MERGER PROPOSED FOR FLAGSHIP FILM BODIES

Plans to merge the UK Film Council (UKFC) and the British Film Institute (BFI) into a single body to support film could benefit both the film-going public and the industry, Film Minister Siôn Simon said today.

An organisation with both a cultural and economic remit would mean public support for film is better coordinated, with more of the available funding channelled directly to frontline services. A proposed merger, designed to protect the key existing functions of both the BFI and UKFC while reducing gaps and overlaps, is now being considered by Government and industry leaders.

Siôn Simon said:

“Film in Britain is highly valued, both for its tremendous contribution to our cultural life and its economic success. Thanks to the work of the UK Film Council, as an industry, it contributes £4.3 billion to our economy, with British films taking 15% of the global box office last year. And buoyant attendances show that after more than a century, cinema is still seen as a great night out.

“The BFI is one of our great cultural institutions and cares for the world’s most significant archive of film and television. With audiences growing year by year, the BFI has proven the enormous public appetite for film heritage and world cinema in Britain.

“Supporting film to help the UK industry reach its international potential as an art form as well as a business remains a priority for Government. That’s why we want to look at how best to direct our support. A new, streamlined single body that represents the whole of the film sector will offer a better service both for film makers and film lovers.

“There are practical issues which we need to resolve to ensure that this proposed merger brings about the benefits we want without impacting on the work currently done by the BFI and UKFC. DCMS will now work closely with both BFI and the UKFC to deliver a better service for film.”

The overall remit of the BFI and UKFC will not be reduced. The proposal is for a streamlined organisation, which can spend more of its money on film and services and less on infrastructure, and in turn offer better support for Britain’s film culture and promotion of its film industry. Its remit would span securing investment across the sector, steering the industry through the transition to digital, championing the cultural importance of the UK’s film heritage and guaranteeing that the full diversity of film culture is available to all.

Tim Bevan CBE, Chairman of the UK Film Council, said:

“I welcome this idea and I’m keen to work closely with the BFI and the DCMS over the autumn to make it happen.

“The UK Film Council is a success story, but the truth is that when we were set up in 2000 a kind of artificial separation occurred – on the one hand the UKFC, which supports film and the film industry; on the other the BFI, which celebrates film culture and cares for our film heritage. And in my opinion it can’t be right for them to remain disconnected.

"The second reason I want to try to make this work is completely practical. We know that the climate for public funding is going to get much tougher, and it’s therefore sensible that we ask ourselves why there are two publicly funded film organisations in the UK. We need to look at the scope for savings across the board, to push as much money as we can into new film activity.”

Greg Dyke, Chair of the BFI, said:

"We view this as an opportunity to build on the strengths and successes of our work in recent years.

"The BFI is in good shape and having a very successful year, but we welcome this move if it enables us to further develop our potential to provide a better service to the public. The BFI is a much cherished organisation and has a vital and leading role to play in developing film culture and heritage in this country.

"We look forward to working with DCMS and the UK Film Council over the coming months to explore this opportunity."

A project board, chaired by DCMS and with equal representatives from the BFI and UKFC will now look at the proposal to develop a possible new model and governance structure. While it is expected that the creation of a new body for film, with a clear line of accountability and a single Board would mean efficiency savings, the primary objective is to improve the service to film, by reducing gaps in provision and areas where activity is currently duplicated by the two bodies. The project board will consider the practical and legal issues that would need to be resolved before such a merger could take place. It is expected to complete this analysis before the end of the year.

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw launches national competition

A competition open to the whole of the UK to find the nation’s first ‘City of Culture’ was launched today by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw. The winning city will become a focus for national attention in 2013 and could host high-profile media events including the Turner Prize, BBC Sports Personality of the Year, The Brits and the Stirling Prize as part of their year in the spotlight.

Building on Liverpool’s success as European Capital of Culture in 2008 the successful city could expect to see economic and social benefits flow in, leaving a lasting legacy. The initiative is being launched following a feasibility study by Phil Redmond.

And not just cities can apply. Bids will also be welcome from closely linked urban areas, or cities with their surrounding areas. The important thing is that there must be a clear central focus to the area.

Bidders will have until 16 October this year to submit an outline application, with a deadline of 11 December for initial bids. Expert assessors will then look at bids received and an independent advisory panel will recommend a short list to be announced early in 2010. Finally, those bids that are short listed have until 28 May to submit their full and final bids. Once these have been assessed and a recommendation made by the independent advisory panel, the final winner will be announced by the Culture Secretary later that year.

Ben Bradshaw said:

“Culture is something that we are incredibly good at in the UK. But excellence and innovation in the arts does not begin and end inside the M25 and I believe we have been too London-centric for too long in our cultural life. So this competition aims to find a city or area outside London that has the wow factor, with exciting and credible plans to make a step change in its cultural life and engage the whole country.

“Liverpool’s success last year brought pride, confidence and real economic regeneration to the area. Their triumphant year shows that the title of City of Culture will be a prize very much worth having, with a huge amount to play for.

“National cultural organisations and funding bodies are backing the plan and I am grateful to them for their support so far. I also thank Phil Redmond for his work to make this exciting concept a reality.”

Phil Redmond added:

“Liverpool benefited tremendously in 2008, from simply having a badge of authority that allowed people to work collaboratively together to enhance and maximize every event throughout the city. It also acted as a focal point for every cultural economic and social agenda – including permission to enjoy themselves. Culture is not an amorphous concept: it is at the heart of everything we do. To bring about any step change you need to bring about cultural shift and that is where cultural practitioners can help by introducing new ideas and new ways of doing things. Something we will all have to do looking to a rapidly changing digital world.”

(DCMS) New voluntary deal to fund problem gambling research, education and treatment

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe today announced a new voluntary funding arrangement to bring in at least £15 million over the next three years for the research, education and treatment of problem gambling.

The Responsibility in Gambling Trust will continue to raise funds from the gambling industry, and are committed to raising over £5m every year from now until 2012/13. A new body, the Responsible Gambling Fund, has been set up to distribute the money.

Mr Sutcliffe said:

"I am very pleased that we have managed to secure the future of this important work, without the need for new legislation. I have been particularly impressed with the industry's commitment to social responsibility and the fact that millions of pounds have already been pledged.

"It is right that the new fundraisers are ambitious in their plans to get over £5 million per year. We need the whole industry to sign up to help support those with gambling addiction problems and to provide better preventive education.

"I am confident that the new structure will be successful. But if, in the coming months, it becomes clear that it is not working then I will not hesitate to bring in a statutory levy. The protection of vulnerable people remains my number one priority and I will not be giving the industry a second chance to put this right."

The recently-created Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB), chaired by Baroness Julia Neuberger, will work with the new distributor and will set priorities for research, education and treatment.

(DCMS) Gardeners from across London urged to branch out and design a 'Great British Garden' for London 2012 Olympic Park

As the biggest gardening event of the year - the RHS Chelsea Flower show - kicks-off, Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell is urging amateur gardeners from across London to take inspiration from the gardens on show and help design a Great British Garden on the London 2012 Olympic Park.

A special stand at this year's show will give green-fingered visitors to Chelsea the chance to find out more about the competition and London 2012.

The nationwide 'RHS Olympic Park Great British Garden Competition' run in partnership between London 2012 and the Royal Horticultural Society, is designed to showcase one of the nation's favourite pastimes of gardening, whilst commemorating the Much Wenlock Olympian Society in Shropshire, whose games inspired Pierre de Coubertin to found the modern Olympic movement.

Amateur gardeners from across the UK have been asked to submit ideas for a quarter acre site expressing the unique qualities of a British domestic garden within contemporary parkland, so that visitors feel like they are wandering through someone's garden.

Entrants are free to choose which ever plants they wish to represent Great British Garden whether roses from England, daffodils from Wales, Shamrock from Ireland, or thistles from Scotland.

Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics, said:
"We are known all over the world for being a country of gardeners. The RHS Olympic Park Great British Garden Competition' is the perfect opportunity for all those amateur gardeners up and down the country to design and display a garden that can be enjoyed by thousands of people from all over the world, just like here at Chelsea.

"The garden will not only showcase the best of British gardens during the 2012 Games it will live-on as part of the Olympic Park in legacy."

Inga Grimsey, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society, said:
"We know there is no easy answer as to what constitutes a British garden but this challenge makes this competition even more exciting.Gardening has been part of our social and cultural make-up for generations. This competition is a fantastic opportunity for the nation to celebrate its passion for plants, get involved in gardening and for the winners to literally get their hands dirty and help to build the Olympic dream.

ODA Chair John Armitt said:
"This is a fantastic opportunity to be involved in creating a part of the parklands that will both form a green backdrop to the London 2012 Games themselves and new public space in legacy. The Great British Garden will celebrate both the heritage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and British gardening traditions, something that will be reflected throughout the Olympic Park parklands."

Six finalists will be shortlisted by a panel of experts before being put to a public vote in September 2009. Winners will be chosen from two categories, one 16 or under and one 17 and over.

The winners will work with the team of world-class landscape architects and garden designers on the Olympic park to design a great British Garden that will be in bloom during the London 2012 games and remain in legacy.

The competition, part of the London 2012 Inspire programme, will be open to all. Simple entry forms can be downloaded from http://www.rhs.org.uk/news/olympicpark.asp. Entrants can submit their forms by post. All entries need to be in by July 31st 2009.

The inspiration for the modern Olympic Games can be traced back to British doctor, William Penny Brookes who held the first Much Wenlock 'Olympian Games' in 1850. It was after a visit to Much Wenlock in 1890 that Pierre de Coubertin, the founding father of the modern Olympic Games, was convinced to organise the 1896 inaugural Olympic Games in Athens.
Entrants will be asked to consider opportunities to incorporate a 'de Coubertin' Oak tree, currently being grown in Kew from seedlings taken from an oak tree de Coubertin planted himself in Much Wenlock, into their garden design.

(DCMS) Government announce next steps on Stonehenge visitor centre

A new visitor centre to help bring alive the mystery and majesty of Stonehenge, the UK's internationally renowned World Heritage Site, was given the go-ahead in principle today by the Government.

The Stonehenge Programme Board, chaired by the Culture Minister, Barbara Follett, and Transport Minister, Andrew Adonis, has recommended that the centre, costing up to £25m, should be built at Airman's Corner. The way is now clear for work to be done on working up a design, seeking planning permission and raising funding to deliver the project.

Funding will be provided through a range of private and public sources, including English Heritage, Heritage Lottery Fund, Highways Agency, Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Transport. The level of public funds committed will be conditional on meeting the rigorous requirements for approving major public projects. The Government also announced that the site will be further enhanced by closing the A344 which at present takes traffic very close to the stones.

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said:

"Stonehenge has fascinated and enthralled people for thousands of years. It is undoubtedly one of the world's key heritage sites, and a preeminent UK visitor attraction. I am delighted that we have been able to identify a sustainable and affordable solution for a visitor centre at one of the world's key heritage sites, and one of the UK's most iconic visitor attractions. Today's announcement marks the first steps towards making long held aspirations for Stonehenge a reality, and could not have been achieved without the commitment, determination and passion of our partners. "

Barbara Follett said:

"Stonehenge is our most important and well recognised prehistoric site and, as such, is absolutely at the heart of our national history and heritage. Everyone agrees, however, that the way it is presented to visitors is far short of ideal. Consensus on how to improve visitor facilities has eluded stakeholders for far too long, and so I am delighted that we now have plans to move forward. There is still a long way to go, of course, but we now have to get on with making it happen"

The chosen site at Airman's Corner is about 1.5 miles west from the current site, at the edge of the World Heritage Site and has good access to the stones.

English Heritage Chairman, Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe, said:

"Our vision for Stonehenge has always been a simple one: to restore a sense of dignity and wonder to its setting, and provide visitors with a really high quality experience. I believe the plans announced today will do this, and significantly improve what we have there at present."

Dame Fiona Reynolds, Director General of the National Trust, added:

"The new facilities will greatly improve the experience for the many thousands of visitors to Stonehenge, while the other planned work has the potential to really improve the wider setting of the monument itself. We look forward to working with English Heritage and the other partners in this project to help take it forward."

(DCMS) A fair deal for British gambling operators

Creating a more level playing field to compete with overseas rivals

Overseas based gambling operators who advertise in the UK may face new requirements, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced today.

In response to rapid technological advances in online gambling, as well as the changing international regulatory landscape, the Government is to explore ways to make the system fairer to ensure a more level playing field between British businesses and their overseas counterparts.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, working with the Gambling Commission, will look at a number of issues, including securing fair contributions from overseas licensed operators towards the costs of regulation, the treatment of problem gambling and the Horserace Betting Levy. The Department will also look at the existing controls that apply to operators licensed overseas to ensure the rigorous consumer protections introduced by the Gambling Act continue to be upheld.

Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe said:

"Technology has evolved at an incredible pace and online gambling has changed significantly since the Gambling Act was passed. Now is the right time to take stock of developments in Europe and elsewhere to make sure our regulatory system is as fair and robust as possible for all operators able to advertise their services in the UK.

"It is early days so I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of this work - but getting a fairer deal for UK operators and ensuring continued consumer protection are my top priorities."

The Department will consult a range of experts, including the remote gambling industry, and will report findings to Parliament before the end of 2009.

(DCMS) Government scheme returns Gainsborough landscape to Norwich

A major landscape painting by one of England's most important painters is to become part of Norwich Castle Museum's permanent collection, Barbara Follett, Minister for Culture and for the East of England, announced today.

Thomas Gainsborough's landscape, 'Open Landscape with Milkmaid and Cows, Donkeys, Plough Team and Church, Farmhouse and Barn among Trees', has been accepted in lieu of inheritance tax as part of the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme (AIL) which is administered by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) on behalf of the government.

Barbara Follett, Minister for Culture and for the East of England said:

"I am very pleased to present this beautiful painting by Gainsborough to the Castle Museum. I am glad that the people of today, and those of the future, will be able to enjoy it thanks to the Government's innovative tax scheme. This is helping regional museums like the Castle, grow their collections by rewarding philanthropy and, at the same time, enriching local heritage."

The AIL scheme enables items deemed to be of historical or artistic importance to be given in place of inheritance tax, with items then given to museums and galleries throughout the UK. The acceptance of the Gainsborough painting satisfied £700,000 of tax liability.

The painting has been permanently allocated to the Castle Museum, Norwich, in accordance with the condition attached to the offer.

This landscape oil painting dates to the late 1750s, at the end of the artist's time in Ipswich. It was commissioned by an East Anglian patron and has passed down through the family over the generations.

(DCMS) Barbara Follett protects the weapons stores which helped protect us in the past

Ordnance Yards and Magazine Depots from the Napoleonic War to the First World War are amongst 48 buildings listed or upgraded today by Culture Minister, Barbara Follett, following a study by English Heritage.

The buildings, mostly listed at Grade II, include:

* the Mixing house (building 124) at Bull Point, Plymouth, constructed in 1804 and a unique survival from the Napoleonic Wars, where gunpowder from returning warships was recycled

* the Shell Fitting and Packing Workshop (building 65) also at Bull Point, built in 1862 as a specialized workshop for filling and packing shells, and

* a munitions factory at Priddy's Hard, Gosport, where, more than a hundred years ago, women workers used to slip love letters into ammunition boxes they were packing, for lonely sailors to find.

Of the 33 newly listed buildings, 19 are owned by the MOD and managed by Defence Estates (DE).

One building, Government Powder Magazine No.5, at Purfleet in Essex, has had its listing upgraded to Grade I, based on new research and findings of the thematic survey.

One site in particular, Priddy's Hard, has some interesting and heart-warming history. During the early 1900s, Gosport Women's Football Team was comprised mostly of ladies who were employed at the Priddy's Hard depot. They were considered to be one of the best ladies sides in the country, and camaraderie among them remained strong until they were laid off.

These same women would also hide love letters in the boxes of ammunition they were assembling, for the sailors to find on their voyages at sea. It was hoped that these would cheer the troops, and many relationships were both formed - and finished! - thanks to these little notes.

Barbara Follett, Culture Minister, said:

"These sites are poignant reminders of our military history and the effect that this had on the men and women involved. Their historic importance is indisputable and the role they played in Britain's defence against invaders - as part of factory settings - was pivotal. Each one has a tale to tell, some sad, some touching, but all had a key role in Britain's maritime dominance of the world."

Richard McKinney, Head of the Property Directorate at Defence Estates, said:

"These sites have played a significant role in reinforcing the sense of identity, ethos and pride of our Forces. The MOD takes its stewardship of its historic estate very seriously and we will continue to positively manage these buildings, to safeguard their future for generations to come."

Gemma Abercrombie, Head of Heritage Protection Operations for English Heritage, said:

"Each of these sites has evolved in a different way in response to the pressures caused by the development of ordnance and explosives, and reveal fascinating stories of our military history. We are delighted that our research and the work undertaken in conjunction with the MoD has allowed these buildings to be further recognised through statutory protection."

(DCMS) Culture minister defers export of a 19th century Iranian insignia

Culture Minister, Barbara Follett, has placed a temporary export bar on a 19th-century Iranian decoration, the Insignia of the Order of the Lion and the Sun. This will provide a last chance to raise the money to keep the insignia in the United Kingdom.

The Minister's ruling follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, administered by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). The Committee recommended that the export decision be deferred on the grounds that the insignia is of outstanding aesthetic importance and of outstanding significance for the study of relations between Britain and Iran, as well as for the study of enamelling, and of orders and decorations.

The Order of the Lion and the Sun (the emblem of the Qajar rulers of Iran), was created in the 19th century as an order of chivalry to reward foreign nationals who had earned the royal favour, and was modelled on European orders of chivalry. The insignia consists of a badge, collar and star and is accompanied by a plaque stating that it was presented by the Shah of Iran to Sir John Kinnier MacDonald, an important figure in the history of Iranian-British relations. Macdonald was the East India Company envoy to Iran between 1824 and 1830, and the order was given in recognition for his help in securing a peace treaty during the Russo-Persian war of 1826-28.

The insignia, made of gold, enamel and precious stones, is signed by Muhammad Ja'far and dated 1242 AH/1826-7 AD. Ja'far was one of the leading enamel artists at the court of Fath 'Ali Shah, and there is only one other work by him in a UK public collection. As the style of the insignias changed markedly over the course of the 19th century, this one crystalises both a moment in Iranian-British history and a stage in the development of this type of insignia. There are other examples in the UK but this is the only one that survives as a complete set of badge, collar and star.

Simon Swynfen Jervis, Reviewing Committee member, said: "These dazzling insignia demonstrate a high degree of quality of workmanship and are in excellent condition, rare for enamelled pieces which are easily damaged. As well as being important for the study of the history of the art of enamelling, the ensemble is also significant for the study of Britain's relations with Iran."

The decision on the export licence application for the insignia will be deferred for a period ending on 8 June inclusive. This period may be extended until 8 October inclusive if a serious intention to raise funds with a view to making an offer to purchase the insignia at the recommended price of £1,800,000 is expressed.

Anyone interested in making an offer to purchase the insignia should contact the owner's agent through:

The Secretary
The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council,
Wellcome Wolfson Building
165 Queen's Gate
South Kensington
London SW7 5HD
Telephone 020 7273 8270

(DCMS) Have your say on listed Free-to-Air Television events

TV viewers are today being asked which major national events they would like to see on free-to-air television.

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham has appointed ex-FA Chief David Davies to review the list of events that are protected for free broadcast coverage. Mr Davies and a panel of sport, broadcast and business experts are now seeking public views on which events should be included on the list, which currently includes the Wimbledon tennis finals, the Grand National and other major sporting events.

The list was last revised in 1998 and currently includes only major sports events, although legislation does allow the inclusion of non-sporting events.

David Davies said:

"The Panel has already had some lively debates on the issues raised in the consultation and we are very much looking forward to having access to the views of the many people who we know feel so passionately about this subject."

The Broadcasting Act 1996 allows the Secretary of State to draw up a list of sporting and other events of national importance, with the aim of giving them the widest possible broadcast coverage.

The public consultation, launched today, is seeking views on three main areas:

* the principle of having a list;
* the criteria against which events may be listed; and
* the content of any list itself, including whether any non-sporting events meet the criteria.

David Davies will be taking part in a live Downing Street webchat on listed events at 3.15pm on Tuesday 21 April. See: http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/webchats

(DCMS) Tourism industry looks to 'greener' future

The tourism industry needs to adopt more sustainable and environmentally friendly ways of working in order to secure its long term future and to combat climate change, Tourism Minister Barbara Follett said today.

As part of British Tourism Week Ms Follett attended the 'Best of Britain and Ireland Show' where she officially launched the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's new sustainable tourism framework for England. This sets out six key challenges for the tourism sector and honours the commitment made in the Government's tourism strategy for 2012.

Barbara Follett, said:

"All of us must try to behave in a more environmentally responsible way and the tourism industry is no exception. If we value the future of our world and if we want to protect our country's unique tourism offer for future generations, we must take sustainability seriously and not see it just as an add-on luxury. There are already many businesses doing exemplary work in this area but more must to do so and soon. We have to challenge our thinking about what is on offer and how businesses are run.

"This will not be easy in difficult economic times, but a sustainable approach can be good for business too."

The six key challenges that have been identified not only look at ways to help the environment but also focus on measures to secure the long term future of the industry.

Businesses will be encouraged to take advantage of technological improvements in buildings and equipment as well as trying to address the impact of tourism transport by increasing awareness and using more targeted forms of advertising.

But the challenges also look at sustaining the industry with more businesses encouraged to sign up to the quality assessment schemes and provide better access for all, and to improve perceptions of jobs in the sector with a drive to attract more diverse people who view careers in tourism as long term.

The Government will be working with the industry to address all these issues and will be monitoring progress regularly; a formal review will be undertaken in three years time.

(DCMS) Government publishes guidance to help realise the potential of Churches and Faith buildings

The Government and the Church of England today published 'Churches and Faith Buildings: Realising the Potential', to help churches and other and faith groups find resources to make their buildings more sustainable by enhancing the facilities and services they offer to local communities.

The paper has been produced as a result of a joint working party between Government departments and the Church of England.

Launching the report, Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said:

"Churches and other places of worship are at the heart of neighbourhoods. They are the local landmarks by which we navigate and they often represent the best of our heritage. At the same time, both the buildings and the people that frequent them, are so often active in enhancing the lives of many people, offering services to meet the needs of the local community.

"This excellent paper brings together two important things - the bricks and mortar of much-loved buildings, and the benefits they bring as resources for the wider community. Put them together and we are helping these buildings to meet the challenges of the future."

Sadiq Khan, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Community Cohesion in the Department for Communities and Local Government, said:

"I welcome the faith buildings paper - it will give faith groups support to develop their buildings for wider public use, and offer them and other community groups increased opportunities to come together in shared public spaces.

"Faith buildings of all kinds are a really important local resource and should be made the most of, which is why the guidance will identify a range of funding and other resources available to faith groups to enable them to improve and modify their buildings for wider community use and for a range of different purposes.

"I know the information in the guidance will be useful and I am sure we will see an increase in the number of faith buildings being used to bring people together, forming strong community links and helping to deliver the services local people need."

Across the country, churches and other faith groups are looking at what more their buildings can bring to local communities. Faith buildings are more likely to be better maintained and adapted for community use when they are well used. At the same time, churches and other faith groups are ideally placed in every community to provide facilities, services and a positive and stable presence.

The paper confirms the position of churches and faith groups as significant contributors to society as part of the third sector. It proposes a range of actions to help faith groups engage effectively in local and regional agendas, it outlines some resources that might help to make church and faith buildings more user-friendly as part of wider community activities, and it proposes ways in which providers of funding and policy makers might better understand what faith groups bring to community.