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Tessa Jowell Announces New Group To Help Deliver Wider Access To The Arts

Sir Michael Bichard will head a new external group being set up to monitor progress on the Government's goal of making cultural and creative opportunity available to all Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell announced today.


In a speech to the QMW Public Policy Seminar, Tessa Jowell said substantial progress had already been made on delivering the vision set out in the report Culture and Creativity: The Next Ten Years. A new Departmental culture and creativity website, to be launched next month, will include a culture and creativity area to include a summary of responses to the report and a chart mapping progress on delivery.

Among other developments:

  • free access to museums had been introduced. Since December 2001 visitor numbers have doubled at those institutions that previously charged admission;
  • reform of the Arts Council means we now have a truly National Arts Council;
  • the Creative Partnerships scheme was due to start in the autumn and up to 400 schools would be participating;
  • a delivery mechanism for Culture On Line would be in place by the end of the year.

The Culture Secretary said:


" I am delighted that Michael Bichard has agreed to head up the new group on delivery. Michael previously ran the New Deal programme for youth employment and will bring enormous experience to this new role." 


On Creative Partnerships the Culture Secretary said:


" We have been overwhelmed by the reception to Creative Partnerships from the teaching profession, from the creative industries and from arts organisations across the country. But it's not enough just to give young people a chance to try something new and then do nothing to follow it up. I want to create clear pathways for developing talent and encouraging excellence in the arts. That may mean, for example, providing continuing tuition and support or, beyond that, access to top quality professional development."

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