Ministers focus on cultural heavyweights

London’s major institutions dominate the list of those who met with and entertained England’s Culture Secretary and Culture Minister in 2013. The exposure of DCMS ministers to England’s arts organisations and artistic activity has largely revolved around London’s most prestigious cultural institutions and major arts organisations, according to ‘transparency data’ on DCMS Meetings and Hospitality for January to December 2013, the final quarter of which was published by the Government earlier this month.

Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, declared having accepted tickets to 26 cultural events. Of these, eight were to commercial West End theatres, including hit shows ‘The Book of Mormon’ and ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’, four to the National Theatre, and a further nine to productions at other London organisations including the Bush Theatre, Tricycle Theatre and English National Ballet. Courtesy of Cameron Mackintosh Ltd he had tickets for Bruce Springsteen, and tickets for The Who were arranged by telecoms supplier Telecity.

During the same period, then Culture Secretary Maria Miller accepted tickets for 16 events, including the Royal Opera House, the Old Vic, Complicite and The Globe, as well as for performances by Northern Ballet, the Britten Pears Foundation, the Hallé Orchestra and the filming of ‘Later with Jools Holland’. Through RLM Finsbury, who describe themselves as providing “expert counsel and support… on interactions with the media, financial markets, employees, customers, governments and regulators, and other vital stakeholders”, she accepted tickets to an un-named opera performance.

Read more on the ArtsProfessional website.