Under the proposals the share of money going to each of the arts, heritage and sport good causes will increase to 20 per cent with the Big Lottery Fund receiving the remaining 40 per cent. Another change will see the Big Lottery Fund focus its support exclusively on the voluntary and community sectors.
Mr Hunt said: “I want to get the Lottery back to how it was originally conceived. That’s why I will restore arts and heritage, as well as sport, to their original 20 per cent shares of Lottery funding, ultimately providing an extra £100 million each year for arts and heritage – £50 million each – a figure that will be even higher once the Lottery ceases to fund its share of the Olympics and its cultural festival.
The lottery was set up to fund grassroots initiatives, not as a pot of money for Ministers to dip into. At times like this it is even more important to the arts, heritage and sports sectors which is why I am wasting no time in making these changes. And, because I want to see a rise in the amount going to voluntary and community organisations, I will make sure that funds to that sector are protected with the Big Lottery fund focusing its support exclusively on that sector.”
Mr Hunt was speaking today to an audience of arts leaders and funders, where he set out the Government’s – and his own – commitment to the arts and culture. He said that there were ‘three key principles to underpin future policy:
– a mixed economy of public and private support for the arts, with stronger incentives to promote philanthropy; – access to high quality arts for as many people as possible, through continued free admission to national museums and galleries and continued education programmes; and – a reaffirmation of the arm’s length principle, with no politicisation of funding decisions.
The Culture Secretary also said that he wanted to take positive steps to make private giving – philanthropy – to arts and culture easier through steps to:
– reform Gift Aid; – explore ways to build on the successful Acceptance-in-lieu Scheme to make it possible for donors to give works of art to the nation during their lifetimes; and
– reward high-performing arts organisations through longer-term funding deals, so reassuring sponsors and donors that their support would complement public investment’.
Jeremy Hunt concluded: “I am totally passionate about the arts and culture in this country. For me culture is not just about the jobs in the creative industries, not just about its economic impact, and not just about the thing that’s enjoyed by the millions who go to the cinema, theatre and concerts every week, or visit our museums and galleries. Rather, it’s what defines us as a civilised nation. It helps us understand the world around us, explain it and sometimes escape from it – and we are all the better for it.”
