Book excerpt: Arts Council England plays a vital role in safeguarding, consolidating and building the nation's cultural infrastructure and enhancing its quality of life. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries. Support for the arts comes principally through the distribution of public money, either grant in aid from the tax payer or proceeds from National Lottery ticket sales. Since 2010, the Arts Council has seen its grant in aid fall by a third, a situation that hasprompted cuts in staff numbers and difficult decisions about where to target support. While it is essential to acknowledge the prevailing economic climate, the Committee would be disappointed if the Arts Council saw any further fall in its grant in aid. There remains a clear funding imbalance in favour of London at the expense of tax payers and lottery players in other parts of the country. The Arts Council is well-placed to restore some balance. Also the ArtsCouncil needs to redouble its already significant efforts at brokering cultural partnerships involving businesses, local authorities, local enterprise partnerships, universities and international organisations, particularly within the EU, which might provide additional funding sources.