Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The purpose of this paper is to seek approval for the future strategic direction by the County Council for the support and development of the fields of Visual Arts and Literature.

1.2. This paper seeks to

· Present the two strategic documents for approval

· Identify the operating context in which the proposals are made

2. Contextual information

2.1. In March 2006 The County Council adopted a strategy for the arts for the period 2006 -11

2.2. The strategy recognised that the County had a thriving arts infrastructure but that there were areas of under representation on both developmental terms and presence within the county

2.3. Within the list of under representation were the areas of Literature and the Visual Arts.

2.4. In 2006 the County Council Arts Service had no dedicated staff with expertise to develop these areas. In December 2006 the post of Literature Development Officer was reinstated after a period of three years, with joint funding from the Libraries and Arts Service. 2008 was the National Year of Reading which involved a major developmental programme. The impact of that has informed the direction of the strategy proposed. The Arts Projects and Resources Manager has taken a lead in the visual arts using her degree training and developing her skills in this area. This has, to date, principally involved the capital project for the Leigh Park Craft Initiative and supporting colleagues in this, and other departments, with public art commissioning. The visual arts are developed and promoted across the authority with PBRS and Environment Departments regularly working with artists and makers to enhance their service development and delivery. The Strategy proposed builds on this work and extends it to cover a wider sphere of development.

2.5. The County Council provides grant aid to two organisations on a revenue basis. Making Space in Leigh Park and ArtSway in the New Forest. Project funding grants are provided through the Arts Activity Grant mechanism and organisations such as The Making and Winchester Gallery are supported through this route. Literature Festivals such as the Havant Literature Festival also receive funding through this mechanism. The arts budget has been utilised to support projects on an ad hoc basis.

2.6. However unlike musical ensembles, theatre companies and arts venues, the greater preponderance of writers, artists and makers are sole traders. This makes it very difficult for them to engage with either the support mechanisms available or the funding process. In this regard they are at a disadvantage. Both the Literature and Visual Arts Strategies propose that the County Council should explore how it can better support these individuals who contribute significantly to the cultural ecology of the county and are, numerically, significant in number.

2.7. Both Strategies are mindful of the need to address the Council's Core Objectives, the priorities of the Corporate Improvement Plan and Departmental priorities. The action plans reflect these imperatives.

3. Finance

3.1. The proposals contained within both these strategies can be funded from within existing budgets. As with all initiatives, partnerships and additional external funding will be sought to enhance the scope of the development

4. Recommendation

4.1. That the Executive Member for Culture, Communities and Recreation approves the Strategies for the Development of Literature and the Visual Arts for the period 2009 - 12.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy