UK Film Council to close
The UK Film Council is set to be abolished after an announcement by the Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, in July.
A number of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS’s) 55 public bodies are set to be merged, abolished or streamlined as part of what the government calls the ‘drive to cut costs and increase transparency, accountability and efficiency’.
Mr Hunt has proposed a number of changes, including abolishing the UK Film Council and ‘establishing a direct and less bureaucratic relationship with the British Film Institute. This would support front-line ser-vices while ensuring greater value for money.’ Government and lottery support for film will continue.
Arts Council England escaped the axe, but will have its budget cut by £23 million for 2010/2011. Writers' Guild General Secretary Bernie Corbett has warned that theatres might reduce the number of new play commissions in the face of upcoming budget cuts. Speaking to Matthew Hemley in The Stage, Corbett said: ‘While we have collective agreements that set minimum fees, we don’t have agreements guaranteeing any given number of new commissions. Theatres can’t cheapskate on fees to writers, but they can say that, instead of commissioning six new plays, they will only commission four next year. That is bad from our point of view and it’s a worry.'
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Welsh-language TV channel S4C will have its DCMS grant cut by 6% a year.
Further decisions on future funding for arts bodies will come as part of the government’s spending announcements this autumn.
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