The Arts Council of England will cut a quarter of its staff in a restructuring effort that aims to save the organization 1.8 million, reports Britain's The Stage.

The Arts Council of England, founded sixty years ago, is the national development agency for the arts in England; it distributes money from the government and Britain's National Lottery. According to the Council's website, it aims to invest Ј1.1 billion of public money in the arts between 2006 and 2008.

After the restructuring, the national office will have four teams, according to the Stage: arts strategy, arts planning and investment, advocacy and communications and resources. The paper quotes the ACE as saying the move will lead to a “more focused, streamlined and effective organization.”

The most significant changes will take place in the arts strategy section, which will now feature directors responsible for theatre strategy, diversity strategy, participation strategy and dance strategy, among others.

Thirty-three jobs will be cut from the 120 positions affected by the restructuring, according to the Stage.

Chief executive Peter Hewitt said, “This is an exciting and challenging time for the arts council and for the arts more generally. The artistic life of the country is changing in ways that could not have been imagined a decade ago. The arts council has to change itself to support these exciting new developments and address the new challenges we all face."