Arts Council Funding Promenade Sculpture £47,000
| Authority | Department of Education, Sport and Culture |
|---|---|
| Date received | 2021-09-29 |
| Outcome | Some information sent but not all held |
| Outcome date | 2021-10-21 |
| Case ID | 2014425 |
Summary
The requester asked for details on the Arts Council's funding status, the source of funds for a £47,000 promenade sculpture, and related correspondence. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed that the sculpture was funded by lottery grants rather than the Department, provided a budget breakdown for 2019-2021, but stated it did not hold records explaining the 'sponsored body' definition or the specific emails regarding the sculpture's selection.
Key Facts
- The Arts Council receives funding from lottery ticket sales duties, not directly from the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC).
- DESC supports the Arts Council by providing an officer's salary, business address, facilities, and Tynwald representation.
- The decision to commission the sculpture was made at an Arts Council meeting on 3 May 2019.
- DESC does not hold records explaining the definition of a 'sponsored body' or emails regarding the selection of the sculpture maker.
- The total annual grant supplied by DESC to the Arts Council for 2019, 2020, and 2021 was £22,400.
Data Disclosed
- £47,000
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 3 May 2019
- £900
- £1,500
- £20,000
- £22,400
- 2014425
- 2021-09-29
- 2021-10-21
Exemptions Cited
- Information not held by the authority
Original Request
Dear Sirs The Arts Council is a sponsored body of the Department of Education , Sport and Leisure. Could you explain what it means to be a sponsored body of the DESC, ie does that mean the department fully fund the arts council. The new sculpture on the promenade was supplied by the arts council for a cost i believe of £47,000. In respect of this was the funding of the statue completely from funding from the DESC and if you please provide all emails regarding to how it was decided who would make the statue showing who else was considered to undertake the project. In respect of the funding the DESC grants the arts council as it is tax payers money that it is granting, please provide how much the DESC supplied the arts council in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and a breakdown of what the money was used for .
Data Tables (1)
| Arts Council grant | Year end and budget | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Employees expenses | 900 | 900 | 900 |
| Supplies and services | 1,500 | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Grants and subsidies | 20,000 | 20,000 | 20,000 |
| Totals | 22,400 | 22,400 | 22,400 |
Full Response Text
Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 2014425 21 October 2021
Dear ###,
We write further to your request which was received on 29 September 2021 and which states:
"Dear Sirs The Arts Council is a sponsored body of the Department of Education, Sport and Leisure. Could you explain what it means to be a sponsored body of the DESC, i.e. does that mean the department fully fund the Arts Council? The new sculpture on the promenade was supplied by the arts council for a cost I believe of £47,000. In respect of this was the funding of the statue completely from funding from the DESC and if you please provide all emails regarding to how it was decided who would make the statue showing who else was considered to undertake the project. In respect of the funding the DESC grants the arts council as it is tax payers money that it is granting, please provide how much the DESC supplied the arts council in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and a breakdown of what the money was used for ."
Our response to your request is as follows: Sponsored body of DESC While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because there are no records explaining what it means for the Arts Council to be a sponsored body of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC). By way of advice and assistance DESC supports the Arts Council in a variety of ways including allocating a grant which goes towards the salary for an Officer to undertake Administration duties for the Arts Council, a business address and facilities to meet and carry out the functions of the Arts Council and Tynwald representation from the DESC Minster or appointed Political Member.
Funding of the sculpture While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because there are no records held in relation to “The Dancers” sculpture being paid for by funding from DESC. By way of advice and assistance DESC do not provide funding to the Arts Council. The Arts Council receive funding in the form of a grant from the duty received on lottery ticket sales for the purpose of supporting and developing arts on the Isle of Man. The sculpture was commissioned and funded by the Arts Council. Emails While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is because there are no records of emails held in relation to who was considered to make the sculpture and who actually made the sculpture. By way of advice and assistance the decision of who would make the sculpture was taken at a meeting of the IOM Arts Council on 3 May 2019. Amount DESC supplied the Arts Council
We have detailed below the information that is held. Arts Council grant Year end and budget 2019 2020 2021 Employees expenses 900 900 900 Supplies and services 1,500 1,500 1,500 Grants and subsidies 20,000 20,000 20,000 Totals 22,400 22,400 22,400
Please quote the reference number 2014425 in any future communications.
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