A fight at the opera:Arts Council gives English National Opera last chance to improve”. The Guardian 13th February 2015. This soap has been running for some time.
“The Arts Council set strict criteria for awarding National Portfolio funding status, two of which are a competent business plan and sound governance. The Arts Council has blown the whistle on its own incompetence. The Arts Council awarded English National Opera National Port Folio status and a few months down the line tells English National Opera to get its house in order, citing business planning and corporate governance. The first thing that should be done is rigorous examination of the Arts Council itself, its culture and its competence to deliver a coherent arts funding system with art form policies”.
Published in The Guardian Monday 16th February 2015