“Imagine England without the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Angel of the North or the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra,” Arts Council England (ACE) asks us to ponder, as it enters year long celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of receiving its Royal Charter.
ACE succeeded the Committee for the Encouragement of Music and Arts (CEMA) that was set up to boost war-torn spirits in 1940, and kicked off in 1946 with just four projects (one of them being the then Covent Garden Opera Company, the now Royal Opera House) and a budget of £235,000. Today it assists thousands of arts organisations including community art projects and ‘creative individuals’ from all over the country by distributing public funds. 2005/2006 saw a budget of £570 million: £410 million coming from the Treasury and £160 million from the National Lottery. ACE will invest £1.1 billion of public money from both sources between now and 2008.
