A nationwide consultation on dance facilities across England is being carried out by Arts Council England to better influence future funding decisions.

The council will combine statistics from three new surveys on venues, local authorities and employees in the dance sector, with existing research to create a "map of dance" across the country. Janet Archer, director of Dance Strategy at Arts Council England, said; “Dance in this country is thriving; we are seeing new projects, audiences and investment emerging everywhere. This is great, but we need to pin down facts so we can monitor growth, and keep track of how dance performs against other art forms.

“If you’re involved in dance in England in any way we want to hear your comments and opinions. This is your chance to help gather the evidence needed to encourage greater investment in dance and create a vibrant future for dance.” The research, which is due to be completed by March 2009, will focus on the sector's ecology, economy and environment in a bid to form a stronger and more sustainable art form. Details: artscouncil.org.uk/dancemapping