The stripped-back state of the arts in the UK
OrchestrasToday, Northern Ballet is performing Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon without its orchestra.
Two of the nation’s core arts institutions have been stripped bare by Arts Council England.
This is not what Maynard Keynes envisaged.
ACE must be reformed from top to bottom.
Its CEO Darren Henley tweets every night from a different venue outside London saying how wonderful things are under his aegis. He needs to spend more nights at home, counting his redundancy pay.
#PeakyBlinders – The Redemption of Thomas Shelby by @ace_national #NPO @Rambertdance is a stunningly excellent show from start to finish. On now @LiverpoolEmpire. Touring to Bristol, Oxford, Salford, Sunderland, Southampton, Birmingham, Norwich #LetsCreate pic.twitter.com/kp7bz97y9l
— Darren Henley CBE (@HENLEYDARREN) September 17, 2024
Darren is a Pygmy compared to many of his predecessors. He’s presided over the worst period in ACE’s history. He should be judged very harsh by anyone with an interest in supporting the arts and keeping our great artistic enterprises flourishing and shown the door.
Big new classical albums get released, and they get no customer ratings. One-star reviews would be bad enough… but less than five people who care to rate them at all? How small is our club now? Is Apple Classical a complete failure? You did predict the downfall. Is this it?