Davey to take over at Arts Council England

Alan Davey has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Arts Council England.

Davey, currently Director of Culture at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will take up his new appointment in early 2008 – succeeding Peter Hewitt, who will have been in post as Chief Executive for ten years.

Meanwhile, according to Michael White in The Guardian, word at the Labour Party Conference is that arts funding cuts seem likely to be avoided.

The kind of folk loutishly referred to as "luvvies" are greatly relieved, the National Theatre's Nicholas Hytner admitted at the Arts Council's fringe meeting. They had expected their budgets to be clobbered. But no, the Calvinist from the North has been quietly going round the arts circuit saying he loves them really. They expect an inflation-proofed deal.