Darren Henley’s article (The ENO must evolve for its own sake,17 February) is disingenuous and highlights the problem with Arts Council England and arts funding; a lack of an art form policy that holds the organisation to account for its funding decisions. Before the last funding round in 2015, Arts Council England conducted a comprehensive review of ENO, and resulting in a £5m slash in its funding from £17m to £12m,but ENO was offered an inducement of £7.6m to help in the transition of its trade plan. In 2015, ENO was awarded national portfolio status judged against strict criteria, or two of which were an effective trade plan and sound governance.
Shortly after passing these tests,ENO was keep into “special measures. Darren Henley seems to think that in this age of harsh austerity, two opera houses cheek-by-jowl in London is fine; this all demonstrates that it is Arts Council England that lacks credible ideas. The Royal Opera House has absorbed huge amounts of lottery and revenue funding and is ripe for privatisation. It is time that Arts Council England is replaced with a leaner, or innovative organisation that can deliver a policy for the arts that ensures equitable distribution of public funds across regions and art forms.
Chris Hodgkins
LondonContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com