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2nd December 2008

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Arts Council responds to criticism

30.07.08 Catherine Neilan

Arts Council England is to introduce a raft of new measures after an independent report found its investment strategy review "had flaws which exposed [the council] to reputational damage". Earlier this year some small publishers, including Dedalus and Arcadia, found their funding threatened by the council following the review. They complained that procedures had not been followed.

Chief executive of ACE Alan Davey acknowledged "trust was lost and relationships were damaged", but said it was crucial to "learn the lesson and move on".

Among the changes recommended by the report's author Baroness Genista McIntosh is the reintroduction of peer reviews of ACE's methods of assessment, auditing lead officers' skills and experience, and offering improved training.

McIntosh said: "I heard variously that lead officers are not supported enough, too exposed, either too powerful or not powerful enough, underpaid and under trained."

As a result, she claimed a "significant number" of relationships between ACE and arts organisations had not been "carefully and confidently handled". She added: "This was the cause of most of the hostility and mistrust which arose at the end of the process."

Davey added: "I am very proud of the portfolio [of artistic organisations] that we've now got, but I'm not of how we got there." It was essential ACE improved on various levels, Davey said. "Our job's too important not to get that right."

Further recommendations will see ACE review the council on a regional and national level, and ensure those charged with making judgements have first-hand experience of the particular organisation. McIntosh also called for clearer, more consistent, criteria against which organisations are judged. ACE said it would consult on this next year.

Despite the threat Arcadia retained its funding, while Dedalus received sponsorship from Taylor & Francis imprint Routledge Books.

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