Opera plans: ACE analysis will ‘inform future investment’

Arts Council England (ACE) has set aside up to £50,000 for research into the current state of opera and musical theatre in England, with the work due to be completed by the end of October.

Tender documents for the piece of work reveal that ACE wants the research to help it better understand how the sector currently operates, including "the opportunities and challenges it faces in relation to production, presentation and distribution".

"The analysis will help the Arts Council inform its future investment in opera and music theatre," the tender document states.

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It adds that the work will help the sector understand how it can maximise the contribution it makes to the delivery of ACE's Let’s Create strategy.

The value of the contract has been put at between £25,000 and £50,000 with work due to begin by 10 May, and be finished by 31 October.

ACE has said that once the work is completed it intends to publish the report alongside a statement "clearly setting out how we plan to respond".

It also said that in addition to commissioning the external research, it has appointed a three-person external reference group to act as "critical friends" while it undertakes the work.

It will be made up of Fiona Allan, who has been Chief Executive at Opera Australia since November 2021, Anthony Blackstock, who has held a number of roles including Interim Resources Director of English National Opera, and Jan Younghusband, an award-winning TV and film commissioner, producer and author who started her career in opera production at Glyndebourne.

Plans to conduct an independent analysis of opera and musical theatre were first announced in January following criticism of ACE's investment plans.

English National Opera, Glyndebourne and Welsh National Opera were among a range of arts and culture organisations to see their funding cut for the 2023-26 period.