A response to Let’s Create? – Arts Council England’s Strategy 2020-2030
The Arts Council has launched a new ten year strategy which they say is not dreamed up by a bunch of bureaucrats sitting in a room on their own – well tough, as this is what it reads like, out of touch and given the current resources probably unachievable.
Musicians, dancer, painters, poets, writer, singers have been conveniently dumped into a box marked “Creative Practioners”. This is one size fits all and ignores the diversity of expression. Culture has been reduced to an homogenous blob and creativity has been simplified to a uniform act, a level playing field in which the participants are all the same.
A fundamental flaw in “Let’s Create is the complete absence of any art form policy.
After 10 years of “Great Art and Culture for Everyone the Arts Council has yet to nail the question of what constitutes high quality or quality period, and spending another 10 years attempting to establish a shared language that will define quality.
The Arts Council’s failure to resolve inequality in its last ten year Strategic Plan should be publicly scrutinised and they should be held to account.
The Arts Council has moved from the objects of its Royal Charter to a vision that is flawed for a number of reasons; is it achievable given existing resources?
The Arts Council has yet to produce an operational plan for the execution of Let’s Create. Without that it is a bit like a vet asking “Is this horse fit for work?” Without a urine sample.
No further reply was forthcoming so had an internal appraisal of the Arts Council been undertaken with an analysis of its capabilities and core competences?
Enquiries to the Arts Council at the time of the development of Let’s Create failed to provide an internal appraisal of the Arts Council with an analysis of its capabilities and core competences.
For the full report please see the attachment below:
A Response to Let’s Create the Arts Council England’s Strategy 2020-2030 Chris Hodgkins