Arts Council Warning Against Political Statements Came After Government Talks on Gaza

An Arts Council England (ACE) warning against arts organisations making “overtly political or activist” statements came after a discussion about Israel’s war in Gaza with the government, it has been revealed.

A freedom of information request (FOI) made by actor’s union Equity reveals that the controversial guidance was discussed in a meeting between the council and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) on 12 December 2023 during a discussion item on “Reputational risk relating to Israel-Gaza conflict”.

In February, ACE updated its relationship framework, which sets out what it expects from organisations it funds, warning against “activity that might be considered overtly political and activist and goes beyond your company’s core purpose and partnerships with organisations that might be perceived as being in conflict with the purposes of public funding of culture”.

The body faced a backlash from high profile artists, with Equity saying the guidance “sends a clear message to discourage the creation of art that is political, and to avoid full participation in civil society if you are an artist who wishes to work with Arts Council funding.”

ACE denied that the guidance was related to the conflict in Gaza, and said it was about “identifying and responding to risks” and was “in no way meant to limit artistic expression”. It admitted that its language had been “open to misinterpretation” and revised the guidance.

Equity said that the revelation made by its FOI request is “deeply troubling” for artistic freedom, and raises questions about ACE decisions being subject to political pressure from Westminster.

Paul W Fleming, general secretary of Equity, said: “We have been clear to the Arts Council that their slide into politicisation is leading to censorship of artists. The double standards over the conflict in Gaza is just one manifestation – whether it be Nadine Dorries gutting culture for working class Londoners by dictat, or requirements to thank the government for money from the COVID-era Cultural Recovery Fund – public funding of the arts in this country has lost its way.

“It is embarrassing for the Arts Council that they have said to the union directly that the guidance had nothing to do with the conflict – our FOI shows this to be inaccurate. We have to see a commitment to reform of the Arts Council to restore its independence, its funding – and change its senior personnel.”

Equity’s Race Equality Committee commented: “Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ACE affirmed support for creatives who show ‘solidarity with our colleagues in Ukraine’ and later emphasised that the culture sector could ‘play an important role in putting pressure on the Putin regime to end the invasion of Ukraine’.

“This is in stark contrast to ACE’s actions following the events in Israel and Gaza, when its publication of guidelines warning arts organisations that ‘political statements’ could break funding agreements had a chilling effect on the whole industry.

“The cancellation and deplatforming of work by Palestinian artists has shown that the creation of art about the very existence of global majority artists and their assertion of their human rights can be deemed ‘political’.

“Within this context, our right to freedom of expression and the creation of art free from government interference is more urgent than ever. The cultural sector and its workers cannot be censored in a way that is anathema in a free and fair society.”

ACE insisted that it was not subjected to political pressure.

A spokesperson said: “We fully understand and appreciate concerns around freedom of expression. However, as we have previously made clear, at no point did the government request or require us to publish guidance on this issue.

“The update we made to the relationship framework in January followed conversations with organisations we invest in, many of which were looking for support in managing complex situations. We updated DCMS, our sponsor department in government, that we were already in the process of drafting this additional guidance in one of our regular meetings. This is standard practice, and DCMS offered no input.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our guidance does not seek to stop any artist or organisation from making the art they want to make, or speaking out in any way they wish – including in ways that challenge institutions and authorities.”

A DCMS spokesperson said: “ACE is an arms length body and decisions on their Relationship Framework are for them to take independently of the government.

“The department meets regularly with all our arms length bodies, including ACE to discuss a wide range of issues, including management of risks.”