At the end of January, on behalf of VAGA (the Visual Arts and Galleries
Association) UK, I made the following request for information.
Unfortunately my e-mail was down for several days following the posting of
my request - so if anyone was kind enough to respond, my apologies for
missing it and I would very much appreciate it if they could send a copy of
their response to me direct.
I hope that posting the request again will encourage others to respond as we=
ll.
Your help would be VERY MUCH appreciated as it is a topic of some importance=
!
>There is currently discussion about the introduction of new tax incentives =
for
>>corporate and private giving to the arts in the UK.
>Unlike say the USA, the larger part of non-earned income for national,
>regional >and local art museums and for "independent" non-commercial art
>galleries is >from National or local government or the National Arts Counci=
ls
>(of England >Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) .
>In general this covers or significantly contributes towards the basic staff
>and >running costs but, increasingly the money is insufficient to provide
>realistic has >concessions for corporate and private giving, this would onl=
y
>be agreed if it went >with a cut back or elimination of part of the direct
>National government funding >and the government funding to the Arts Council=
s.
>The situation on the UK is further complicated by the subject of The Lotter=
y.
>>Significant capital projects are now planned and Lottery funding for some
>have >already been agreed, giving rise to the largest national capital inpu=
t
>to the arts that >any of us have experienced. But under the present rules,
>Lottery Funding cannot >be used for the creation of endowment funds or dire=
ct
>running costs.
>One of the conditions of Lottery funding of capital projects is that a
>(variable) >percentage of the costs have to be met from other sources. Thi=
s
>has already led >to the situation that the non-lottery contributions for
>projects already agreed, >exceeds the annual total of current business
>sponsorship funding for the arts in >Britain, which mostly goes towards
>revenue costs (including new productions, >exhibitions etc)
>At a time when, despite government promises that Lottery Funding would be
>>ADDITIONAL to the current level of direct Government funding to the arts a=
nd
>>government grants to the National Arts Councils, we are seeing a cash cutb=
ack
>in >annual Government funding to the arts which amounts to a significant cu=
t
>(=A310 >million) in real terms - at a time when many arts organisations are
>trying to deal >with the problems of accumulating annual deficits. The
>National Museums and >Galleries have lost =A319 million in real terms in on=
e
>year. The Government plans >to cut a further =A33.2 million in the followi=
ng
>financial year.
>The Government will have reduced the value of the arts grant (all art forms=
)
>in >England by =A327 million by the end of its term in office - despite its
>manifesto >pledge to "maintain support for the arts". (figures from the
>National campaign for >the Arts)
>On this basis we will soon have some splendid new arts buildings with nothi=
ng
>>going on inside them !
>It has been suggested by some politicians that the Lottery money should
>replace >capital AND revenue grants from central government to the arts, a
>move which is >vigorously opposed by those working in the arts.
>Are we to see the arts in Britain *run as a Lottery *?
>We are interested in having the views and experience of art museums and
>>galleries in other countries on the subject of the balance of funding sour=
ces
>and >the problems they are currently facing.
>It would be very much appreciated if you could e-mail us summary informatio=
n
>>about your last year actual financial results and your budget for the curr=
ent
>year, >in the following format:
YOUR LAST YEAR ACTUAL RESULTS and CURRENT YEAR BUDGET
outgoings (please state currency) :
Premises and general running costs
Staff costs
Collection management costs
Exhibitions costs
Education costs
other costs
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
income (please state currency) :
Central Government / Federal
Local and Regional government
=46oundations
Business sponsorship (does this have tax incentives for the sponsor ?)
Individual giving (does this have tax for the donors ?)
Admissions income
Income from touring your exhibitions
income fromsupply copyright images, gallery publications etc
net income from trading (bookshop, restaurant etc )
TOTAL INCOME
Donations of works of art to permanent collection:
value last year : private donors (did this have tax benefits for the donors=
?)
AND could you let us have your views on the advantages and problems of the
present balance you have between state, regional or local funding, business
sponsorship, foundation and individual giving - together with your views on
the balance that you would ideally like to see between the various funding
sources. Finally could you identify problems that you see with funding
sources in the near future.
This information (please state if you wish it to be unatributed) will be
used in additional written evidence to the National Heritage Committee of
the House of Commons, London which is currently enquiring into the Funding
of the Performing and Visual Arts - to which VAGA has already given
written and oral evidence.
Thank you very much for your help it is in a good cause !
Jeremy Rees
Chairman, VAGA (Visual Arts and Galleries Association).
Jeremy Rees
Director, IVAIN
[International Visual Arts Information Network]
24 Lots Road, London SW10 0QF
e-mail [log in to unmask]
voice 44 171 376 8759
fax 44 171 352 7055
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