Background information

The Spending Review 2000
Severe underfunding during the 1980s and 1990s had left the theatre industry with limited opportunities for innovation or creativity. Due to a concentration on the survival of buildings and institutions, investment in the artform and people had become secondary. The sector had become inward looking, was losing audiences and failing to engage its surrounding communities.

As part of the 2000 Spending Review*, Arts Council England secured an additional £25 million annually. This represented a 72 percent increase in the theatre budget, bringing grant-in-aid to £72 million. Consequently, the Arts Council conducted the Theatre Review to inform the allocation of additional funding from 2003.

A Portfolio Review was started in Spring 2007, during which time the Arts Council's new national office came into being, and resulted in the announcement in February 2008 of their new portfolio 2008 - 2011*.

In January 2007 the Arts Council published a refreshed National Policy for Theatre in England* . This identified a number of areas that were in need of development - circus and street arts, experimental theatre, children and young people's theatre. For the first time, this included youth theatre and participatory theatre and diversity through delivery of the recommendations of recent reports on cultural diversity.

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The Theatre Assessment 2008
Arts Council England invited independent consultants Anne Millman and Jodi Myers, with the support of their advisors, Pippa Bailey, Patrick O'Kane and Kully Thiarai, to undertake the Assessment. Jodi and Anne worked closely with Barbara Matthews and Isobel Hawson from Arts Council England's Theatre Strategy team.

Anne and Jodi will be submitting their report to Barbara Matthews, Director of Theatre Strategy, Arts Council England, at the beginning of December.