Arts Council England (ACE) has scrapped its flagship 10-year strategy, Let’s Create, following a government-commissioned review led by Labour peer Margaret Hodge that criticized the framework as overly bureaucratic and stifling creativity. ACE has introduced a new interim strategic framework based on three principles—support excellence, deliver for everybody, and reach everywhere—aimed at making more impactful funding decisions with finite resources. The change comes as chair Nicholas Serota prepares to step down on 31 July, with the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport overseeing his replacement.
This matters because Let’s Create was a central pillar of ACE’s vision for English arts funding, centered on inclusivity, environmental responsibility, and diversity. Its failure highlights tensions between top-down strategic goals and artistic freedom. The new framework promises less prescriptive funding and a focus on balancing investment across regions, including Priority Places with low arts engagement. The leadership transition adds further uncertainty, making this a pivotal moment for the direction of public arts funding in England.