British Council disbands arts units in second major overhaul

Experts in the council's departments of film, drama and dance, literature and visual arts are expected to leave the organisation as many see no place for themselves in the new structure.

Venu Dhupa, who joined as the new director of arts earlier in the year, said the council needed more expertise in areas such as new media, technology and creativity. She also wants to provide more opportunities for British artists to work abroad.

Instead of delivering this through the old departments, the cultural team will be organised under the headings "progressive facilitation", "market intelligence network", "knowledge transfer function" and "modern pioneer".

Ms Dhupa, formerly chief executive of the Nottingham Playhouse and fellowship director at the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, said the council was consulting on how to improve its impact, make better use of its networks and enhance transparency.

She said: "There is certainly no intention of reducing either the arts expenditure or the expertise. We want the arts to play a much greater part rather than a smaller part."

She said the council would be involved in events such as the Cannes and Edinburgh festivals, the London Book Fair and the Venice Biennale. The global arts budget would remain unchanged at £30million. But Ms Dhupa added: "You can never say an organisation is set in stone. I wasn't here when the [last] restructuring took place but I don't think anyone could claim we achieved everything we needed to."

About 25 jobs were lost last year and it is thought that up to another 11 will go in this revamp. The council has already abolished its advisory panels involving artists, writers and performers.

One source close to the process said: "The real scandal is they don't want to give up the funding that comes through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. But [British Council bosses] hate the arts.

"The sad thing is [the British Council's arts programme] has worked incredibly well because of the dedication of the staff but this is going to destroy it."

Critics fear the arts team will be used "as a propaganda unit" for the presentation of issues such as climate change. They suggest the loss of expertise will be damaging. "To work in places like Iran and the Middle East you need an awful lot of accumulated knowledge," one said.