| Series title: | Finance Department: Incentive Funding Files, 1985-1991 | |
| Reference: | ACGB/5 | |
| Extent: | 7m 50cm |
The Incentive Funding Scheme was set up in 1988 to encourage arts organisations to broaden their sources of income and to produce detailed three year plans covering their artistic, access and managerial goals. Howard Webber was the Director of Incentive Funding and the Incentive Board consisted of the chairmen of the Arts Council of Great Britain, the Scottish Arts Council and the Welsh Arts Council, and a representative of the Council of Regional Arts Associations.
The Scheme came to an end in 1991 following an announcement by David Mellor, then Minister of the Arts, that the money (a direct allocation from the Office of Arts and Libraries) was to be used instead as the basis of an Enhancement Fund for leading arts organisations.
This series consists of files containing forms, supporting documentation and correspondence relating to applications to the fund.
In the main there is a separate file for each applicant and these are arranged alphabetically. There are also four miscellaneous files, entitled; 1988/89 Applicants, 1989/90 Extension Scheme Applicants, 1989/90 Withdrawals and 1990/91 Withdrawals.
These last files tend to contain applications for which there is little or no supporting documentation such that a separate file was deemed unnecessary.
Accompanying the application files, there are also: a number of day files, containing copies of all out-going correspondence from 9 Feb 1988-16 Aug 1990; files detailing potential assessors for the fund; and one box of material relating to the establishment of the scheme.
Arrangement
The files are arranged alphabetically by name of applicant.
No detailed list of files is yet available.
Restrictions on access
Access to unpublished material less than 30 years old is subject to the written permission of the Arts Council of England. Apply in the first instance to the Archive of Art and Design at the Victoria and Albert Museum.