The Outside Interests of the UK Cultural Agencies

1. The Outside Interests of the UK Cultural Agencies Dave Griffiths University Of Manchester/CRESC

2. Quangos(Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisatons) “the large range of bodies of appointed, non-elected, non-civil service people running things, overseeing things, or advising about things, and usually controlling or spending public money” (Marr: 1995)

3. Quango Literature • Skelcher and Davis’ (1995) demographical study into local board members • Robinson and Shaw’s (1999) demographial study into North East local board members • Both found that white middle-aged, middle-class men were The norm • Both found evidence of a self-appointing local elite

4. Types of capital • Social Capital – associations and networks with individuals and institutions • Cultural Capital – knowledge of cultural practices and norms • Economic Capital – ownership of cash, property or other economical position • Symbolic Capital – reputation, skills and expertise respected by others

5. Elite studies • Useem’s 1970’s research into the corporate worlds ‘Inner Circle’ • Scott’s 1980’s and 1990’s research into the ‘capitalist classes’ • Both found business elite use symbolic capital to underpin their economic capital • Both found cultural capital underpinned access to this elite

6. Quango & Elites Literature • Both believe that a closed centre exists • Both believe that social capital is used to access this centre • Elite literature suggests cultural and symbolic capital allows access • Quango literature suggests social and economic capital allows access

7. Dataset • Department of Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) executive quangos • 45 agencies employing 15,000 individuals and spending £1.2 billion a year (2005/06) • Address all forms of UK culture from museums and galleries, regional cultural agencies, public access to literature and music, sports, films, architecture and heritage – even drinking and gambling

9. Sample • 767 individuals • 63% male, average age 58 • Over 11,000 pieces of information • Collected from April 2006 to January 2007 Press releases, websites, annual reports, registers of members’ interests, Who’s Who, Debrett’s People of Today …

11. DCMS network

12. DCMS network

13. Key Findings • Distinction between regional-based and London-based institutions • Distinction between types of London-based institutions • London-based museums occupy similar social and cultural spaces

14. Charities network

15. Private Member clubs

16. Quango directorships

17. Organisational differences • National organisations bridge cultural capital through its social capital • Regional organisations bridge cultural capital through its social capital • London museums utilise cultural and symbolic capital for its social capital

18. London-regional distinctions • Museums more likely to be linked to charities outside the UK than charities working in the UK outside of London • Museums more likely to be linked to international organisations than regional or local bodies outside of London • Of the 767 board members, only 1 has links to Wales and only 1 to Northern Ireland

19. Economic capital • Economic positions show sparse networks with few interlocks, if any • Only Employment network shows signs of influence • Only 1 in 3 work for a profit-making organisation • 1 in 6 work in academia • Cultural capital more important than economic capital, even in employment network

20. University Employers

21. University attended

22. Prestige universities attended

23. School attended

24. Schools popularly attended

25. Cultural capital • Cultural capital important to London-based organisations, not regional organisations • However, symbolic capital underpins the forms of cultural capital which are influential

26. Symbolic capital • Social capital – Symbolic capital influences social capital of museums • Cultural capital – Symbolic capital influences cultural capital of museums • Financial capital – Symbolic capital influences other effect of financial capital for museums • Symbolic capital has no real influence over institutions outside of London

27. Summary • Economic capital holds no impact over DCMS executive quangos • Social capital important to regional bodies • Cultural and symbolic capital important to London-based instituions • Therefore, regional bodies acting like quango elite • London-based organisations acting like corporate elite

28. Conclusion • Despite lack of influence of financial capital, elite construction mirrors that of financial elite • Evidence that competing elites exists in different spheres, which suggests why quango literature is contridactory • Evidence that boards are self-appointing, with organisational structure appearing to outweigh departmental procedures david.griffiths@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk