The days when an artist could rely on ACE for an income are long gone. 1998/99 was the key period, when major restructuring of ACE (at the behest of the new Labour government) meant that direct funding to artists was replaced by a focus on funding institutions and regional areas. The closing off of the tap for direct funding to artists from the National Lottery, specifically the closure of the Film Councils support for experimental practice, was the single most negative hit the new media arts sector has taken over the past decades (along with the closure of the Film and Video unit of ACE). Since that time it hasn't been possible for an artist to make a living from ACE supported activities. Artists that had benefitted from ACE's prior largesse (happily I was amongst them) had to find alternate means to support their work.
That doesn't make what happened yesterday any more palatable. The cuts made are amongst the most profound that I can remember and many worthy groups and companies have suffered. This has happened as the direct result of government policy. ACE had little choice when its budget was cut by a third - the big question was whether to cut everyone a little or a few a lot. They went for the latter option. There are arguments for and against either option. Understanding why this has happened doesn't dull the pain for those that have lost out. Best Simon On 30/03/2011 23:09, "Antonio Roberts" <anto...@hellocatfood.com> wrote: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellocatfood/5575389294/ > > "After reading the Arts Council's funding decisions today I'm really > not sure how I feel about them and the whole art world in general. > > I should just give up now. An artists' income is largely dependent on > the government/Arts Council and they currently are more keen on > cutting funding and trying to convince us that it'll be great > challenge for our creativity. What a load of crap. A challenge is > good, unemployment is not. > > What a crap day" > _______________________________________________ > NetBehaviour mailing list > NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org > http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > Simon Biggs si...@littlepig.org.uk http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ s.bi...@eca.ac.uk http://www.elmcip.net/ http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
