About us
National and regional arts councils
The Council and regional arts councils
Our governing body is the Council, selected in the summer 2002. It comprises up to 15 people, including the Chairman and nine members who also chair the regional arts councils. Each of our nine regional arts councils is also made up of up to 15 members, except the South East Regional Arts Council, which has 20 members.The Council
Members of our national Council are appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Council members are usually appointed for four years, and may be reappointed for a further term of four years. Council meets approximately five times a year.Each member is appointed because of their special interest in, or experience of, the arts as practicing artists or arts administrators; as senior academics; or as public or private sector executives.
Council members are responsible for ensuring the achievement of Arts Council England's objectives, which are to develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts, and to increase the accessibility of the arts to the public. They do this by deciding on policy and priorities, and investing money in artists and arts organisations directly and through the regional arts councils.
Council's priorities are set out in detail in Ambitions for the arts. Our ambition is no less than to place the arts at the heart of national life, reflecting the country's rich and diverse cultural identity as only the arts can.
Regional arts councils
The nine regional arts councils consist of 15 members. Six members on each of the councils are representatives of local government or regional government. (The South East Regional Arts Council has 20 members of whom eight are from local and regional government, reflecting the large population of the region.)The regional arts councils are responsible for:
- agreement of regional strategies, plans and priorities for action within the framework of national policies and priorities
- approval of three year regional investment plans
- agreement of detailed regional annual budgets (including all grants over £25,000 for named, funded organisations)
Meet the members of our nine regional arts councils:
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Bardi Aboriginal Dancers from Western Australia performing at Stonehenge as part of the Salisbury International Arts Festival.
Related information
- For general enquiries, phone:
0845 300 6200
textphone:
020 7973 6564 - Fill in our enquiry form
- Code of practise for council members [RTF 230KB]
- Code of practise for council members: Appendix 1 - The seven principles of public life [RTF 163KB]
- Policy on registration and declaration of interests, gifts and hospitality [RTF 170KB]