Touring and capital development are prioritised in ACE’s new strategic funds

A new £180m Capital Programme that will help arts organisations to improve their environmental performance and “become more sustainable and resilient businesses” has been announced by Arts Council England (ACE). This new fund will prioritise the consolidation and improvement of existing buildings and equipment rather than investing in new buildings and major expansion projects: organisations will be able to apply for amounts over £500,000, but grants of over £5m will be “exceptional”. those applying will need to demonstrate that their projects are financially sustainable and do not require additional revenue funding

£45m has been earmarked for a Touring Programme designed to encourage collaboration between organisations and reach parts of the country which rely on touring for much of their arts provision. Previously ACE has supported touring through project funding, and the new fund signals its new national approach to touring, which will be “funding activity more strategically and developing projects in partnership with the arts sector”. Awards of £10,000 and above will be made to support touring in all artforms. A further £7.5m will be allocated through an ‘Audience Focus’ fund, through which ACE will commission audience development initiatives. Again the emphasis will be on developing shared approaches to marketing and audience development that make “significant savings for participating organisations”. In addition, next year a fund entitled ‘Creative People and Places’ will support work in a small number of geographic areas with low arts attendance and engagement, to help get more people involved in the arts. The future of the Artsmark scheme, which is to be extended to cover the Arts Council’s new responsibilities for museums and libraries, will be in the hands of a new national provider. Applications are being invited for this role, for which £4.5m has been allocated.

Further funds will be distributed from spring 2012 when ACE will open a General Strategic Grant Programme for other initiatives that are compatible with the priorities in ACE’s 10-year strategy, ‘Achieving great art for everyone’. These priorities will be published in ACE’s ‘area delivery plans’ which will be published in the spring. National Portfolio Organisations that apply for strategic funding will need to show how the initiatives they are proposing are in addition to their core programmes. Grants for the Arts will continue to be open to applications not targeted towards ACE’s specific priorities, but National Portfolio Organisations will not be eligible to apply for these. Funding for all the strategic programmes comes largely from Lottery income, which is projected to increase following the decision to increase the share of Lottery money to the original four good causes, an increase in Lottery ticket sales, and the end of Lottery funds being diverted to the Olympics.

ACE’s Chief Executive, Alan Davey, said: “The aim is for the Arts Council to work alongside our National Portfolio, and other artistic and cultural organisations, to deliver our shared aims and ambitions for the arts. I’m sure creative and ambitious organisations across the country will relish the chance to undertake work that ensures the arts keep pushing boundaries and play an even greater role in our national life.”