The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has launched a new inquiry into The Funding of the Arts and Heritage. The Committee is inviting written submissions  on a whole range of issues, including the impact spending cuts from central and local Government will have on the arts and heritage at a national and local level; whether the policy guidelines for National Lottery funding need to be reviewed and the impact the abolition of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council will have.

It is essential that as many individuals and institutions as possible respond to this invitation.  The closing date for submissions was 2nd September.  The Federation has made a submission. 

Other areas the committee will be looking at include:

• What level of public subsidy for the arts and heritage is necessary and sustainable;
• Whether the current system, and structure, of funding distribution is the right one;
• What impact recent changes to the distribution of National Lottery funds will have on arts and heritage organisations;
• Whether businesses and philanthropists can play a long-term role in funding arts at a national and local level;
• Whether there need to be more Government incentives to encourage private donations.
• What arts organisations can do to work more closely together in order to reduce duplication of effort and to make economies of scale; 

The Committee will also examine other areas of interest that are raised during the course of its inquiry.

For up-to-date information on progress of the inquiry visit http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/culture-media-and-sport-committee/.