Arts
The Arts Council of England is the national development agency for the arts in England, distributing public money from Government and the National Lottery. It works through nine regional offices and regional Arts Boards. Its vision is to promote the arts at the heart of national life.
The Arts Council operates Creative Partnerships, which provide school children across England with the opportunity to develop creativity in learning and to take part in cultural activities of the highest quality. It is not a funding body but aims to establish genuine collaborative partnerships to enable the development of projects.
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment is the body charged by the DCMS with championing architecture and improving design of buildings, and the spaces between them. It offers to help all those involved in creating, managing and using the built environment. Architecture centres have also been created at regional level to ensure a local focus on architecture and built environment issues.
The Big Lottery Fund is a new organisation that will hand out half the money from the National Lottery to good causes. It was created by merging the New Opportunities Fund and the Community Fund. Government Offices will make it easier to apply for Lottery money and will make it easier for you to see where the money goes.
Creative Industries
This includes advertising, architecture, the art and antiques market, crafts, design, designer fashion, film and video, interactive leisure software, music, the performing arts, publishing, software and computer games, television and radio. Government Offices work to increase the understanding of the importance of creative industries to regeneration and economic development.
The DCMS has a major role in the broadcasting sector, including the development of digital technology, setting the licence fee and ensuring access to major sports events on free-to-view television. DCMS works closely with the industry and viewers/listeners to help increase choice, encourage competition and maintain programme standards and quality. The Department also has responsibility for funding the cultural sector of the film industry, as well as overseeing Government policy for the establishment of a sustainable and successful commercial film industry.
Film and media contribute to many other Government agendas. Regional media organisations have been established in each region and ensure regional needs are met. They are backed by Government Offices, who work to increase the understanding of the importance of creative industries to regeneration and economic development and facilitate links with other Government programmes and policies.
