Dear Jeremy,

I'm glad you feel that art offers you consolation in the face of your spending review bid. I feel that art offers many things we need now -so much more than consolation alone. The arts have a huge part to play in the economic recovery and the big society.

As a Director of an arts organisation I wonder what pain your spending review bid will bring for my organisation and the people I work with. Will we be one of the regularly funded organisations that Arts Council says it will have to stop funding?

I know you know that the arts bring great social and economic benefits for the country - I think you have spoken very eloquently about this.

I, like my colleagues, recognise that the arts need to play their part in reducing the deficit - we are resourceful people - ultimately creative, and well used to dealing with tight budgets. We're ready for the challenge of working differently and playing our part in the economic recovery and the big society. However, I worry that the cuts will be too great, too fast for us to respond to.

US style philanthropic giving to fund the arts is a great idea and I know many from the big London institutions have discussed this with you. But really, for my organisation this is an impossible dream. The north east doesn't have the kind of money that can fund philanthropic giving or corporate sponsorship to any great degree. For small, specialist organisations like mine - there is even less chance of securing any significant funds via this route.

The arts ecology is a delicate thing and I worry that reducing one part of it too much, too fast will destabilise the whole.

In some ways my organisation shows the value of the arts to this country in microcosm. We receive £100k approx. from Arts Council England as a regularly funded organisation; on the back of this we secure another £150k from a range of sources. We are moving towards reaching the national average of £1 from public funds and £2 from elsewhere.

This funding allows us to contribute many economic and social benefits. A brief summary would be:

. Contribution to tourism - in 2009 we organised Northern Print Biennale, a unique international event across the city which attracted 95,000 visitors, 22% from outside the region.

. Education - we deliver a learning programme to schools, with GCSE pupils returning annually because their teachers' know they will receive better grades because of the work they do with us.

. Social - we provide art workshops for community groups, giving quality experiences to many disadvantaged people such as young offenders, adults with learning disabilities and older people.

. Supporting the creative industries - David Cameron has said that the creative industries are an important part of the economic recovery; we know they're a growth industry. We support many self-employed artists and creatives through providing low cost access to studio facilities, technical support and training.

. It's a whole ecology - we work with grassroots and big institutions; with prints made in our studio exhibited at major venues and held in our prestigious national collections.

. Inspiration, aspiration and 'consolation' - our survey with users has just received this response when asked to sum up Northern Print - "changed my life".

We know that most organisations have a 'tipping point' of around 10 to 15% - so please not too fast, not too deep.

I hope you enjoy Mark Wallinger's work - I look forward to hearing what other work you have chosen and of course, what's in your spending review.











Dear Jeremy,

I'm glad you feel that art offers you consolation in the face of your spending review bid. I feel that art offers many things we need now -so much more than consolation alone. The arts have a huge part to play in the economic recovery and the big society.

As a Director of an arts organisation I wonder what pain your spending review bid will bring for my organisation and the people I work with. Will we be one of the regularly funded organisations that Arts Council says it will have to stop funding?

I know you know that the arts bring great social and economic benefits for the country - I think you have spoken very eloquently about this.

I, like my colleagues, recognise that the arts need to play their part in reducing the deficit - we are resourceful people - ultimately creative, and well used to dealing with tight budgets. We're ready for the challenge of working differently and playing our part in the economic recovery and the big society. However, I worry that the cuts will be too great, too fast for us to respond to.

US style philanthropic giving to fund the arts is a great idea and I know many from the big London institutions have discussed this with you. But really, for my organisation this is an impossible dream. The north east doesn't have the kind of money that can fund philanthropic giving or corporate sponsorship to any great degree. For small, specialist organisations like mine - there is even less chance of securing any significant funds via this route.

The arts ecology is a delicate thing and I worry that reducing one part of it too much, too fast will destabilise the whole.

In some ways my organisation shows the value of the arts to this country in microcosm. We receive £100k approx. from Arts Council England as a regularly funded organisation; on the back of this we secure another £150k from a range of sources. We are moving towards reaching the national average of £1 from public funds and £2 from elsewhere.

This funding allows us to contribute many economic and social benefits. A brief summary would be:

. Contribution to tourism - in 2009 we organised Northern Print Biennale, a unique international event across the city which attracted 95,000 visitors, 22% from outside the region.

. Education - we deliver a learning programme to schools, with GCSE pupils returning annually because their teachers' know they will receive better grades because of the work they do with us.

. Social - we provide art workshops for community groups, giving quality experiences to many disadvantaged people such as young offenders, adults with learning disabilities and older people.

. Supporting the creative industries - David Cameron has said that the creative industries are an important part of the economic recovery; we know they're a growth industry. We support many self-employed artists and creatives through providing low cost access to studio facilities, technical support and training.

. It's a whole ecology - we work with grassroots and big institutions; with prints made in our studio exhibited at major venues and held in our prestigious national collections.

. Inspiration, aspiration and 'consolation' - our survey with users has just received this response when asked to sum up Northern Print - "changed my life".

We know that most organisations have a 'tipping point' of around 10 to 15% - so please not too fast, not too deep.

I hope you enjoy Mark Wallinger's work - I look forward to hearing what other work you have chosen and of course, what's in your spending review.

Anna Wilkinson
Director, Northern Print

Posted on 23 July 2010 10:57 by Anna Wilkinson

Why graceless little bureaucrats like Jeremy Hunt are allowed anywhere near art, let alone to make decisions regarding it, are quite beyond me.

Posted on 23 July 2010 17:33 by Art

Do you not recognise the irony that on the one hand you have today slashed and burned the arts sector, and then you speak of choosing art for your office? Do you have a complete sensitivity defect, or is it only selective? Just as long as you have some stunning pieces for your office that's ok...

Posted on 26 July 2010 17:54 by James Tooke

save the UK Film Council

Posted on 26 July 2010 19:29 by stuart young

So, at least your office will look nice as the UK's cultural economy crumbles around you.

Posted on 26 July 2010 21:03 by Jim Bradshaw

its gone guys..... after 10 years, the axe has fallen on the UK Film Council.... so if you want to make, star in and distribute films

its time to help each other, invite all you know to this co-op group, and let me know if you want to get active, meeting coming soon,

powered by http://www.futureartists.co.uk/

Without deviation from the norm progress is not possible!

Mark Ashmore and Jenny Inchbald

WE have some great artists on the northwest, want to discuss how we can fit into your big society?

Posted on 26 July 2010 22:41 by future artists

Are you joking?

Why don't you sell off the art work so that other people can appreciate British talent and use the money to support the UKFC and other more worthwhile causes?

Honestly, do the people really need a 'Government Art Collection'? No. I don't think we do. You are killing the UK and should be ashamed of yourself.

Posted on 27 July 2010 04:05 by Natalie Abbott

My, Jeremy, you do your party proud by continuing to demonstrate trademark Tory sensitivity and impeccable timing even in your own blog! How does it feel to be despised by the cultural sector which you so clearly wish to ingratiate yourself with?

Posted on 27 July 2010 16:17 by A. Moon

I'm glad you feel that art offers you consolation in the face of your spending review bid. I feel that art offers many things we need now -so much more than consolation alone. The arts have a huge part to play in the economic recovery and the big society.

As a Director of an arts organisation I wonder what pain your spending review bid will bring for my organisation and the people I work with. Will we be one of the regularly funded organisations that Arts Council says it will have to stop funding?

I know you know that the arts bring great social and economic benefits for the country - I think you have spoken very eloquently about this.

I, like my colleagues, recognise that the arts need to play their part in reducing the deficit - we are resourceful people - ultimately creative, and well used to dealing with tight budgets. We're ready for the challenge of working differently and playing our part in the economic recovery and the big society. However, I worry that the cuts will be too great, too fast for us to respond to.

US style philanthropic giving to fund the arts is a great idea and I know many from the big London institutions have discussed this with you. But really, for my organisation this is an impossible dream. The north east doesn't have the kind of money that can fund philanthropic giving or corporate sponsorship to any great degree. For small, specialist organisations like mine - there is even less chance of securing any significant funds via this route.

The arts ecology is a delicate thing and I worry that reducing one part of it too much, too fast will destabilise the whole.

In some ways my organisation shows the value of the arts to this country in microcosm. We receive £100k approx. from Arts Council England as a regularly funded organisation; on the back of this we secure another £150k from a range of sources. We are moving towards reaching the national average of £1 from public funds and £2 from elsewhere.

This funding allows us to contribute many economic and social benefits. A brief summary would be:

. Contribution to tourism - in 2009 we organised Northern Print Biennale, a unique international event across the city which attracted 95,000 visitors, 22% from outside the region.

. Education - we deliver a learning programme to schools, with GCSE pupils returning annually because their teachers' know they will receive better grades because of the work they do with us.

. Social - we provide art workshops for community groups, giving quality experiences to many disadvantaged people such as young offenders, adults with learning disabilities and older people.

. Supporting the creative industries - David Cameron has said that the creative industries are an important part of the economic recovery; we know they're a growth industry. We support many self-employed artists and creatives through providing low cost access to studio facilities, technical support and training.

. It's a whole ecology - we work with grassroots and big institutions; with prints made in our studio exhibited at major venues and held in our prestigious national collections.

. Inspiration, aspiration and 'consolation' - our survey with users has just received this response when asked to sum up Northern Print - "changed my life".

We know that most organisations have a 'tipping point' of around 10 to 15% - so please not too fast, not too deep.

I hope you enjoy Mark Wallinger's work - I look forward to hearing what other work you have chosen and of course, what's in your spending review.

Posted on 27 July 2010 18:21 by Anna Mosedale

I think your comments here are totally inappropriate.

On Monday you abolished the Film Council with no consultation or review and yet you seem to have devoted more time to choosing the art work for your new office than you did making a decision that could have serious consequences for the UK Film industry.


Very insensitive and I think as Minister of Culture you should be ashamed.

I know I am ashamed of myself for voting conservative when I read these comments and think of the diasterous decision you have made for UK Film

Get your priorities right ....

Get your priorities right

Posted on 28 July 2010 10:39 by Catherine Campbell

Dear Mr Hunt

You should hang your head in shame over these comments. The so called pain you describe must be nothing in comparison to the poor folk who all lost their jobs as a consequence of your short termist spending cuts.

Having read John Woodward's comments in the Guardian yesterday it would appear that you have spent more time considering the artwork choice for your office than you have re consulting those affected by your spending cuts. To make sweeping changes without review or consultation is unbelievable but I'm happy that you at least have devoted some time to carefully choosing a nice art piece for your office.

I'm aghast at your ability to judge the public mood with these offensive comments.


I question your decision making ability !!

Posted on 28 July 2010 10:57 by Claude

This is an astonishingly insensitive blog in a week when Mr Hunt has announced a decision that will make thousands of people unemployed, and leave several cultural industries reeling for years. It is an excellent demonstration of exactly how out of touch with the real issues and concerns of ordinary people the Conservative party are.

Posted on 28 July 2010 11:06 by Hatice

The Government Art Collection making office spaces human and live-able in is the sort of ""Using The Municipal Collection" measure I asked for in the early 1980s from Blackpool Borough Council - it passed but I doubt whether it is still used to benefit councillors, officers and through loans to local businesses.
Oh, and please check the knock-on effects of shutting down Arts Council Grant-Giving to Small Press concerns such as poetry magazines and Inpress, a fount of much poetry-wisdom and enjoyable reading. I would be much missed if closed down.

Posted on 28 July 2010 20:52 by Christopher James Heyworth

are you totally void of any sensitivity 'taking consolation' by coming to the same building as the people you just axed to choose some quality publically funded Govt artwork for your office. Beggars belief, hope you find something nice and feel better about yourself

Posted on 29 July 2010 10:17 by Ed Millett

It is astounding, genuinely astounding that you have the gall to flaunt your privileged access to great British art. A man who can so easily drive the axe into one of our most creatively and commercially successful artistic institutions should forfeit his right to any such perks of office.

"Wenn ich Kultur höre ... entsichere ich meinen Browning!", wrote Hanns Johst. When a similarly mewling sycophant comes to write a play detailing this Government's rise to office, I see no reason for that particular line to be changed at all.

I urge any and all readers who oppose Mr Hunt's obscene decision to Google 'Film Council petition' and make their voices heard.

Posted on 30 July 2010 10:43 by John Underwood

Hi Jeremy,

Please can you forward this petition on to all of your friends

http://www.savethefilmcouncil.co.uk/

Posted on 30 July 2010 10:57 by Jack

This absolutely beggars belief - I just can't believe it. You scrap the UKFC and take comfort in putting art on your walls. How can you even think for a moment that this is an appropriate thing to post?!

If I had any doubts at all that you and your party are completely out of touch then this smashes them.

But at least your office will look nice - clearly that's the most important thing.

Posted on 30 July 2010 11:03 by Kate

This absolutely beggars belief - I just can't believe it. You scrap the UKFC and take comfort in putting art on your walls. How can you even think for a moment that this is an appropriate thing to post?!

If I had any doubts at all that you and your party are completely out of touch then this smashes them.

But at least your office will look nice - clearly that's the most important thing.

Posted on 30 July 2010 11:05 by Kate

Dear Jeremy,

What an extraordinary faux pas this is.

Quite stunning. Do you know how the people that are losing their jobs and funding feel?

By axing the UK film Council without any consultation you have totally ostracised most of film community by showing a complete disregarded for it's voice and interests.

I guess you have some idea from the comments above how people from the film and arts world feel about you and your comments re consultation. I have it on good authority that YOU OFFERED ON A PLATE 50% cuts. This is from a good source.

The arts are the SPRING of the creative industries in this country, the ROOTS of the TREE. The great talents in advertising, product design, illustration, digital arts innovators, fashion and marketing and all the other related business are drawn and inspired from the arts.

The key arts have a profound affect on these business who are inspired by and feed from the arts. There is a dynamic relationship between those art inspired business and the people who are filmmakers and artists who feed the commercial world by crossing back and forth like myself.

By cutting the roots so harshly you will create profound and long term damage. Much of the money is staying in the film industry as you state but it is the relationships that are damaged and broken, all the connections that are there that take time to foster and develop, and the knowledge lost that are key also key to parts of our industry. Breaking those can kill a surprising large, vital and active part of the tree and if not done wisely the tree itself in the long term and I fear you have not acted wisely but brutally.

The young talent the UKFC has nurtured where will that be left? Developing that talent cost the UK tax payer a lot of money and this talent could bring in large sums to the government coffers if their talent is further developed. These are the people most damaged by the loss of the UKFC people who and I am one of those people.

In one fell swoop you have broken the trust of all the people I know in the film industry who had hoped for a positive and strong relationship with the new coalition despite knowing there would be inevitable cuts.

Would it not have been a more productive strategy to consult and talk to the people in my industry before you wielded the axe?

I may have been a more prudent and wise approach to do so and you may not have had the explosive reaction you have from my industry.

The film industry needs a figure head and organisation that represents it and also importantly that can distribute the public lottery support. Why kill the UKFC off just when if was actually just beginning to operate well Surely it will cost more to transfer power, knowledge, skills, systems, legal contacts, employ new staff etc etc that the £3M UKGPB saving?

Is this accountable open government? I have the distinct impression this was political decision NOT a financial one and that is the travesty that breaks out trust with the new coalition.

I hope this is NOT the way the DCMS is to operate in future. I am sure you will find a you will only ostracise my industry and other arts further.

If the public and industries like mine are to trust this new coalition and their idea of the BIG SOCIETY your approach to change and cuts is not going to enrol many into taking part in it.

Posted on 30 July 2010 11:22 by Rowland Jobson

Dear Jeremy,

Not sure whether it's sense, sensitivity or both which you are lacking. What an terribly insulting blog you have posted, in the light of recent events. The fact that you are an MP is frankly, disturbing.

Posted on 30 July 2010 11:24 by Ruth

When someone first linked me to this blog I thought it was a clever parody of a Tory arts minister, one who agonises over his artwork whilst outside the arts are burning.

Knowing this is generally how you feel I am disgusted, and cannot believe why anyone with cultural interests would post something so devoid of the 'common sense' you Tories love so much.

Perhaps you could just decorate your room with posters from Ikea, and give the spare change to arts organisations you have demolished.

Posted on 30 July 2010 13:12 by Megan

Wow Jeremy. I bet you regret writing this. Maybe you should employ all of us to help you choose your office artwork? There are many many arts professionals out there with lots of talent and experience, and ever decreasing opportunities to earn a living. Oh no, sorry, we're all supposed to volunteer aren't we?

Posted on 2 August 2010 16:32 by Maria