ACE warned over ‘political statements’ guidance ahead of outcry

Arts Council England (ACE) was asked for "urgent clarity" over changes to its relationship framework around the implications of political statements the week before the issue gained widespread public attention, it has emerged.

A letter sent to ACE by Artists' Union England on 9 February highlighted "widespread alarm within the arts community" about the updates, published on 25 January.

"There is a suspicion that, whether or not they are designed to, these prompts will cause [National Portfolio Organisations] to restrict artistic freedoms out of concern for their funding positions," the letter states.

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"We feel that clarity is urgently needed on the reasoning behind these additions and the effect you intend them to have."

The letter, sent to ACE Chief Executive Darren Henley, Deputy Chief Executive Simon Mellor and Visual Arts Director Peter Heslip, likened the revised guidance to recent attempts in Germany to "restrict the activity of artists who are critical of Israel by applying unprecedented conditions to public funding".

In Berlin, authorities had planned to adopt a clause that would have required any recipients of funding to commit themselves against “any form of anti-Semitism,” a move that artists claimed could strip financial support from those who have voiced support for Palestine.

But the idea was dropped following protests.

'Policing artistic freedoms'

"Without urgent clarification, there is a developing assumption that these new amendments to the ACE NPO guidelines represent a more subtle attempt to engage in a similar policing of artistic freedoms through the public sector," the letter states.

It added that the union was concerned that the "vaguely phrased additions" would encourage NPOs to be "wary of commissioning artists whose work is even remotely politically engaged".

"This is likely to most strongly affect artists with protected characteristics, which would undermine ACE's stated aims towards equality and inclusion.

"We wish to issue an important reminder that art is political by nature, and these new guidelines risk engendering an increasingly narrow and unrepresentative definition of art supported by the public realm."

Arts Professional first reported on concerns around the guidance on 13 February, with the issue sparking debate within the sector and gaining widespread attention.

This led to ACE issuing a clarification on 14 February stating that the guidance "does not seek to stop any artist or organisation from making the art they want to make, or speaking out in any way they wish".

On 15 February, it said that, over the last 48 hours, it had been listening closely to feedback around the changes and recognised that the language used was "open to misinterpretation" and would be revised.

Offered the opportunity to comment, ACE directed Arts Professional to its published statements on the matter.