In the first of a series of pieces on the fallout from the Arts Council's funding decisions, we hear from Emma Underhill, Director of UP Projects – one of 110 new members of the National Portfolio of Organisations.
It goes without saying that the Arts Council’s announcement of the new National Portfolio of Organisations will have caused great difficulties and challenges to the many organisations who have lost their regular funding or have had it significantly reduced. But for us at UP Projects, receiving the news that we are one of the 100 or so new organisations to join the portfolio has been a fantastic boost.
We are a small organisation that believes in pushing the boundaries of public art commissioning, strategy and events. Until now we have never had regular financial investment and instead have sought funding on a project-by-project basis. While our programme of projects has been ambitious, involving many different partners, we have not been in a position to plan or programme strategically over a period of time. Having the opportunity to apply for NPO funding gave us the impetus to develop an aspiring future programme (up to 2015) in order give the application our best shot.
It was clear that the process would be incredibly competitive, but the knowledge that it might be possible to break into the Arts Council’s roster of NPOs (which for years has been impenetrable) was a huge incentive to look forward and consider the future of our organisation and creative programme, something that became a valuable exercise regardless of the success of the bid.
The fantastic news that we have been awarded the funding means that we can build on the successes of our recent projects and develop a three year series of new commissions as part of our Portavilion programme of temporary pavilions and artists structures for London’s parks and public spaces, and also develop a new tranche of commissions for our Secret Garden Project programme.
Both of these programmes aim to bring innovative and high quality contemporary art to a broad public audience. In the current economic climate, I had begun to fear that it would be increasingly difficult to develop independent and innovative projects, but this funding and also the endorsement of being aligned with the other organisations in the portfolio, will give us the resources to break new ground. It has been a momentous day in the life of UP Projects!
Emma Underhill, Founding Director, UP Projects
www.upprojects.com
www.secretgardenproject.co.uk
www.portavilion.com
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