Office of Arts and Libraries (Hansard, 10 March 1989)

§ Mr. Luce

The principal achievements of the Office of Arts and Libraries in the last three years have beenThe establishment of a three-year programme of funding for the arts. The introduction of corporate planning for the national museums and galleries, and other non-departmental bodies, linked to the three-year funding programme. National museums and galleries being given greater control over their affairs by the move to grant-in-aid funding, and by their being untied from the Property Services Agency. The direction of the funding of the national museums and galleries towards the conservation and display of the collections, and the maintenance of the fabric of their buildings. The Government's support for the development strategies designed to give the regions a larger share of arts spending and facilities. The development of incentive funding schemes for the performing arts and for public libraries, designed to encourage subsidised bodies to become more self-reliant in their development and growth. The continued success of business sponsorship of the arts. The new marketing initiatives to encourage arts bodies to market themselves more professionally and to increase access to the arts. The substantial progress with the British library St. Pancras project which will bring together most of the library's London-based collections and reading rooms on a single site, and provide much improved facilities.