JOANNA PRZYBYLSKA The Poznan University of Economics REFORM OF ARTS AND CULTURE’S FINANCING SYSTEM IN GREAT BRITAIN Abstract After the World War Il we can observe that arts and culture in Great Britain is blooming. One of the factors that has a strong influence to this fact is the Brit- ish arts and culture’s financing system. The Arts Council of England (ACE) with Regional Arts Boards (RABs), working together with a private sector and arts community, are consider to be amodel worth copying. The advantages of present system that are the most frequent highlighted areits flexibility and the autonomy of its institutions (ACE and RABs). Nevertheless, in March 2001 ACE has presented the proposal far changing the system which exist nowa- days. ACE believes that proposed reform would assure better relationship with the arts community based on greater simplicity and quicker delivery, and also considerably strengthened relationship with local government, regional government and other regional structures. It is also believed that these changes would decrease administrative costs and let distribute these savings to the arts with emphasis on cultural diversity and on the individual artists. In this article I would like to describe the current system ofsupport for the arts and culture in Great Britain. Then I will characterize main precursors and aims of the ACE’s proposed reform. Andfinally I will present some responses of aris com- munity to these proposals. Characteristics of present arts and culture’s financing system in Great Britain In Great Britain a legal person, who is responsible for the arts’ organisa- tion and support system is the Minister of Arts. It must be point out that there is no the Ministry of Arts in this country but only the Minister of Arts and Secretary of State for Arts (for Scotland, Wales and North Ireland) are appointed'. 'M. Chelmitska, Warunki rezwoju kultury na szczeblu lokalnym. Europejskie modele rozwiqzan systemowych a sytuacja w Polsce, Instytut Kultury, Warszawa 1993, p. 60.