Press Release just in from Jo Breeze at EFDSS



EFDSS awarded Arts Council England National portfolio funding for three years

30 March 2011: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



The English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) has today received confirmation of Arts Council England National portfolio funding. The EFDSS will receive funding of £300,000 in 2012-13, rising by inflation over the following two years. This is a 37% real percentage increase on existing funding.

The EFDSS was previously a Regularly Funded Organisation (as of October 2009) and applied for National portfolio funding this year along with over a thousand other organisations. The Arts Council has offered National portfolio funding to 695 organisations.

The Arts Council has focused on 'excellent organisations and exceptional individual talent, with decisions shaped by a 10-year vision for the arts'.

Katy Spicer, Chief Executive of the EFDSS, said: "We are absolutely delighted by this news and the developments that this funding will help us to achieve. In particular it will foster further growth of our national learning and participation programmes, and artists and workforce development programmes, building on from our current initiatives. This funding is a great vote of confidence in our work by the Arts Council."

Dame Liz Forgan, Chair of Arts Council England, said: "This is about a resilient future for the arts in England. We have taken the brave path of strategic choices not salami slices which has meant some painful decisions, and it is with great regret that we have had to cease funding some good organisations.

"But we will still be supporting excellence, exceptional talent and successful risk-taking; helping organisations to get their great work out far and wide; backing strong leadership and cultural entrepreneurialism; supporting resilient organisations that can thrive as well as survive; and encouraging work that really enthuses children and young people - because that's where it all begins."