Last week, Arts Council England revealed the portfolio of cultural projects from around the country that it will be funding from 2023 to 2026. Every few years, the agency (ACE) has to decide where to invest huge sums of public money from the National Lottery, and arts organisations spend considerable time and effort carefully preparing their proposals in the hope that come the announcement day, they will fall into the winners' column.
In the Bristol area, 24 organisations are set to receive a total of £10m in annual funding over the next three years - an increase of £4m from the annual award that was made between 2018 and 2022. As part of the government’s directive to ‘level up’ parts of the country in need of more investment, ACE also cut £50m a year from London-based organisations to ensure funds reach every corner of the country.
The biggest piece of the pie in Bristol will go to Bristol Museums, which has been awarded nearly £1.4m, up by £24,650 from its previous award, closely followed by Bristol Old Vic Theatre Royal Trust, which scoops up £1.2m. After losing its status as an ACE National Portfolio Organisation in 2017 but later receiving a grant of £1.8 m to fund a more ‘sustainable future’, The Arnolfini is set to receive £700k.
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Newcomers to the list include Seeta Patel Dance Ltd, which stages performances focusing on classical Indian and contemporary dance and was awarded £310k. The Good Literary Agency also gets a boost with £153k to continue its work, increasing opportunities for writers underrepresented in mainstream publishing.
For those organisations whose applications have been successful, the extra injection of cash will be particularly welcome as they contend with rising inflation and consumer caution. However, for cultural institutions that miss out or lose their funding this year, the stakes may feel particularly high, especially as they are still recovering financially from the closure of live venues during the pandemic when many performers and artists felt the government had left them with little support.
Several notable Bristol arts organisations have posted statements about their disappointment at not being selected for the latest round of funding. This includes Travelling Light, a theatre company dedicated to producing work with and for young people, which lost the £202k of annual funding it has received since 2015.
Currently in rehearsals for its Christmas show Belle and Sebastian at the Old Vic, Travelling Light wrote on Twitter: “We are proud to have been an ACE NPO and are really sorry to not have been successful in this round. Our programme will continue unaffected for now while we look at next steps and funding opportunities with our board and staff.
"We remain fully committed to providing opportunities to create and imagine for children and young people.” Other companies that were previously supported but face finding funding elsewhere include In Between Time, Theatre Bristol and Action Hero.
Elsewhere Bristol's oldest art gallery, the Royal West of England Academy, said it was "extremely disappointed", writing on social media: "In the face of the difficult current economic situation, and without this much-needed regular core funding, the next few months and years will be extremely challenging for the RWA.
"However, we have successfully supported ourselves throughout our history and are determined that – with a robust business model and with the continued generosity of individuals, trusts and other funding bodies – we will continue to light up lives with art for years to come."
Bristol Ideas, which runs programmes of discussion and debate throughout the year across a range of subjects, reacted to the news that their application wasn't chosen, writing on Twitter: ”This is understandably disappointing for us and for the many organisations we work with. We will need to take time to breathe, reflect and heal. However, Bristol Ideas remains agile, dynamic and prepared for change.”
Dance performance company Impermanence, based at The Mount Without, requested £75k to help deliver a programme of dance for Bristol. They were unsuccessful but, like many others, expressed resolution despite the setback, also writing on Twitter: "We'll obvs just carry on. Bit gutted. If you want to follow us on Insta, that would be nice."
During a press conference last week, ACE chairman Sir Nicholas Serota said the increase of funded organisations was partly a reflection of the increase of applications as well as the Cultural Recovery Fund established during the pandemic highlighting “many” arts organisations they had not been working with.
Sir Nicholas said: “I think it became clear to us that there was an enormous quantity of activity that really demanded support and certainly deserved support so it was natural in way that if we could, to increase the number of organisations within the portfolio.
"We’ve invested so that as many people as possible in England can enjoy the very best of creativity. This means no matter where you live, and whatever your background, you will have culture close to your homes. We’re supporting excellence and talent everywhere."
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