EFDSS Arts Council England funding news

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: greg stephens
Date: 03 Apr 11 - 08:48 AM

I agree with John Adams. This does represent a strategic decision to centralise folk funding in areas with more metropolitan connections. The EFDSS is nominally a national body, but it has in recent years focussed itself more and more on London connections and initiatives (while totally reinvigorating itself). I totally agree with the idea of its archival and research roles being capiatal based, I am not at all clear that it's a good idea to keep the performancer and educational strings in centrist hands.
This discussion, of course, exactly mirrors the debates about the Arts Council itself which have gone on for decades. In which debates, incidentally, our very own library founder Vaughan Williams was hotly engaged. He wanted a grassroots devolved hedge-priest/barefoot-doctor kind of Arts Council. Maynard Keynes wanted the other London/ballet/classical kind. We all know who won!

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 03 Apr 11 - 08:31 AM

Congratulations, proof I suppose that even the most rotten og governments recognise good music, sadly they don't recognise Old folks dying of hypothermia or the long term disabled at all

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Octoman
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 07:15 PM

Oh great! Dull and duller have got more money to ponce about telling the rest of us how we are getting it wrong!

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Howard Jones
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 07:02 AM

From what I've read there appears to be a higher level of philanthropic funding of the arts in the US, and less dependence on government funding. This is partly a cultural attitude but is also encouraged by a more generous tax regime.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 01 Apr 11 - 03:43 PM

Yes, much of the NEA funding is distributed to state arts commissions, who who then distribute it, along with state funding, to local organizations and individuals, so that does add to the total.

I did find that statement from the article interesting, and probably a bit misleading. The TeaParty/Republicans would like to do away with the NEA entirely, of course.

~ Becky in Long Beach

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Snuffy
Date: 01 Apr 11 - 12:07 PM

I believe US states have a lot more financial autonomy that British Local Authorities (which would be equivalent to counties. You would have to add on what each of the 50 states funds the arts in its area to get a true comparison.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: brezhnev
Date: 01 Apr 11 - 09:56 AM

Congress gave the National Endowment for the Arts $167 million last year for our country of 307 million

That's interesting, Becky, though the figure of $1.6 billion (£1.1 million) must be the Arts Council's budget over three years.

Can you say what's different in the "arts" in the USA (where the government spends 34p a head) and in England (where the ACE spends £6.77 per head every year)? What is there less of in the arts in the States as a result? Orchestras? Folk venues? Innovation? Participation? Diversity? Or maybe nothing at all?   

Would be good to know.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 04:11 PM

A perspective (on Arts Council funding) from the other side of the pond: Merry Old England? Not So For Some In The Arts (on the NPR blog for classical music, "Deceptive Cadence").

"While politicians here bicker over budget cuts (including some that affect public radio and television) hundreds of British arts organizations felt the belt tighten significantly Wednesday.

"The Arts Council of England, a government-funded agency, must chop 15 percent of the amount it doles out to music, theater, art and dance companies by 2015. Rather than lopping off an even 15 percent from every organization — which the council called 'salami slicing' — they instead cut funding completely to some 200 groups (including the Northumberland Theatre Company), reduced others (English National Ballet) and actually supplied increases to still others (English Touring Opera).


"These 'strategic choices' decreased the number of organizations the council funds from roughly 850 to 695. Still, the cuts leave the council with nearly $1.6 billion to give to arts groups. That seems big for a UK population of 62 million. Maybe it's not a fair comparison, but just so you know: Congress gave the National Endowment for the Arts $167 million last year for our country of 307 million."

(more at the link)

~ Becky in Long Beach

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: johnadams
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 01:46 PM

I agree, Matt, that it's not a direct correlation. It's just the net effect. If a regional organisation loses their funding then they can't deliver their services. If a central representative body for the same art form gains some funding and the regional body's activities are loosely within their remit, it begs the question - 'will they be able to compensate in any way?'.

Yup! Between the rock and the deep blue sea! - to mix the metaphor the other way.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: GUEST,mattkeen
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 08:03 AM

Its good news for EFDSS - and deerved IMO

There is no direct correlation that says "so and so lost their money and that went to so and so in London..."

I work as a development manager for a funding body (not ACE)and, believe me, the funders are taking no joy in making these cuts - its the devil and a hard place.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Howard Jones
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 02:49 PM

In one of its statements ACE says it has "increased investment to organisations whose applications show commitment to exceptionally high quality work and who encourage a wider range of people to engage with music...including the EFDSS". It's great that the quality of EFDSS's work is recognised, but is it too much to hope that now it effectively holds the entire budget for folk music funding in England that some of this will trickle down to the regions?

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Vic Smith
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 01:11 PM

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."

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: johnadams
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 11:08 AM

Thanks for that. I hadn't seen that list - and it's pretty vicious with lots of good community arts going overboard - people like Firebird Trust for instance.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: brezhnev
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:55 AM

a large number of the increases are to the North West, Yorkshire and to a lesser extent the North East

i think that's your swings and roundabouts too. according to this list of organisations that got the chop, 35 are in Yorkshire, 36 in the north-west and 38 in the north-east.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: GUEST,Gail
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:47 AM

I heard today that 'The Junction' Arts Centre in Goole (East Yorks)has had its funding increased. This purpose-built place only opened 2 years ago and is a real gem for a small industrial town like Goole.
They've recently put on a good few folk gigs and have a monthly folk-in-the-bar night, so it's not all bad news for folk music.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:43 AM

What happened to SEFAN?

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: johnadams
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:37 AM

Of the newly funded organisations, there are 5 out of 14 outside London.

After a quick scan, a large number of the increases are to the North West, Yorkshire and to a lesser extent the North East. A prolonged analysis would be needed to construe any strategy, but needless to say, folk music is still only picking up the crumbs from under the table.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:17 AM

hhmm.. It may be the ACE (and HLF) money is being directed to the south due to Olympics. Lets hope it is only temporary, but I suspect it is more of the typical conservative prejudice against the north.

My local authority (in the southeast) has many arts and heritage projects planned in the run up to summer 2012. Funding is being applied for and won all the time. The question is will the staff be in place to implement the plans? The money is for the projects themselves, not for staff. So what happens to projects when authorities reduce the staff? And they will.

My guess is Big Society companies will take over. They will pay their staff less and charge the local authority more. And so it goes around.

Sorry for the thread drift. I am very happy for the EFDSS allotment, but I worry about the cuts to arts and heritage all over the UK.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Vic Smith
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 09:59 AM

John Adams wrote:-
"Sadly, it's swings and roundabouts. Wren in the West country have lost all their funding - so the efdss money is not 'new' money - just redistributed towards London. Only time will tell if it's the right move."
Yup! I haven't got sight of the full list but in addition to the excellent Wren losing their money there is also:-
* South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell - 100% of funding withdrawn. Lots of jazz and folk workshops were arranged by them as well as performances. (This was previously the base for TAPS - Traditional Arts Council South which did mighty work and lost their funding a few years back)
* Music Beyond Mainstream - the consortium that brought Imagined Village, African Soul Rebels, etc.etc. to regions that could not otherwise afford them - 100% cut.

There has been a lot of robbing Peter to pay Paul going on and with the massive cuts in ACE funding there will have to be much more robbing than paying..

Oh, and the removal of Wren's funding comes a few years after Folk South-West lost theirs: What have they got against folk music in the West Country?

You can get something of the full picture by going to http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/national-portfolio-funding/ and clicking on spreadsheet of national portfolio organisations to get an Excel spreadsheet - but beware this is not the full picture because, apparently organisations that have lost their funding can opt not to be included here. For example, South Hill Park is here but Wren - unless I have missed it - is not. ACE have said that Most NPO applicants said they did not want to named in a published list if their application was unsuccessful.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 09:53 AM

well, last year they were paid by Arts Council England to put on the first ever English folk music showcase at SXSW - a knock-on from fRoots' (Arts Council funded) Looking for a New England project.

Ah, OK, fair play to them then. Certainly didn't get any of that from the website.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 08:55 AM

Congrats on the funding.

But, looking at the amount in comparison going to opera, the biggest pots of money are going to the least accessible and elitist arts.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: brezhnev
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 08:43 AM

well, last year they were paid by Arts Council England to put on the first ever English folk music showcase at SXSW - a knock-on from fRoots' (Arts Council funded) Looking for a New England project.

It appears that not everyone in the 'unique partnership' put together to support the trip is very chipper about the experience. As John Adams says "I guess there are some issues there".

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 08:23 AM

Not heard of British Underground before, solooked at their website at http://britishunderground.net/.

Didn't tell me a great deal more to be honest (apart from the fact that having a grainy moving image as the background of your website is a b-a-a-a-a-d idea IMNSHO, so be forewarned); but I couldn't see where folk and other acoustic musics would fit into their ultra-cool on-trend image ...

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: johnadams
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 07:58 AM

ACE reported that many organisations requested not to be listed if their application was unsuccessful, which is probably why Wren don't appear.

I'm very happy for the EFDSS who deserve some recognition for the work they've put into turning the society round but it's a shame that it's at the expense of a regional organisation with proven hands-on activities.

Opera seems to have come off a bit better with English Touring Opera up 17.6% to £1.6m and Opera Group in at £345,000 a year from next year.

Looking at some of the reactions amongst my Facebook friends, the increase in funding for British Underground is less than enthusiastically received so I guess there are some issues there.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: brezhnev
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 07:46 AM

Here's a list of the winners and losers as far as music is concerned. Strangely it doesn't appear to list Wren Music.

From a quick look, all the major classical music and opera organisations (receiving over £1m) have been cut by at least 11% in real terms.

British Underground, which works with "grass-roots and emerging music-makers" (including folkies) is up 40%.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: johnadams
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 07:13 AM

Sadly, it's swings and roundabouts. Wren in the West country have lost all their funding - so the efdss money is not 'new' money - just redistributed towards London. Only time will tell if it's the right move.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 07:06 AM

+1 Hurrah!

This should enable EFDSS to carry out many more fascinating and useful projects over the next three years, following on from Take Six, the Full English project, the library digitisation and online access, etc.

More good news for an organisation continuing its excellent recent path of transformation, refocussing and redevelopment.

Subject: RE: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: Sailor Ron
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 06:21 AM

Hurrah!

Subject: EFDSS Arts Council England funding news
From: GUEST,EFDSS
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 06:09 AM

The English Folk Dance and Song Society are delighted to announce that we have received confirmation of Arts Council England National portfolio funding. We have received an increase of £100k on our current grant to £300k in 2012-13, rising by inflation over the following two years. This is wonderful news for us, especially following so soon after confirmation of Heritage Lottery Fund support for the Full English project, a national archiving and learning programme. However, we are sorry to hear of other excellent arts organisations receiving cuts in funding. We will be issuing a full statement later today.


http://www.efdss.org/news/newsId/164