How we are governed

In 2010, Arts Council England introduced a new non-executive governance structure that aims to enable members of the overall governing body, the national Council, to get closer to the business of the organisation so that they may provide more appropriate scrutiny and support to the executive.

The new structure allows council members to make full use of their expertise and to get a better national overview of the Arts Council's portfolio.

National Council

National Council is the non-executive board of Arts Council England, and holds overall responsibility for the governance of the organisation. It is also the leading advocate for the Arts Council and the work it does to promote art in England.

National Council is made up of 16 members, who are also charitable trustees. One of these members is the National Chair, Sir Peter Bazalgette, and nine are members who also hold regional responsibilities. Members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Council members are usually appointed for four years, and may be reappointed for a further term of four years.

Each member is appointed because of their special interest in, or experience of, the arts as practicing artists or arts administrators; as senior academics; or as public or private sector executives.

National Council members are responsible for ensuring the achievement of Arts Council England's objectives, which are to develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts, and to increase the accessibility of the arts to the public. They do this by deciding on policy and priorities, and investing money in artists and arts organisations directly and through the regional councils.

National Council meets three times a year. Its work is supplemented by four standing committees that have different responsibilities and cover different aspects of the Council's work. Each standing committee answers to, and feeds directly back into the work of, national Council. 

The four standing committees of national Council are as follows:

Arts Policy Committee
Arts Investment Committee
Performance and Audit Committee
Remuneration Committee

National Council expenses

In line with our policy of being open and transparent, we have undertaken to publish information regarding our national Council's expenses on a quarterly basis.

Browse National Council expenses on our transparency pages.