Supporting Excellence in
the Arts - James Purnell welcomes McMaster report calling for new
emphasis on quality, risk and innovation in UK culture
DEPARTMENT FOR
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (02/08) issued by The
Government News Network on 10 January 2008
A policy review
marking 'a real shift in how we view and talk about culture
in this country' was published today by Culture Secretary
James Purnell.
'Supporting Excellence in the Arts - From Measurement to
Judgment' by Sir Brian McMaster sets out new ways to
recognise and reward high-quality work in the arts and in museums
and galleries, and place risk-taking and innovation at the centre
of the funding framework for every cultural organisation, large
and small.
Specific recommendations in the report include:
* that the board of every cultural organisation should contain at
least two artists and or practitioners,
* that all publicly funded cultural organisations remove
admission charges for everyone for one week each year to address
the endemic 'it's not for me' syndrome, and
* that the ten most innovative cultural companies receive
ten-year funding packages to support their ambition.
The Government has welcomed the report which also calls for a
greater emphasis on diverse work that more fully represents
Britain in the 21st century, and recommends a more extensive and
strategic approach to touring work.
Sir Brian McMaster said:
"British society today is, I believe, the most exciting
there has ever been. It has the potential to create the greatest
art ever produced. We could even be on the verge of another
Renaissance. So we should do all we can to make this happen.
That means moving away from simplistic targets and recognising
instead the profound value of art and culture in itself.
"I have found a hunger in the cultural sector for public
funding to be more ambitious, and to lift the pressures that
favour financial and artistic safety. My recommendations are
founded on the simple belief that we have a genuine opportunity to
build on our success so far and create some of the most exciting
culture the world has ever seen."
Welcoming Sir Brian's report, James Purnell said:
"This report proposes how Government and cultural funding
bodies can move from measurement to judgement.
"The time has come to reclaim the word
'excellence' from its historic and elitist context, and
to accept that the highest quality and the broadest audience can
go hand-in-hand. The very best art and culture can change
people's lives, and everyone - regardless of their background
or where they live - deserves the chance to experience the very best.
"So this report is a positive and exciting contribution to
the future of arts and culture in the UK. I believe it could lead
to a fundamental change in the way we view and talk about the arts
in this country in the years to come. I warmly welcome it, and
look forward to considering each of the recommendations in detail."
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