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ITEM EX8

EXECUTIVE – 5 FEBRUARY 2003

ARTS STRATEGY 2003-2006

Report by Director of Cultural Services

Introduction

  1. The purpose of the report is to update the strategy for arts development in the County for the next three years.

    2. Background

  2. Since April 2000 the County Council has pursued an arts development strategy within the following broad policy objectives:

    • Support for arts organisations;

    • Links between Cultural Services and other Council services;

    • Providing core funding to key organisations linked to partnership agreements;

    • Spreading support between art forms and to participatory activities as well as building-based activities;

    • Support for artistic excellence and innovation;

    • Monitoring management practice, standards and value for money;

    • Support for audience development initiatives which target the socially or geographically excluded, people on low incomes, the young, elderly and those living in rural areas.

  1. Actions to achieve these objectives have included grant aid to key County arts organisations, development funding of small innovative projects, fostering of partnership working (including internally within the County Council), advice and championing of the arts in the County.

  2. A review of the years 2000/01 and 2001/02, presented to the Executive in April 2002, concluded that the County Council’s support for the arts had had an effect significant in proportion to the level of funding involved. The Executive confirmed existing policy objectives, and approved the creation of rolling three-year funding agreements with grant-aided organisations. Whilst it noted pressures for increasing levels of core funding to arts organisations, it concluded that these could only be addressed in the light of competing budgetary priorities in future years.

  3. With regard to one-off development grants (typically of the order of £1,000 to £3,000 each), the Executive wished to see these be a first call on any underspending on arts budgets, and approved the following as priorities for funding projects:

    • engaging children and young people in the arts (including creative education);

    • support for festivals;

    • investment in the county’s infrastructure of places for performance and exhibition;

    • county-wide arts marketing and audience development initiatives.

  1. The Executive also noted fundamental changes which had taken place in the regional arts system, with the replacement of regional arts boards by regional offices of the Arts Council of England, coupled with the merger of the Southern and the South Eastern regions. As a result of the ensuing uncertainty, it was decided to withhold subscription fees which the County Council would have paid to the defunct Southern Arts Board.

    2. Proposed Strategy 2003-2006

    European Capital of Culture 2008

  2. The short-listing of the Oxfordshire bid for the title European Capital of Culture 2008 is in part due to the strength and diversity of arts in the county, and of aspirations for the future. The bid draws heavily upon the county’s Local Cultural Strategy and those of the city and districts. Even as a Centre of Culture (the status accorded to all short-listed candidates), Oxfordshire will have a national profile in the period 2003 to 2008.

  3. Coordination and promotion of the Capital of Culture bid has been vested in an independent organisation, Oxford Inspires, which is made up of key cultural stake-holders in the county. This organisation may have the potential not only to promote the bid, but also to act as an agency for cultural development in Oxfordshire in the run-up to 2008. The County Council is currently represented on the board of Oxford Inspires by the Director of Cultural Services.

  4. It will be appropriate during the period to 2008 for the County Council’s arts strategy to be demonstrably consistent with themes within the Capital of Culture bid. These are:

    • arts

    • science and creativity

    • children and young people

    • lifelong learning

    • sustainability

    • cultural research and development.

The bid places a strong emphasis on participation and inclusivity in cultural activity. Effective use of the Centre of Culture branding will be used to promote participation in all cultural activity, including the arts.

  1. The project has coincided with an examination of the economic impact of cultural and creative industries in the South East and in Oxfordshire in particular. As a result, we are beginning to see a greater acknowledgement (for example by the regional development agency) of the economic value of the arts and other cultural activity.

    2. Youth Arts

  2. Oxfordshire has a growing strength in the engagement of young people in the arts. Some of the County Council’s own facilities, such as the Mill at Banbury, Pegasus Theatre and the County Music Service, have long made important contributions in this area. In more recent years the Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership, jointly funded by the County and District Councils and Southern and South East Arts, has developed programmes of activity for young people throughout the county. This work is principally targeted at excluded young people, for example those in care, excluded from formal education or at risk of offending.

  3. A recent report and conference on young people’s involvement in the arts in Oxfordshire celebrate the growth in this field in the last three years, and point to the need for a strategic lead to be given if the County is to consolidate and build on success. There is a compelling argument that the County Council can provide that strategic leadership and it is proposed to create a post of youth arts coordinator within Cultural Services. The post would work very closely with a range of partners in the field, particularly Learning and Culture colleagues in the Youth Service. The purpose of the post would be to implement youth arts development in line with an agreed youth arts development policy, shaped by broad consultation.

  4. Closer working between Cultural Services and other parts of the emerging Learning and Culture Directorate also offers opportunities to encourage school children develop their cultural and creative lives. For example the Cultural Entitlement Officer has recently consulted schools and others on ways of exposing school children to an enhanced range of cultural experiences. During the next year it is also anticipated that the national Creative Partnerships scheme will be extended, and it is judged that Oxfordshire should be in a strong position to benefit from this.

    5. Capital Investment in Arts Infrastructure

  5. Despite some successes – a few of them quite outstanding - in improving cultural facilities in Oxfordshire in the last few years (especially with regard to libraries, museums and heritage), there is a chronic need for investment in the improvement of existing arts facilities and the creation of new ones. As ever, resources for such investment are limited. As a European Centre of Culture (and possibly Capital), this need will become more pressing - but may be accompanied by access to new sources of capital funding.

  6. Among the County Council’s own facilities, the Mill Arts Centre in Banbury and Pegasus Theatre in Oxford have been highlighted as in need of development. Some regard should be given to the County Council’s ability to include these in future capital programmes. Pegasus have recently applied to Southern and South East Arts (SSEA) for funding of £214,000 to improve facilities. SSEA are sympathetic to this application but have made it clear that they would expect the County Council to contribute to the scheme, to the extent of funding the relocation of an electricity substation on the site which is in the way. This work has been estimated at about £70,000.

  7. One area where capital funding has recently been available has been in creating spaces for arts and sport in schools. Where possible this has taken account of the potential for meeting community needs, and this is an approach which can be pursued even more vigorously within the new Learning and Culture Directorate.

    8. Regional Arts Council

  8. Since April 2002, the regional arts development agency has been Southern and South East Arts, a regional office of the Arts Council of England. There has been continuity of work with some officers previously employed by Southern Arts, and a good sense of shared purpose has developed, particularly through the Capital of Culture initiative. However it has not yet been possible to frame a new strategic partnership with SSEA. Proposals are now emerging for partnership at sub-regional (Thames Valley) level which promises to be an effective one. Once established, it is likely that SSEA will look to local authorities to contribute an agreed amount to support some of the core costs of strategic arts development. This arrangement would replace the old subscription arrangement operated by Southern Arts Board.

    9. Proposed Strategy

  9. It is proposed that the priority actions within arts development for the period 2003 to 2006 should be:

    • support for an inclusive programme of activity in the county as a Centre of Culture (or the Capital of Culture) leading towards 2008;

    • drawing up of a youth arts development strategy, on the basis of further consultation with partners;

    • creation of a post (subject to resources being available) of Youth Arts Coordinator;

    • maximising opportunities for closer work within a new Learning and Culture Directorate in order to achieve cultural benefits in schools and community learning, through initiatives such as cultural entitlement, Creative Partnerships, and learning communities;

    • identifying opportunities for capital investment in arts facilities;

    • positive engagement with Southern and South East Arts to pursue a strategic development partnership.

Funds available for small development grants will be applied with these priorities in mind.

Arts Consultant

  1. Instead of employing an Arts Officer, the County Council retains the services of an external arts consultant. This arrangement is due for review in March 2003. At present there is no indication that an immediate change in that arrangement will result, and it is intended to extend the present contract to March 2004.

    2. Financial Implications

  2. In view of the County Council’s general budgetary position in 2003/04, no proposal has been brought to Members for increasing core funding for arts organisations in the immediate future. Present three-year funding agreements with existing partners will continue to be rolled forward at existing levels, but will continue to be reviewed annually.

  3. The potential for the creation of a post of Youth Arts Coordinator with a small development budget has been raised as a possible growth area in the County Council’s current budget setting process. The effect (part year) in 2003/04 would be £25,000, rising to £50,000 in a full year.

  4. Support for the European Capital of Culture bid continues to be funded from within existing resources in Cultural Services and Economic Development. Following the announcement of the winner, currently expected to be in May 2003, a report will be brought to the Executive regarding the possible long term financial and other implications of a programme of arts and cultural development leading to 2008.

  5. Funding for relocation of the substation at Pegasus (£70,000) would need to be considered among other priorities for capital resources available to the Education Service, in the light of SSEA’s decision whether to offer £214,000 towards the development of the theatre.

  6. Although the budget previously allocated to a subscription to Southern Arts (£46,000) has not been redirected towards the successor body, SSEA, and is being used for other arts development opportunities, it is likely that during 2003/04 a new partnership will be agreed with SSEA which will entail a contribution towards SSEA’s costs. Such a contribution will be contained within the budget provision and will be subject to Member approval.

    7. RECOMMENDATIONS

  7. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

          1. agree the priorities for action in paragraph 18 of the report;

          2. support the development of a partnership agreement with Southern and South East Arts in consultation with the Executive Member for Learning & Culture, including the negotiation of a County Council contribution to SSEA within existing budget;

          3. note the possible need to consider allocating £70,000 of capital available to the Education Service as a contribution to the development of the Pegasus Theatre;

          4. agree the extension of the contract with the County Council’s arts consultant by one year to March 2004.

 

RICHARD MUNRO
Director of Cultural Services

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Richard Munro, Director of Cultural Services Tel: (01865) 810191

January 2003

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