5 The public sector
59. The art market can be considered a confluence
of commercial galleries and dealers, individual artists, and the
public gallery sector. Written evidence from the Visual Arts and
Galleries Association[57]
identified a number of direct ways in which the public sector
supports artists and contributes more widely to the market:
- Through the public display
and exhibition of new and contemporary work in temporary exhibitions,
permanent collections and temporary projects and events
- Direct support for the production of new work
through exhibition fees, residencies, fellowships, commissions
and the purchase of work for public collections
- Provision of a potential sales outlet for artists
who are not represented by commercial galleries
- Employment of artists as artist-educators, lecturers,
writers, technicians and curators
60. In addition, the public sector provides indirect
support through wider education (for example informing private
collecting), and by participating in the process by which artists'
reputations are established; a process known as endorsement.[58]
61. The Contemporary Art Society is a charity that
buys works from living artists for its member museums. In a written
submission, the Society called for the re-establishment and widening
of the Special Collections Scheme which has already made important
purchases for public collections, and which could help develop
audiences in the regions.[59]
Marjorie Allthorpe-Guyton, Director of Visual Arts, Arts Council
England, described the Contemporary Art Society as a "major
lever to grow a wider commercial market beyond London."[60]
There is a clearly identifiable need to develop regional as well
as national art galleries, and the Goodison Review,[61]
commissioned by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, makes a number
of practical recommendations in this context. Among the Goodison
recommendations that chime with those put to us by the National
Art Collections Fund,[62]
and the Contemporary Art Society, is one for a system of tax reliefs
to encourage donations of art to public collections. We recommend
an extension of the Gift Aid arrangements, so that donations of
significant art works to public collections can be offset against
income tax.
62. More generally, we raised implementation of Sir
Nicholas Goodison's recommendations with the Minister for the
Arts. She told us: "The Goodison recommendations clearly
fell into two parts. One was the responsibility of the DCMS and
the other was directly the responsibility of the Treasury. We
have delivered all the targets from the DCMS and the rest is for
the Treasury."[63]
We note that the DCMS has implemented the Goodison recommendations
in so far as they apply to the Department. We look to the Treasury
to follow suit. Where it does not do so, justification, if any,
for the corresponding decisions should be published.
63. In its written submission, the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport described a range of measures aimed at
supporting the art market. With an eye to the future, one particular
commitment lies in enhancing access opportunities for young people,
enabling them to progress from:
- first access to art;
- to opportunities to deepen their interest or
develop their talent;
- to support for the most talented; and
- to making a living in the arts.
64. The Creative Partnerships programme has supported
964 visual arts-based projects so far, bringing schools and artists
together. A useful development would be to combine Creative Partnerships
with extended schools,[64]
to provide much-needed artists' space and bring added benefits
to the wider community. We urge the Government to build on
Creative Partnerships and actively to encourage the provision
of artists' space in extended schools.
65. Creative Partnerships are only one of many ways
in which encouragement can be given to potential and practising
artists. A wider public engagement with art can be brought about
by local authorities assigning greater priority to the role of
culture in education development planning.[65]
Improved infrastructure for the arts, for example in relation
to studio space, should be a more common component of planning
obligations, also known as section 106 agreements.[66]
Regional Development Agencies and Cultural Consortiums have a
particular responsibility to co-operate in bringing about a cultural
"renaissance in the regions" [67]
(to borrow the title of an influential report by the Regional
Museums Task Force).[68]
66. In general, the Government should redouble its
efforts to encourage a wider public appreciation of the arts,
both as a worthwhile goal in its own right, and as a means of
broadening the base of producers and purchasers of art. The Minister
for the Arts rightly referred to the contribution made by the
introduction of free entry to art galleries and museums.[69]
Capital investment in new gallery spaces, such as Tate Modern,
has enabled many more people to experience contemporary art. Written
evidence from the Government[70]
listed examples of programmes, from commissions to competitions,
run by National Galleries to promote greater awareness and interest
in contemporary art. In doing so, the evidence noted that a significant
element of the Tate's annual acquisition budget is dedicated to
purchasing work by contemporary artists. However, we note with
concern that the purchasing power of the Tate's budget has declined
markedly over the last 20 years, with all the implications that
has for the integrity of collection.
67. In a telling contribution during the oral evidence
session, the Minister for the Arts identified an overarching need
to change the culture throughout government: "Last week
I went to see the new Home Office. I think that is the first government
building that has been built in central London for a long time,
and that has had artists working with the architects when the
building was designed and built not as a bolt-on extra but almost
accepting that you do not build a building unless you look at
what art can contribute. We are further along the road than we
were but I do not think we have changed the culture yet."[71]
68. As the national arts development agency, Arts
Council England exercises a role in the art market designed to
create conditions within which artists can produce work and develop
their careers.[72] It
funds both national and regional artists' development agencies.
Funding streams such as Grants for the Arts provide support for
artists and the production of new work: in 2000-2004 £6m
was allocated to 852 grants to individual visual artists for animation,
graphic design, new media to fine art, photography, crafts and
live arts.
69. Arts Council England has concerns over the likely
impact of the Spending Review 2004 on long-term strategies for
the arts. Its written evidence referred to the constraining effect
of "cash standstill" in ACE's grant-in-aid. Furthermore,
until ACE is reconfirmed as a lottery distributor, firm commitments
on investment in studio spaces cannot be given.
70. We share the views of Arts Council England in
relation to the "transforming power of the arts" and
endorse its aims of placing arts "at the heart of our national
life." Together with its counterparts in Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland, Arts Council England has achieved much with
limited resources - sometimes controversial, always challenging.
We strongly support the four Arts Councils having continued
status as distributors of National Lottery funds.
71. By their very nature, the visual arts illustrate
and embody much of the creativity that drives a modern society,
and enables it to thrive. The Department for Culture, Media
and Sport must view the active promotion and sponsorship of the
arts as one of its primary roles. This is particularly important
in view of the large number of government departments with some
claim to responsibility for different locations in the world of
art. Regrettably, in Government, the Department seldom punches,
if it punches at all, at a weight commensurate with the centrality
of the arts to our national life.
72. It is time for Government to commit itself
to a flourishing arts scene. And nowhere will such a commitment
be more visible than in the visual arts.
57 Ev 6-11 Back
58
Market Matters:: The dynamics of the contemporary art market,
Louisa Buck, Arts Council England, 2004 Back
59
Ev 60-1 Back
60
Q 28 Back
61
Securing the Best for our Museums: Private Giving and Government
Support, Nicholas Goodison, January 2004 Back
62
Ev 64-5 Back
63
Q 84 Back
64
Q 72 Back
65
Q 28 Back
66
Q 9 Back
67
Q 79 Back
68
Renaissance in the Regions: A New Vision for England's Museums,
October 2001 Back
69
Q 78 Back
70
Ev 42-52 Back
71
Q 80 Back
72
Ev 11-9 Back
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