our Executive Board and Chief Executive who bring decades of knowledge and experience across the cultural sector, we have a high level of autonomy to use our professional knowledge and experience to create national delivery plans. It has been a steep learning curve in understanding my new role and how it can help support the development of libraries across England. While my views haven’t necessarily changed since starting at the Arts Council, I feel I have already developed a wider understand- ing of the myriad challenges and oppor- tunities for libraries nationally. As a former Head of Service, I had a good understanding of the local picture in Newcastle and how libraries could support council strategies and priorities. Now, I need to have a much wider view of how libraries can support across dif- ferent communities, counties and cities, each with their own needs and demo- graphics. This is why area-based skills and knowledge across the Arts Council are essential.
IP: In your last piece (
https://bit.ly/ 3qYBSUU) you discuss the change of emphasis from grants to develop- ment – is that a strategic decision? LB: Many people know the Arts Council to be the national funder for arts and culture in England, and while this is true, we are in fact the development agen- cy for creativity. While investment is part of our remit, we do much more than this. We are currently focusing our resources in place to ensure we continue to deliver effective developmental support across the cultural sector, including libraries. This presents an opportunity for librar- ies to highlight their role and presence and act as anchor organisations that sit
September 2023
Luke Burton.
at the heart of the communities they serve. Libraries are often the only point of contact to wider council and third sector services in a community. They have lower barriers to access than cultural venues, medical and business support settings making them able to aid people with their health and wellbeing, cultural activities and business endeavours.
IP: How relevant is Envisioning Libraries of the Future now? Has covid, technology or anything else led to any changes of view about library development? LB: An important role for the Arts Council is providing guidance and research to sup- port sector improvement and development. This includes research like Envisioning Libraries that helped us to understand the future for libraries, and how we could enable them to develop. Unsurprisingly, as this was produced in 2012, things have changed substantially for the sector in terms of funding, advances in technology and the pandemic response. Interestingly, despite these changes, the four priorities identified still hold true:
l Placing libraries as the hub of communities;
l Making the most of digital technology and creative media;
l Ensuring libraries are resilient and sustainable;
l Delivering the right skills for those work- ing for libraries.
Libraries continue to work across these four areas and deliver strongly across the country. Given that there are over 150 library services, there are different areas of expertise and focus, but at the heart of them all is providing continued access to knowledge, reliable information, reading for pleasure, computers and a range of activities to support young and old alike. With the significant challenges and changes faced by the country, not just libraries, we are continuously looking at building evidence and research to support the sector, including continued horizon scanning and future planning. That is why we are funding CILIP to produce new research and tools to help understand the future demand for libraries across Eng- land.
IP: When there are differences of opinion in the sector, how do you include them in a strategy? LB: It is interesting to note that while libraries offer universal free access to anyone that needs them, they have often developed their own specialisms and
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