under £4.5 billion representing a £180 million (4 per cent) reduction, and the research funding grant will be just over £1.5 billion representing a £17.4 million (1.1 per cent) reduction. Funding for research is to be concentrated on world leading research and international excellence as stipulated in the grant letter. The grant for the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), which enables universities and business to work together, is being maintained in cash terms at £150 million in 2011-12.
Some reductions will also be made in the 2010-11 academic year and as a result funding will be reduced by £162 million for teaching and £27.6 million for research, equating to 3.5 per and 1.7 per cent respectively.
Sir Alan Langlands, Chief Executive of HEFCE, described the settlement as ‘challenging’ adding ‘We are attempting as far as possible to support a smooth transition for all institutions to the new student finance and funding arrangements which will take effect in academic year 2012-13’.
More here
Culture:
Philanthropy
In our December brief we reported that the Secretary of State for Culture Jeremy Hunt had unveiled a ten-point action plan to boost philanthropy, accompanied by an £80 million ‘match-fund’ comprising Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and National Lottery money.
The latest figures from Arts & Business, which examine private giving and business sponsorship for 2009/10, show an overall real-terms decrease in arts support of 3 per cent. Key findings are as follows: business investment has gone down by 11 per cent to £144 million, for the third year in a row; individual Philanthropy has fallen 4 per cent to £359 million, although it still accounts for the majority of investment, at 55 per cent; investment by trusts and foundations has overtaken business investment for the first time since 2004 increasing by 11 per cent to £155 million.
Arts & Business reported that since data was first captured in 1976 there has been a general upwards trend in private investment in the arts, with decreases from various sources recorded over the last two years.
More here
Cultural Innovation – Speech
In a major keynote speech at the ‘Culture Change’ conference organised by Mission, Models, Money and the Cultural Leadership Programme Minster for Culture and the Creative Industries Ed Vaizey, urged arts organisations to use digital technology to engage audiences, generate growth and place themselves at the cutting-edge ‘artistically, culturally and technologically’.
He called on organisations to pool resources and identified a role for ACE in helping them to ‘find out about and implement the kind of innovations that will be needed over the next few years’. He also announced that ACE and NESTA will work together on a new programme to support this agenda and potentially provide up to a million pounds of seed funding for small projects.
Read the transcript here
The Creative Ecology – Speech
Ed Vaizey also spoke at the ‘State of the Arts’ conference on 10 February in London. He stressed the importance of the ‘creative ecology’ defining this as an ‘alliance between the subsidised and commercial arts; the professional and the voluntary arts; and the arts and the creative industries’, and argued for arts policy which takes the creative ecology into account.
The remainder of his speech focussed the current funding situation and areas for future DCMS intervention which include Philanthropy, Leadership and Innovation and Cultural Education.
Read the transcript here
During questions, Crafts Council Executive Director Rosy Greenlees welcomed the announcement of the further Henley Review of cultural education and asked panellists what they recommend the review should cover.
In response, Alan Davey, ACE Chief Executive stressed the importance of quality arts experiences in schools, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown journalist and author affirmed the importance of teaching making skills in schools and Don Foster MP, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Policy Committee on Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, argued that slimming down the National Curriculum will give teachers greater freedom to work creatively with pupils.
The Conference can be watched here and the Crafts Council question is at 19.49 minutes.
DCMS Organisational Structure
Last month also saw the transferral of some areas of responsibility from BIS to DCMS, with competition and policy issues covering media, broadcasting, digital and telecoms sectors now under the remit of Jeremy Hunt and Ed Vaizey reporting solely to the culture secretary.
See the BIS news item here
In other DCMS news a number of new Board Members have been appointed in the department, in line with a cross-Whitehall drive to ‘improve governance’ and bring in more ‘business expertise’.
More here
Local and Regional Developments:
Localism Bill
At the end of January the Department for Communities and Local Government published evidence supporting measures in the Localism Bill which was presented in Parliament on 13 December. The bill sets out the legislative underpinnings for many of the Coalition’s biggest policy announcements on local government, representing some of the key ways for the Government to fulfil its vision of the Big Society and deliver its Localism agenda.
Track the progress of the Bill here
Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs)
A further LEP, in the North East of England, has been announced, adding to the 27 approved partnerships to-date. The new LEP will cover seven local authority areas with the entire North East region now covered by two LEPs – indicating that the partnerships are intended to be evenly distributed across the country
The BIS announcement also re-emphasised the role of LEPs in driving private sector growth and job creation, suggesting they will be less relevant to micro-businesses unable to scale-up to provide significant employment, and therefore to many craft businesses.
More here
Regional Growth Fund
BIS has announced that 450 bids to the Regional Growth Fund have been received following the first round of bidding in January. The announcement also reiterated that successful bids will aim to create sustainable jobs in areas of deprivation and areas that are dependent on jobs in the public sector. The objectives for the fund imply that it may be hard for individual craft businesses to access, even though craft is strong in areas of deprivation and craft projects have made important contributions to social inclusion projects, as we highlighted in our response to the public consultation on the fund.
More here
In his Culture Change speech, mentioned above, Ed Vaizey acknowledged the need to facilitate access to the Regional Growth Fund and other sources of government support for the creative industries.
Trade and Investment Minister
Last month Lord Green the former Group Chairman for HSBC was appointed Trade and Investment Minister. Amongst other duties he will be the head of UK Trade & Investment and will chair the Council of Business Ambassadors which includes some figures from the creative industries.
More here
Trade and Investment White Paper
The Government has also published a new White Paper examining the role of trade and investment in economic recovery, rebalance and growth. The Trade and Investment White Paper sets out a series of ‘practical’ measures, with specific emphasis on supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to expand and export. Support for SMEs is of course welcome but once again the Government’s focus is on growth, reducing regulation and exports, which is of less relevance to the craft sector where individual SMEs, which whilst economically significant, have little potential for sustained growth.
Access the paper here
Manufacturing Summit
Speaking on 25 January at the Manufacturing Summit Secretary of State for Business Vince Cable, stressed the importance of manufacturing to the UK economy and the need to present manufacturing as an attractive career option.
In his speech the business secretary continued the now familiar Government focus on the significance of stimulating growth and exports in areas including manufacturing, but he also re-emphasised his commitment to developing a network of Technology and Innovation Centres across the country, building skills, apprenticeships and access to finance for SMEs. This is potentially encouraging for the craft sector with its high level of skills, preponderance of SMEs and traditional and current links to manufacturing.
More here.
3) Publications and Research
Crafts Council Research
Over the coming year the Crafts Council will release a series of briefing notes drawing on our substantial Making Value research which was published in June 2010. The first briefing Craft and Environmental Sustainability, was published in January 2011 following a CraftNet event co-hosted by the National Glass Centre and the Crafts Council. Future briefings will cover Well-being, Craft in Rural Locations, Entrepreneurship and the Digital Agenda.
Craft and Environmental Sustainability
This new briefing note from the Crafts Council explores how makers are trailblazing the use of recycled and sustainably-sourced materials and pioneering new, low-impact alternatives.
The paper also investigates how makers are raising awareness of environmental issues through their work, and how they are challenging the conventions of a consumer society based on over-consumption. Finally, the paper explores what is distinctive about craft and its ability to effect change; and in the context of emerging Government environmental policies and initiatives, how the craft sector can be best equipped to build on its successes in furthering the sustainability agenda.
Read the paper here
Mapping the Contemporary Craft Sector
The Crafts Council – with partners Creative Scotland, Arts Council Wales and CraftNI – has commissioned a major new study of the size and impact of the contemporary craft sector. This will be the largest single piece of research we have conducted since 2004’s Making it in the 21st Century and the first time that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have participated in the same study. BOP Consulting will conduct the survey which will give the Crafts Council and the craft sector up-to-date evidence to make a robust case for craft in the coming years when accurate information about the sector will be of paramount importance.
The Crafts Council would like to extend the survey as widely as possible, so if you are a contemporary craft maker, curator, critic, educator, retailer or exhibitor and would be interested in being added to the database for consultation, please send your details or enquiry to admin@bop.co.uk
Measuring the Value of Culture
A new DCMS report assesses different approaches to measuring the value of engagement with culture and sport. The paper comes out of an increasing recognition from both central government and parts of the publically funded cultural sector, of the need to more clearly articulate the value of culture. Research brings together established economic valuation approaches with emerging well-being-based techniques. Overall the report concludes that the economic valuation techniques supported by HM Treasury’s Green Book should be used by the cultural sector when articulating its value to central government.
Access the report here
Arts-based Segmentation Research
ACE has published a resource to assist arts organisations in understanding their area and local population. The Segmentation Profiles comprise 13 profiles of different population groups and how they engage with the arts. They also contain further information on the typical characteristics of each group including levels of education, age and consumer habits, and the research suggests the types of arts activities that are likely to appeal to different groups. The Area Profile Reports provide ‘local level modelling’ which is based on the probabilities of people from the 13 profile groups living in different English postcodes.
Access the research here
Annual Innovation Report
NESTA has published its annual report reviewing the key elements for innovation in the UK, including its contribution to economic growth, the research community and business. The report considers the outcomes of investment in innovation and looks at the roles of different groups including business, higher education and government, in encouraging innovation. The creative industries are defined as ‘knowledge intensive’ industries and government is seen as having a role in promoting their strengths and protecting Intellectual Property.
Access the report here
Culture Forum Report
The Culture Forum, which was established by the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA) and Arts & Business, has published its report. The Forum aimed to give the sector ‘collective opportunity’ to participate in the Government’s call for a debate on the economy.
Access the report here
4) Parliamentary Round-up
Culture Media and Sport Commons Select Committee:
The Commons Culture Media and Sport Select Committee launched an inquiry into funding for the arts and heritage in August to which the Crafts Council submitted written evidence. We have reported on the first, second and fifth oral evidence sessions which were of relevance to the sector. On 25 January Alan Davey Chief Executive and Dame Liz Forgan Chair of ACE, gave evidence to the Committee in the final session.
The uncorrected transcript is available here
In the Commons:
Craft – 9 February
Tristram Hunt the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central asked the Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts what representations he received from the crafts sector prior to reaching his decision to reduce higher education funding for the tuition of arts and humanities. In reply, David Willetts confirmed that he had received a number of representations from the crafts sector.
Tristram Hunt has expressed interest in the Crafts Council’s Firing-up programme, most recently at a meeting with Chair Joanna Foster CBE and Executive Director Rosy Greenlees. He writes frequently on the importance of ceramics to the heritage and future economic growth of the Stoke region. The Crafts Council will ensure that both Tristram Hunt and the Minister, amongst others, continue to receive robust information on the sector, in particular results of the pending socio-economic survey which will be available in the autumn, see Crafts Council Research above.
See Hansard p187
Creative Industries Cross-Government group – 1 February
Ivan Lewis the Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Culture asked Jeremy Hunt if he will establish a cross-Government group working in partnership with the private sector to develop a jobs and growth strategy for the creative industries. Jeremy Hunt replied that growth in the sector is being considered as part of a cross-Government digital and creative industries growth review.
Hansard p107
Creative Industries Strategy – 27 January
In response to a question from Simon Kirby the Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown, Mark Prisk the Minister for Business and Enterprise commented that UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) plans to launch a new four year strategy for the creative industries towards the end of this financial year.
Hansard p153.
Creative Learning – 20 January
In a debate on improving life chances for disadvantaged children MPs including Helen Grant the Conservative MP for Maidstone and The Weald and Toby Perkins the Labour MP for Chesterfield placed welcome emphasis on the importance of arts subjects in building the confidence of pupils and argued that they should not to be overlooked in the new E-Bacc and schools.
Hansard pages 48 and 64.
Education Maintenance Allowance 19 January
The importance of skills was raised by MPs during the Education Bill debate. Barry Sheerman the Labour MP for Huddersfield criticized the Government’s ‘obsession’ with young people on free school meals going to Oxford and Cambridge arguing that technical training ‘opens up their lives to new opportunities’. Barry Sheerman is also Chair of the Associate Parliamentary Group on Design and Innovation Group. When we met him recently he expressed his admiration for craft and we have sent him research on the sector.
Hansard p39.
Further Education Lecturers – 19 January
Graham Stuart the Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness identified what he called an ‘artificial divide’ between primary and secondary teachers and FE lecturers, who are not allowed to work in schools as teachers but only as instructors. He argued that barriers which constrain the best use of FE lecturers in schools need to be removed.
Hansard p114
In the Lords:
Arts Funding – 3 February
There was a lengthy debate in the Lords on Arts Funding moved by The Earl of Clancarty. The Earl began by citing the positive achievements of the sector and outlining the current situation. In his introduction he also raised the issue of arts ecology arguing that ‘cuts to one part of the system with affect another’ and he posed three questions for debate:
1) Are the cuts actually justified on financial grounds?
2) How should we fund the arts?
3) What precisely is it that as a nation we wish to support in relation to the arts?
Hansard pp26-46
