ne < Fr Y o You Gary Thomas Associate Director Animate Projects Ltd 37 Calvert Street Derby DE1 2RQ 10 August 2015 Dear Gary Thank you for the letter that you sent me on behaff of your fellow representatives of the independent animation sector. As you know, the Arts Council recognises and values the strength of creative work done by this sector and continues to offer support to animation through its Grants for the arts programme, and is supportive of experiment, innovation and creative risk. We have reviewed the applications we have received and funded to support animation over the last three years, 2012/13 to 2014/15, and | am pleased to say that the level of Arts Council support has remained consistent over that period, despite increasing pressures and demands on our funding. In those three years, nearly £1m of Grants for the arts funding was awarded to support animation (£967,227). Over that period the success rate of projects applying for funding for animation-specific projects was 50%. For comparison, the average success rate actoss all art-forms during this time period was 51%. The success rate for all visual arts applications was 46%. In addition, we are pleased that Random Acts will be able to nurture and support young artists including in animation as part of its new remit. The BFI is doing some excellent work in the animation field and we are working with them on a number of areas though not specifically in relation to animation as yet. In response to your letter, we have contacted the BFl to see whether they might be available for a three-way meeting - Arts Council, BF, independent animators later in the year - to hear more about your concerns, but the lead contact we have there for animation, Ben Roberts, is currently on holiday. |, 21 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3HF worw.artscouncil.org.uk Phone: 44 (0) 845 300 6200 Email: enquiries@artscouncil,ora.uk ‘Ans Counc England ie he tracing name for The Arte Coun of England. Registered chary no 1096733We shall try again later when he is back, and if he and the BFI are receptive to this. idea a member of our Visual Arts team will meet with representatives from your group along with Ben. Thanks again for contacting me to alert me to your concerns about funding for the independent animation sector, and for the work that you and your colleagues do to support this important part of the arts ecology. gt wishes ey Chief Executive c.c. Ben Roberts, BFI