Nandy: ‘We haven’t scrapped Archer ACE review’

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has countered assertions that the Labour government has “scrapped” a review of Arts Council England that was started under the Conservatives.

Nandy was asked during a Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee meeting on 10 December why a decision was taken to stop the review into Arts Council England headed up by Tory peer Dame Mary Archer.

Archer’s review had already begun gathering evidence from the sector when it was halted ahead of the general election.

In her response, Nandy said: “We paused, we haven’t scrapped the review, but we hit pause, and we went away and did a piece of work looking at mapping out across the country where people have access to arts and culture and who is consuming it, who is actually accessing that, and who is benefiting from it.

“We’re shortly, imminently, I hesitate to say before Christmas, but that may or may not be the case, about to announce the chair of that new review, and when we do, we will then set out the terms of reference and the panel that will advise.”

Earlier this week, Sky News reported that Labour peer Baroness Hodge is thought to have been selected to lead the review.

In a statement to Arts Professional in September, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: “The public body review of Arts Council England was paused during the election and has now been closed. Ministers are considering next steps and further details will be announced in due course.”

Arts Professional expects further clarification from DCMS in the coming weeks.

Restoring stakeholder trust

When asked how she would restore stakeholders’ trust that ACE’s funding decisions are completely independent of government, Nandy said her department would be “incredibly transparent” in allowing them to provide input into the review.

“By the end of it, our intention is that they will see their voices and their priorities reflected in what comes out the other side of that review, whatever reform we decide is necessary.”

She continued: “What I really want us to do is not only make sure ACE funding is enriching the lives of people in every part of the country regardless of their background, but I also want to get us away from what I think is quite a deadening debate around that between access and excellence. It has to be both.

“And the last review was very much framed around those two competing poles.”

She added that she had “given a steer” to ACE that the next round of the National Portfolio needs to do “far more at working with local organisations to fund what is already there in communities to be able to grow and expand”.

Nandy said: “My own experience with Arts Council funding is that too often people are brought in to do culture and art to a place, and I think that’s not had the benefits that communities would expect, and they’re very open and amenable to that suggestion.”

Discussing the motivations for “pausing” Archer’s review, Nandy said: “I’ve been very concerned about the way in which arts and culture has become something that is often only accessible to young people whose parents can pay, because of its downgrading on the curriculum and because in many parts of the country, unless you have something very, very local, the chronic problems we have with transport in large parts of the country mean that those things just aren’t accessible. “

‘The rise of antisemitism in the arts’

Elsewhere during the wide-ranging meeting, Nandy also discussed a briefing she has been given on the rise in antisemitism in the arts, adding that Lord Mann will shortly host a roundtable with a number of affected organisations and artists.

“I am obviously very concerned about it,” said Nandy, “particularly the way in which the conflict in Israel and Gaza is playing out in the UK in a domestic context. There are obviously people who have heartfelt and very strong views on all sides.

“I’ve met with the families of hostages… I’ve also met with the families of Palestinians who’ve lost loved ones, and for many people in this country, it’s personal.

“But what is never acceptable is when that results in a rise in antisemitism in our country and on the streets. And I am concerned about the way in which we’ve seen that playing out in the arts world.”