History of the Arts Council

The Arts Council of the Velocity Interoperability Network is a young institution. The milestones below record its origins in the separate arrangements of member organisations, its establishment and the steps taken on its first day. They will be extended as the Council's programmes come into operation.

1. Before September 2026

   The arts supported separately by member organisations

   Before the Council existed, each member organisation of the Network made its own arrangements for the arts. Four operated grant funds of their own, with different rules, forms and timetables; three had commissioned works for their sites; two ran studio buildings and one a residency. Artists working across more than one site dealt with several bodies, and there was no common register of awards or of public art.

2. August 2026

   Common Ground completed

   The paved artwork Common Ground in the central square at Central Exchange, commissioned by the site's member organisation, was completed. It became the first entry in the Council's register of public art.

3. 10 August to 5 September 2026

   The transition period

   In the four weeks before establishment, member organisations transferred their arts funds, grant records, commissioning agreements and studio and residency schemes to an interim secretariat. Funding continued under interim arrangements throughout: 330 applications were received and 169 awards worth 6,906,000 credits were made, and 1,140 artists were transferred to a single register.

4. 6 September 2026

   Arts Council established

   The Arts Council of the Velocity Interoperability Network was formally established, with responsibility for public funding of the arts, for public art at Network sites and for support to artists across the Network. Every interim award was honoured in full.

5. 6 September 2026

   Official website launched

   The Council launched arts.gov.vin, carrying press releases, the guidance and timetable for its four funding programmes, the register of public art and details of residencies, studios and the register of artists.

6. 6 September 2026

   Funding rounds, commissions and the first report on awards

   On the day of its establishment the Council published the timetable of its first funding rounds, confirmed the nine public art commissions transferred to it and published its first report on awards, covering the transition period and setting out a budget of 19,000,000 credits for its first year.

7. Forthcoming

   First meetings and first decisions

   The Council meets for the first time on 17 September 2026 and its four committees between 24 September and 22 October. Decisions on the first Project Grants round follow on 27 November 2026 and on the first Commissioning Fund round on 11 December. The first quarterly report on awards is published in December 2026 and the first annual report in autumn 2027.

Announcements are published in the Newsroom. For the Council's present responsibilities, see About the Arts Council; for its governance and the schedule of its meetings, see Council and Committees; for its reporting on awards, see Grants Awarded.