About us

Taking part in the arts

We want as many people as possible, from across England’s rich cultural mix, to engage with the arts.

A high proportion of adults (66%) already attend the arts and over half the population are regular participants.

But new technology is revolutionising how we experience, learn about and disseminate the arts. People want to engage with the arts in new ways, both as audiences and participants.

Arts organisations are exploiting this new and rapidly changing business environment. They innovatively present their work and engage with the public, including new markets.

For the artist, the very process of creation, collaboration and co-production is transformed – raising fascinating new possibilities for the role of the artist and the nature of the arts themselves.

  • We will broaden our approach to distribution, going beyond live touring to include broadcasting, publishing and new technologies, exploring new partnerships and opening new markets for artists and audiences alike
  • We will encourage artists to examine how their work is distributed, to engage with marketing and audience development opportunities and to become more entrepreneurial in outlook
  • We will give particular priority to ensure access and opportunity are improved for disabled people, people from the Black and minority ethnic population and those who are economically disadvantaged
Action
  • Encourage more people to take part in the arts by implementing an action plan and campaign strategy
  • Increase attendance by 3%, and participation by 2%, by adults from Black and minority ethnic, disabled and economically disadvantaged social groups. We will do this by implementing our plan to meet the DCMS’s Public Service Agreement target
  • Enable people to access the arts how they choose by implementing a distribution policy and strategies for live touring, broadcasting, publishing and new technologies

Our other priorities:


Performance and delivery
Planning for the future - public value