Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what conditions the Arts Council places on funding for the Royal Opera House, the Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House to increase participation in the arts and conduct outreach work in the regions.

The Royal Opera House (ROH), which encompasses the Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation. Both the Royal Opera House and the ROH Bridge Delivery Organisation grants for 2015-2018 have funding conditions linked to increasing participation in the arts and outreach work.

Based at High House Production Park in Thurrock, the ROH Bridge Organsation works with schools, arts organisations, museums, libraries, heritage sites, and councils across Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and North Kent.The ROH also works with BP to produce Big Screen live relays of opera and ballet direct from Covent Garden to sites across the country. This enables ROH to reach as many people as possible with exhilarating live performances, allowing them to experience the very best of opera and ballet in their hometown for free.

The ROH is also required to contribute to the Arts Councils goals, including Goal 5 whereby they are expected to establish a working relationship with their local Bridge organisations, engage with Arts Award, establish a working relationship with their local Music education hub or hubs, where appropriate, and support schools to achieve an Artsmark.