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organizations, and a Committee of Honour from a wide range of backgrounds and experience was created to advise the Minister. It is estimated that business sponsorship now amounts to some $6 million in every year.

36.

To supplement this additional support, the Office of Arts and Libraries' grants to Arts organizations within its responsibility have enabled the level of activitiy to be generally maintained. The Arts do not stand still, and Government support has made special provision for numerous vital new projects:

(a) Special contributions were made to the development appeals for the Royal Opera House and the English National Opera;

(b) A beginning was announced on the building of the new British Library;

(c) A new exhibition gallery acquired by the Crafts Council was opened in February 1982.

37.

The current Government administration has, for the first time, given the Arts an independent voice in Government. The creation of the Office of Arts and Libraries, now a separate responsibility within the Department of Education, emphasized the Government's support for the Arts. The Office of Arts and Libraries has its own Minister with his own budget. Our museums and galleries, the living Arts including music, drama, ballet and the opera and in the world of books and information, the British Library and the local libraries, have maintained the very high internationally-renowned standards.

38.

The Arts Council of Great Britain is the main body responsible for the support and promotion of the living Arts in Great Britain. Its aims as set out in its Royal Charter are:

Arts;

(a) To develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the

(b) To increase the accessibility of the Arts to the public throughout Great Britain;

(c) To advise and co-operate with government departments, local authorities and other bodies on any matters concerned whether directly or indirectly with the foregoing objectives.

39.

The Arts Council has two sub-committees, the Scottish and the Welsh Arts Councils, which promote the Arts in their regions. All three Councils are assisted in their work by panels and committees of professional experts in the various Arts disciplines (e.g., music, drama, dance, literature, visual arts).

40.

The Arts Council's grant for 1981/1982 is £80 million, and this will be increased to £86 million for 1982/1983.

41. Support for the Arts in the various regions of England and Wales is provided directly by the Arts Council and local authorities, and indirectly by their contributions to regional Arts associations. These are independent and autonomous

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