Arts Council England (ACE) has announced proposals to re-structure the organisation and, in the process, reduce their operating costs by approximately £6.5Million (GBP) per year, the savings, according to the proposals, will be put back into arts projects.
A key aspect of the re-structuring plan is to have a central location for processing Grants for the Arts applications, which most individuals, small companies and projects apply to. This centre will be located in Manchester and have a staff of 40 people.
ACE's Head of Media Relations Loiuse Wylie told us that the main focus of the new centre will be administrative and artists, on a day to day basis, will still deal directly with ACE employees in their local area for all things creative.
Other changes include cutting approximately 111 jobs from the regional arts offices including 31 staff from the London office. Job losses as a whole will be, should the proposal take effect, 149 staff. Although 9 regional offices will remain they will be grouped into four specific areas; North, Midlands and South West, East and South East and London.
There is, as yet, no public consultation planned for the changes and the plans, outlined below, are subject to change. Upon confirmation all changes are expected to come into effect in 2010.
No word yet on whether or not ACE will be using any of the money saved to get a new pony!
