British Council to disband specialist departments

In The Daily Telegraph, Richard Dorment laments the news that the British Council is set to close many of its specialist departments including those dealing with film, drama and literature.

Earlier this year the executive board abolished all the advisory panels - the writers, curators, museum directors and musicians who freely gave their professional advice and expertise to the council. Now the staff are being reorganised to focus on the following areas: "Progressive Facilitation", "Market Intelligence Network", "Knowledge Transfer Function" and "Modern Pioneer". If you have no idea what that gobbledygook management speak means, don't worry: neither does anyone else. All we do know is that the council will no longer deliver the arts internationally, and that this will happen when the thirst for British arts has never been greater. What an incalculable loss.