Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area:

1.1. To seek approval to invest £3,000 with Creative Industries Business Advice & Services (CIBAS) to run a programme of support for creative industries in Andover and the wider Test Valley Area.

2) Issues Covered in Report:

2.1. Information on CIBAS and the proposed programme for Andover in 2009.

2.2. Financial and budgetary information including match funding from other partners.

3) Recommendations:

It is recommended that an investment of £3,000 for CIBAS is approved from the Arts Activity Grant budget for 2008/09.

MAIN REPORT

1) Purpose of the Report

1.1. The purpose of this report is to set out the case for funding a pilot programme of activities which will provide business support for creative industries based in the Andover and wider Test Valley area. If successful, this project could act as a template to deliver business support to creative industries based in other parts of the county.

1.2. The pilot project CIBAS is proposing will be a 6 month scheme for creative practioners who are based in and around Andover and Test Valley. There will be 20 places available and the programme will comprise of 2 one to one sessions with a specialist creative industries business advisor, a professional development training seminar and an informal professional networking event.

2) Background / Contextual Information

2.1 CIBAS supports artists and creative enterprises by providing free one-to-one creative business advice and access to professional development training, events and opportunities.

2.2 Set up in 2006, they have provided just under 500 individuals with one-to-one support and advice to develop their creative businesses as well as delivering training events to nearly 1000 individuals. The training events are linked directly to the needs of the client as established via the one-to-one sessions.

2.3 Based in Portsmouth, delivering to the south east Hampshire area, CIBAS has a core of 3 staff and is directed by a steering group. The steering group is made up of representatives from local authorities (including Hampshire County Council), arts organisations, Dada South (Disability Arts Development Agency), the University of Portsmouth and Business Link. They have also established an advisory group of artists called `Creative Champions', who are represented on the steering group and organise a quarterly `Café Artistique' informal networking group with speakers.

2.4 The key delivery mechanisms used by CIBAS are:

i) One-to-one bookable sessions and training events throughout the year for creative industries in the Portsmouth and south east Hampshire area.

ii) Tailored programmes of one-to-one sessions and training events for other areas when funding is available (Winchester and the Isle of Wight had programmes in 2007 and a programme is planned for Andover in early 2009).

iii) `Into Creative Business' course. A 3 day course designed for `business aspects' of creative businesses including: marketing, developing different activities for the business, finance, health and safety, legal and insurance issues.

3) Budget Position

3.1 The Arts Activity Grant budget for 2008/09 is £85,700. Applications for Arts Activity Funding are received in 2 Rounds with deadlines in September 2007 (Decision Day November 2007) and March 2008 (Decision Day May 2008). After both rounds the allocated Arts Activity Grants for 2008/09 totalled £82,700 leaving an unallocated amount of £3,000.

3.2 It is recommended that this remaining £3,000 be allocated as partnership funding to support the CIBAS programme in Andover. This match funding from Hampshire County Council will enable CIBAS to draw down £3,500 funding from the Hampshire Economic Partnership and £1,500 from Test Valley Borough Council with an additional £1,175 in kind.

4) Consultation

4.1 All elected member for the Test Valley area were contacted and invited to comment on this project. The following comments were received:

Cllr Patricia West: "fully supports" the recommendation to fund this project.

Cllr Alan Dowden: "CIBAS' request is very worthwhile and I would support the application".

5) Summary Recommendations

5.1. To seek approval to invest £3,000 with Creative Industries Business Advice & Services (CIBAS) to run a programme of support for creative industries in Andover and the wider Test Valley Area.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION: