Two key figures leap out from the UK government’s spending review and its relation to the arts economy. National museums have suffered a 15 percent cut and will continue to offer free admission.

Arts Council England has been slashed by almost twice as much – 29.6 percent – a loss of £100 million over four years. In real terms the loss is £350 million, a sum that neatly equates to the ACE’s residual budget. It’s a horrible symmetry. Over four years arts funding will be halved.

The ACE has also been ordered to cut 50% off its admin costs – something many of us have been urging it to do for years, as it became one of the nation’s biggest paper factories.

The two stats together – 15% off museums, 30% off performing arts – represent a massive failure of strategy, intelligence and manoeuvrability at the top of ACE. While museums cleverly used every business trustee on their board to argue with top Tory and LibDems politicians, the ACE is chaired by Old Labourite Liz Forgan and managed by New Labour lackey, Alan Davie. Neither of them read the runes correctly and neither could get past the gatekeepers of the national purse.

A price needs to be paid. When the ACE meets next week to discuss the allocation of cuts to clients around th country, both chair and chief executive should offer their resignations for presiding over the worst reversal in the UK’s history of state funding for the arts. Resignation is the honourable course of action in defeat – and this has been a catastrophic defeat for the ACE and its leadership.

By contrast, the British Museum is almost jubilant. Its director, Neil MacGregor has just said: “We are pleased that Jeremy Hunt and Ed Vaizey have recognised the unique role museums play in the world today and reaffirmed their support of free admission.  We are also particularly encouraged that they have reconfirmed the government’s support of the British Museum’s planned new World Conservation and Exhibition Centre, a crucial investment in the British Museum’s future ability to work across the UK and the world.” 

Two key figures leap out from the UK government’s spending review and its relation to the arts economy. National museums have suffered a 15 percent cut and will continue to offer free admission.

Arts Council England has been slashed by almost twice as much – 29.6 percent – a loss of £100 million over four years. In real terms the loss is £350 million, a sum that neatly equates to the ACE’s residual budget. It’s a horrible symmetry. Over four years arts funding will be halved.

The ACE has also been ordered to cut 50% off its admin costs – something many of us have been urging it to do for years, as it became one of the nation’s biggest paper factories.

The two stats together – 15% off museums, 30% off performing arts – represent a massive failure of strategy, intelligence and manoeuvrability at the top of ACE. While museums cleverly used every business trustee on their board to argue with top Tory and LibDems politicians, the ACE is chaired by Old Labourite Liz Forgan and managed by New Labour lackey, Alan Davie. Neither of them read the runes correctly and neither could get past the gatekeepers of the national purse.

A price needs to be paid. When the ACE meets next week to discuss the allocation of cuts to clients around th country, both chair and chief executive should offer their resignations for presiding over the worst reversal in the UK’s history of state funding for the arts. Resignation is the honourable course of action in defeat – and this has been a catastrophic defeat for the ACE and its leadership.

By contrast, the British Museum is almost jubilant. Its director, Neil MacGregor has just said: “We are pleased that Jeremy Hunt and Ed Vaizey have recognised the unique role museums play in the world today and reaffirmed their support of free admission.  We are also particularly encouraged that they have reconfirmed the government’s support of the British Museum’s planned new World Conservation and Exhibition Centre, a crucial investment in the British Museum’s future ability to work across the UK and the world.” 

The alien-looking character below is BBC News’s so-called Arts Editor, Will Gompertz, a man familiar with the contemporary visual arts but out of sorts with anything more serious or intellectual. He is papped here at last week’s Man Booker dinner, the biggest occasion in the literary calendar. The Booker is a black-tie night. Most writers, even the most bohemian, tend to respect that convention. Gomps, it seems, had other ideas. Or maybe he was just economising on wardrobe in anticipation of today’s government arts cuts.

The alien-looking character below is BBC News’s so-called Arts Editor, Will Gompertz, a man familiar with the contemporary visual arts but out of sorts with anything more serious or intellectual. He is papped here at last week’s Man Booker dinner, the biggest occasion in the literary calendar. The Booker is a black-tie night. Most writers, even the most bohemian, tend to respect that convention. Gomps, it seems, had other ideas. Or maybe he was just economising on wardrobe in anticipation of today’s government arts cuts.

Barely had DG and Decca said their golden hellos to the new catalogue chief from Naxos (see yesterday’s breaking news) than the budget label flashed back overnight with a new chief operating officer who comes from iTunes. How cool is that?

In classical terms, less than you might expect. iTunes has the lowest sound definition of any major download source and many hardcore classical users are profoundly cheesed off with its quality. However, it also has the largest catalogue and is driving expansion across the sector.

That must rank to the credit of Naxos’s new suit, Andy Doe, who, it appears from his cv, also knows his way around the Universal Music Group and did a spell at Ireland’s enterprising Contemporary Music Centre. Could be worth watching.

Here’s the press release:

NAXOS NAMES ANDY DOE AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Naxos (www.naxos.com), the world’s leading classical music group, has announced that Andy Doe will join the company as its Chief Operating Officer, with special responsibility for the group’s online platforms and non-traditional business. Andy will work out of Naxos’ UK offices. Andy, who spent six years heading the classical activities of iTunes and assisted in making it the world’s largest retailer of recorded music, commented on his new appointment,

“I’m excited to be joining the most innovative company in the classical record business. Having worked with Naxos for six years, I’ve been continually impressed by the company’s growth, and I’m confident that no organization is better placed to thrive amid the challenges of the modern music marketplace. The Naxos team is made up of an incredibly talented group of individuals, and it’s a great honor to be asked to join them.”

Naxos Founder and Chairman, Klaus Heymann, had this to say: “I am delighted to have Andy join our executive team. He has the necessary experience in an area where I see the future of our industry and our group of companies. And he brings youth and fresh ideas to our group even though, by industry standards, with my exception, we have a pretty young team. I look forward to working with Andy who will report directly to me.”

Andy is one of the pioneers of the classical download business. He has spent six years in charge of classical music at iTunes, overseeing its growth from a small independent download store to the world’s largest retailer of recorded music. He increased the classical selection to include almost every commercially available recording and proved the viability of downloads as a major source of revenue for both major and independent labels.

Prior to working at Apple, Andy worked for Universal Classics & Jazz, Classical.com and the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland. He has worked on numerous recording projects including live performances by Yo-Yo Ma, Philip Glass, John Williams, Leif Ove Andsnes, Alan GIlbert and the New York Philharmonic. He oversaw the launch of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful DG Concerts label.   Andy is also a keen advocate for living composers, and serves on the board of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. He is a classically trained musician who studied the horn in London with Julian Baker, Kevin Elliott, Stephen Stirling and Roger Montgomery.

Barely had DG and Decca said their golden hellos to the new catalogue chief from Naxos (see yesterday’s breaking news) than the budget label flashed back overnight with a new chief operating officer who comes from iTunes. How cool is that?

In classical terms, less than you might expect. iTunes has the lowest sound definition of any major download source and many hardcore classical users are profoundly cheesed off with its quality. However, it also has the largest catalogue and is driving expansion across the sector.

That must rank to the credit of Naxos’s new suit, Andy Doe, who, it appears from his cv, also knows his way around the Universal Music Group and did a spell at Ireland’s enterprising Contemporary Music Centre. Could be worth watching.

Here’s the press release:

NAXOS NAMES ANDY DOE AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Naxos (www.naxos.com), the world’s leading classical music group, has announced that Andy Doe will join the company as its Chief Operating Officer, with special responsibility for the group’s online platforms and non-traditional business. Andy will work out of Naxos’ UK offices. Andy, who spent six years heading the classical activities of iTunes and assisted in making it the world’s largest retailer of recorded music, commented on his new appointment,

“I’m excited to be joining the most innovative company in the classical record business. Having worked with Naxos for six years, I’ve been continually impressed by the company’s growth, and I’m confident that no organization is better placed to thrive amid the challenges of the modern music marketplace. The Naxos team is made up of an incredibly talented group of individuals, and it’s a great honor to be asked to join them.”

Naxos Founder and Chairman, Klaus Heymann, had this to say: “I am delighted to have Andy join our executive team. He has the necessary experience in an area where I see the future of our industry and our group of companies. And he brings youth and fresh ideas to our group even though, by industry standards, with my exception, we have a pretty young team. I look forward to working with Andy who will report directly to me.”

Andy is one of the pioneers of the classical download business. He has spent six years in charge of classical music at iTunes, overseeing its growth from a small independent download store to the world’s largest retailer of recorded music. He increased the classical selection to include almost every commercially available recording and proved the viability of downloads as a major source of revenue for both major and independent labels.

Prior to working at Apple, Andy worked for Universal Classics & Jazz, Classical.com and the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland. He has worked on numerous recording projects including live performances by Yo-Yo Ma, Philip Glass, John Williams, Leif Ove Andsnes, Alan GIlbert and the New York Philharmonic. He oversaw the launch of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful DG Concerts label.   Andy is also a keen advocate for living composers, and serves on the board of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. He is a classically trained musician who studied the horn in London with Julian Baker, Kevin Elliott, Stephen Stirling and Roger Montgomery.