Access to culture
The government has promised that within 10 years every school-leaver will have had access to live arts and culture, including taking part in public performances.
But it gave no indication of how this will be paid for.
Government Response: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Tessa Jowell, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, said: "Creativity will be at the heart of this nation's success in the future. Already it accounts for around eight per cent of our GDP, and is the fastest creator of jobs in the whole economy. The government is determined to ensure that our young people get the best possible preparation for this bright future.
"Where they live, or their social circumstances, must not be allowed to hold them back. We want that spark of creativity that lives in every child to be recognised and nurtured.
"Through ground-breaking programmes such as Creative Partnership and Renaissance in the Regions, we are firing the imagination and releasing the potential of more and more of our young people. But we are determined to do more, building on those programmes to deliver a universal offer.
"Creative
"The offer is already well underway, and we aim to be further ahead by the end of the five year plan period. It will not be a uniform tick-list, the same across the whole country, but the principle will be the same everywhere: creativity is our future, Creative Sparks will provide chances for young people grasp it.
"We know our promise will be hard to bring about, but the pay-off will be great. Record investment in the arts and education provides a firm foundation for growth - the next five years will see this bear fruit."
Stakeholder Response: Visual Arts and Galleries Association
Hilary Gresty, director at the Visual Arts and Galleries Association, said: "The DCMS's commitment to a universal cultural offer is tremendously exciting but it will also test all concerned if the capacity, leadership and skills are to be there to meet it.
"The gauntlet has been thrown down and the political will to unleash sufficient resources and join up DCMS and DfES strategies must follow. As Richard Eyre said in The Guardian last Saturday: "The arts add to the sum of human understanding and happiness, and governments ought not to be ashamed of subsidising weapons of happiness."
