So who was behind George Osborne’s gift to the arts?

Serota and MacGregor may have had help from a secret weapon

When I meet arts worthies these days, there seems to be only one topic they can talk about. It is the recent settlement for the arts in the Chancellor’s autumn statement. After months of doom-laden prophesies of how the whole cultural edifice was about to fall apart, Mr Osborne in fact delivered surprisingly good news for the country’s arts institutions.

Many venues, many companies, many institutions, including national museums and galleries, had been budgeting for cuts of up to 40 per cent. To their amazement many received a standstill budget from the Chancellor. Standstill may not be cause enough to open the Champagne, but it’s pretty good. There are still justifiable cries of doom about the dismal and increasingly worrying state of local authority funding of the arts, but nevertheless the national settlement was way above expectations, and even some weeks later, there is bewilderment as to how it happened.

I have several theories. The first puts the credit with two of our foremost arts worthies. Sir Nicholas Serota of the Tate and Neil MacGregor of the British Museum put the case for the arts to the Chancellor at a private meeting. And they are two highly persuasive gents. They are probably owed a good deal of thanks from the arts world. The work behind the scenes of Arts Council chairman, Sir Peter Bazalgette, a favourite of this government, would also have done no harm

But I have another theory. And that theory is Mrs Osborne. Frances Osborne, the author of two biographies and a novel, is an arts-lover. I have been to an evening at Number 11 Downing Street, which she hosted for a museums project. And she is often seen at arts events. I’ve seen her husband at arts events too. He is no cultural slouch. Indeed, he is a strong force in support of Sir Simon Rattle’s proposal to build a spanking new concert hall for London. But I suspect he does not quite share the passion of his wife for the arts.

Those who know the Prime Minister well say it is a similar story with the Camerons. Samantha is said to be much more interested in the arts than her husband. We don’t know much about his attendance. Like most Prime Ministers, for reasons best known to themselves, he doesn’t trumpet his visits to arts events in the way that he would to sporting events. But that’s another issue.

Perhaps Mrs Osborne and Mrs Cameron mounted a two-pronged attack on their husbands in advance of the Autumn statement. One should not underrate the influence of spouses, even, perhaps especially, at the highest level.

So, at the end of a year in which British culture has not received the seismic shock it was expecting, I nominate Frances Osborne as the arts’ secret weapon.

I’m all for Prokofiev but not by Presidential decree

Perhaps it’s a good thing that the PM isn’t too interested in the arts. If he were, he might be tempted to do a Putin. The Russian president has decreed that next year, the 125th anniversary of Prokofiev’s birth, should be the Year of Prokofiev. He has “urged” all orchestras to give particular attention to the composer’s oeuvre. Urged — that’s an ominous-sounding word, if ever there was one. While it’s almost refreshing that, in the middle of wars and appalling crises, Putin’s mind can turn to classical music, the tone of direction on what music to play next year is worrying. All world leaders should have a healthy interest in classical music. But they should go to the concerts, not instruct the orchestras.

No room at the Tate for an artistic Christmas

It’s Christmas, but not as we used to know it at Tate Britain. This wonderful institution no longer has its Christmas tree. This was no ordinary tree, it was a piece of conceptual art by a leading artist, and each year it became a talking point for visitors, as well as being a showcase for a major contemporary artist, and, of course, brightening up the place. I’m told that the tree used to go in a space which no longer exists after the latest redevelopment, and that is why we can no longer have the pleasure of seeing one. Humbug! There are plenty of other prominent spaces at Tate Britain. Involving the public in art is what the Tate is there to do, and this annual tradition has been a perfect way of doing just that. Bring back the Christmas tree.

d.lister@independent.co.uk; Twitter:@davidlister1