Supporting relevance : ideas and strategies for inclusive, fair and flexible arts funding

Amidst the crisis and a large-scale reflection on how not to waste this crisis, simply “more money” for the arts is no longer enough. This publication aims to feed the current debate on funding for the arts, and offer strategies and solutions to improve the situation of the arts sector. The study contributes to a larger ongoing conversation on the future of the arts sector and the place of arts funding in it. It advocates for rethinking, adjusting and upgrading models, methods and instruments of arts funding, to help the arts sector thrive and stay in tune with its values and the evolving context of today’s society. The study unpacks the notions of inclusive, fair and flexible funding, describes the tensions that may occur when designing such funding programmes and schemes, and brings inspiration from a few case studies. It also offers a set of recommendations for funders on how to support the arts in the most relevant way.