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Dateline: 10th January, 2008

Sir Brian McMaster

McMaster Review - the Main Recommendations

1. Innovation and Risk Taking
   I recommend that innovation and risk-taking be at the centre of the funding and assessment framework for every organisation, large or small.
2. Diversity
   I recommend that funding bodies and arts organisations prioritise excellent, diverse work that truly grows out of and represents the Britain of the 21st Century.
3. Governance
   I recommend that the board of every cultural organisation contains at least two artists and/or practitioners.
   I recommend the setting up of a Knowledge Bank which could be called upon by boards to feed into and support the appointment process and to advise on potential candidates.
   I recommend that all funding bodies have and take up the right to be involved in the appointment processes of the organisations they fund.
4. Culture and Education
   I recommend that cultural organisations be proactive in meeting the extra demand for their work that the 'cultural offer' will generate. They must ensure that the activity that makes up this offer is of the highest standard, reflecting the diversity and internationalism I highlight in this report.
5. Continuing Professional Development
   I recommend that the cost of mentoring for senior appointments should be a standard feature of any recruitment budget.
   I recommend that, since cultural organisations have a vested interest in and responsibility for supporting and developing talent, they should be providing free or discounted tickets to aspiring practitioners.
   I recommend that funding bodies explore the potential for international co-operation that allows young practitioners to see more work abroad.
   I recommend that funding bodies, organisations and practitioners prioritise opportunities for continuing professional development throughout careers.
6. Public Subsidy
   I recommend that DCMS and the Arts Council work with HM Treasury towards a new scheme for the ten organisations with the most innovative ambition to receive ten year funding to further that ambition.
   I recommend that funding bodies actively identify innovative ways for new talent to be identified and funded.
7. Audiences
   I recommend that to overcome the endemic 'it's not for me' syndrome and building on the success of free admission to museums and galleries, for one week admission prices are removed from publicly funded organisations.
   I recommend that cultural organisations stop exploiting the tendency of many audiences to accept a superficial experience and foster a relationship founded on innovative, exciting and challenging work.
   I recommend that a new way forward be found that reclaims a strategic approach to touring, while exploiting the regional structures created by the Arts Council's reorganisation.
8. Judging Quality
   I therefore recommend a new assessment framework be adopted by funding bodies:
   * Self-assessment by cultural organisations and practitioners as the starting point;
   *Complemented by a system of peer review managed by the funding bodies;
   * Informed by funders confident in their judgements and equipped to take strong action where necessary.
9. Self-Assessment
   I recommend that the funding bodies, jointly with representatives of cultural organisations, develop good-practice guidelines for self-assessment. These should focus primarily on the excellence of the art and commitment to innovation and risk-taking.
10. Peer Review
    I recommend that, to complement the culture of self-assessment, funding bodies institute a system of peer review. I suggest all regularly funded organisations should be reviewed by peers on a cyclical basis and that the process is managed by the funding body.
11. Judgement by Funding Bodies
    The quid pro quo for getting rid of cumbersome targets, however, must be an understanding and acceptance that there needs to be dialogue between funders and organisations on the issues of excellence, innovation and risk-taking.
    I recommend funder intervention where organisations are failing, setting fixed conditions for funding or, in extremis, its removal entirely, and that this be acknowledged in funding agreements.
    I recommend that funding decisions made by all funding bodies (DCMS, Arts Council, MLA) are based on professional judgements of what is and what is not excellent.

The full report can be downloaded in Word or PDF format from the DCMS website.

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©Peter Lathan 2008