UK Writers’ organisations have just informed us that the levy paid to authors on the loan of their books from public libraries has been largely preserved from government spending cuts.

The amount available for distribution will drop by 6.5 percent over four years – which is a good deal less than all other arts cuts. The shrinkage is from £7.5m now to £6.96m in 2014/5. 

What will change is the administration of the fees. The PLR office is to be shut down and the moneys will be distributed by some other arm of government, yet to be designated.

Here’s what we’ve just been told by the literary organisations.

 

PLR update following the spending review

As part of the cuts to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, it has been announced that there will be reductions to the PLR fund. However, these cuts are not as severe as  anticipated.

The annual figures have been announced as follows:

2010/11    £7.45m
2011/12    £7.218m
2012/13    £7.084m
2013/14    £6.977m
2014/15    £6.956m

There will thus be a reduction of 6.6% over the next four years, although the fall in real terms will be significantly bigger. 

Whilst any cuts are to be regretted, it does appear that support for the Public Lending Right scheme has been taken on board by the DCMS, and the cuts kept to a minimum, especially in comparison with the overall Department cuts of 25% so a big thank you again to you all for lending your support.

The issue of the administration of PLR however still remains a contentious one, with the announcement of a proposal to abolish the current PLR body and instead move the running of PLR to another body.  On 14 October Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, wrote to the Society of Authors stating the government’s intentions. See the letter here.

Representatives from the Society of Authors, the Authors’ Licensing & Collecting Society the Royal Society of Literature and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain have all expressed grave concern at this move and sought an urgent meeting with officials in the DCMS. 

On 19 October at a reception held by the All Party Parliamentary Writers Group, Maureen Duffy, one of the writers who fought to set up the PLR scheme in the 1970’s expressed her opinion on the move saying,

“When we planned this event, we had no suspicion that we were to be holding a wake instead of our usual celebration of PLR… To replace this with a body that has no expertise in this field of data collection and micropayments will mean expensive new IT systems, equipment, staff hire and training premises, all at huge cost and with absolutely no benefit in efficiency or savings.” 
 
For further information about the concerns please see the Society of Authors website. A full copy of Maureen’s speech from the 19th can be viewed here.

We will be in contact as and when any further information is available. Thank you once again for your support.

  

I’ve had an email from Mr Sondheim, submitting two self-anagrams. The first, which he credits to Jonathan Tunick, is

Sondheim = He opens the mind.

The other, anonymous, is:

Sondheim = He pens demon hits.

 

Hmmmm. Other notable contributions to best composer anagrams, ever.

From Jeremy Sams:

Elgar is of course regal and often large. Haydn , being efficient is handy… But Mozart being all embracing is Mr a to z.

 

And from Lowell Liebermann:

Camille Saint Saens = A Satanic Illness Me

 

Keep them coming. Andrew Lloyd Webber looks ripe for the ana-plucking.

 

Wally d’ wonder rebbe?

 

 

 

I’ve had an email from Mr Sondheim, submitting two self-anagrams. The first, which he credits to Jonathan Tunick, is

Sondheim = He opens the mind.

The other, anonymous, is:

Sondheim = He pens demon hits.

 

Hmmmm. Other notable contributions to best composer anagrams, ever.

From Jeremy Sams:

Elgar is of course regal and often large. Haydn , being efficient is handy… But Mozart being all embracing is Mr a to z.

 

And from Lowell Liebermann:

Camille Saint Saens = A Satanic Illness Me

 

Keep them coming. Andrew Lloyd Webber looks ripe for the ana-plucking.

 

Wally d’ wonder rebbe?

 

 

 

I have written an analysis on Bloomberg this morning of the fallout from the British Government’s epochal assault on arts provision, the biggest reversal in the history of arts funding.

As the dust clears and the tears are dried, attention will focus on the institution that John Maynard Keynes founded for encouraging and sustaining the arts – the Arts Council of England. That body changed beyond recognition in the past 13 years from an independent mentoring organisation to an enforcement of New Labour political requirements, riding so close to the Department of Culture (DCMS) that no-one but me batted an eyelid when a senior DCMS official was appointed chief executive of the Arts Council.

The ACE has been humiliated in this spending round for its policies and inefficiencies, more so than any other target of cuts. It has been singled out for punishment and criticism.

The ACE is not beyond redemption. But any reconstruction requires its chair, Dame Liz Forgan, and chief executive Alan Davey, to take responsibility for their actions and do the recent thing. Their resignations must surely be on the table when the Arts Council meets on Monday to discuss its diminished future.

You can read the Bloomberg analysis here:
http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=ajDIkAOoh6Mo

I have written an analysis on Bloomberg this morning of the fallout from the British Government’s epochal assault on arts provision, the biggest reversal in the history of arts funding.

As the dust clears and the tears are dried, attention will focus on the institution that John Maynard Keynes founded for encouraging and sustaining the arts – the Arts Council of England. That body changed beyond recognition in the past 13 years from an independent mentoring organisation to an enforcement of New Labour political requirements, riding so close to the Department of Culture (DCMS) that no-one but me batted an eyelid when a senior DCMS official was appointed chief executive of the Arts Council.

The ACE has been humiliated in this spending round for its policies and inefficiencies, more so than any other target of cuts. It has been singled out for punishment and criticism.

The ACE is not beyond redemption. But any reconstruction requires its chair, Dame Liz Forgan, and chief executive Alan Davey, to take responsibility for their actions and do the recent thing. Their resignations must surely be on the table when the Arts Council meets on Monday to discuss its diminished future.

You can read the Bloomberg analysis here:
http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=ajDIkAOoh6Mo

I was chatting to the composer Helmut Lachenmann, prior to our gig on Sunday night, and in the course of discussing his impressions of Pierre Boulez he came up with the best anagram I have heard for any leading composer:

Pierre Boulez = Berlioz Puree

One reason this is so telling is that Boulez is very fond of using food metaphors. Maybe because he is one.

Whatever, feel free to contribute your own composer anagram in the space below.

Here’s a few more to get you thinking:

Seduce Busy Lad (easy)

Bach Snored Longer (cool)

A nominal oboist (oblique)

Plan a Coda, Ron (painful)

Halmut’s Grave (yeah, he couldn’t spell Helmut)

 

Late extra:

 

This just in from Thomas Z Shepard): Sondheim = hedonism

I was chatting to the composer Helmut Lachenmann, prior to our gig on Sunday night, and in the course of discussing his impressions of Pierre Boulez he came up with the best anagram I have heard for any leading composer:

Pierre Boulez = Berlioz Puree

One reason this is so telling is that Boulez is very fond of using food metaphors. Maybe because he is one.

Whatever, feel free to contribute your own composer anagram in the space below.

Here’s a few more to get you thinking:

Seduce Busy Lad (easy)

Bach Snored Longer (cool)

A nominal oboist (oblique)

Plan a Coda, Ron (painful)

Halmut’s Grave (yeah, he couldn’t spell Helmut)

 

Late extra:

 

This just in from Thomas Z Shepard): Sondheim = hedonism

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.

 

wg.jpg

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.

 

wg.jpg

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.