Surprising news reaches us that the Arts Council will be removing their annual grant to Quay Arts Centre from April 2012.
The £80,000 grant goes some way to helping fund the fantastic work of the Island’s only Arts Council Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO) which includes exhibitions to promote Island talent, outreach education programmes with young people and a huge variety of workshops and courses.
Director of the centre, Jo Cowan told VB, “We are very disappointed in not being successful in our National Portfolio application – although we scored positively on all areas of assessment in stage 2 of the process the Arts Council decided ‘that other organisations fitted better into the national picture’.
“Funding for this financial year, however, is secure allowing us the time to take stock and review our position and working in the creative industries means that we are well positioned to respond to this significant challenge in an innovative way. Now more than ever we need the support of those who value the arts on the Island.”
Dame Liz Forgan, Chair of Arts Council England, said: “This is about a resilient future for the arts in England. We have taken the brave path of strategic choices not salami slices which has meant some painful decisions, and it is with great regret that we have had to cease funding some good organisations.
“‘But we will still be supporting excellence, exceptional talent and successful risk-taking; helping organisations to get their great work out far and wide; backing strong leadership and cultural entrepreneurialism; supporting resilient organisations that can thrive as well as survive; and encouraging work that really enthuses children and young people – because that’s where it all begins.”
