Jobs under threat at Hampshire Cultural Trust

The exterior of Winchester City Museum
06 Feb 2023

Up to 20 redundancies could be made at a cultural charity in Hampshire despite it becoming a new member of Arts Council England's National Portfolio in November.

Diving in at the deep end

Shonagh Manson
30 Jan 2023

Initially unsure about how to put her art degree to good use, Shonagh Manson has forged a career centred on ensuring artists and creatives are well supported.

Government to 'devolve more control of culture'

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove
27 Jan 2023

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove outlines intention to "deepen and broaden" the devolution of powers to local areas. 

Battersea Arts Centre to open as a warm space

27 Jan 2023

Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) is planning to open as a warm space for its local community through to March.

The centre’s Freedom Tap Room will be open between 11am and 6pm during the week and between 11am and 2pm at weekends.

The warm space will offer a free meal and drink to visitors, alongside a selection of books and board games. A funding scheme is being set up to allow people to donate the costs of a meal and drink for others.

BAC says it is opening the space as a result of the rising cost of energy prices. It is following in the footsteps of other cultural institutions opening their doors as a warm space across the country, including the Royal Shakespeare Company and Theatre Royal Plymouth.

Funding for the warm space has come from the VCS Warm Spaces and Food Grant Fund awarded by Wandsworth Borough Council.

Deputy Council Leader Kemi Akinola said: “We were pleased to support the BAC to join our Warm Spaces scheme. They are such an important part of our community and a vibrant, welcoming refuge during cold weather.”

“It gives us real pleasure to share this wonderful building with our community, and we are excited to make new friends and share our heat and food with our neighbours,” BAC Executive Director and Deputy CEO Amy Vaughan added.

An underutilised source of community arts funding

Community mural being painted in Peckham Square: an example of the kind of work that can be funded through CIL
26 Jan 2023

Local authorities are central to the UK’s planning system. Lucy Atkinson explains how Community Infrastructure Levy funding can provide opportunities for arts organisations to work creatively with communities.

Journey to NPO status

Local creatives share their thoughts with Mediale at Selby Creates launch event
25 Jan 2023

Media arts agency Mediale is the first national portfolio organisation in Selby, Yorkshire. Tom Northey shares how developing relationships with local authorities has been integral to its recent success.

Putting Southampton on the map

Southampton skyline in the evening. The buildings are reflected on body of water.
25 Jan 2023

Despite an unsuccessful bid for UK City of Culture 2025, Southampton is determined to build on lessons learned during the process. Satvir Kaur says culture remains critical to the future.

Rotherham Children’s Capital of Culture gets £275k boost

25 Jan 2023

Rotherham Council’s cabinet has agreed to allocate a further £275,000 of funding for Rotherham as Children’s Capital of Culture in 2025.

The money will complement £1.84m in funding awarded by the government’s Community Renewal Fund in 2021 to help establish a “Creative and Cultural Skills Embassy” linked to the event and additional funding from Arts Council England.

The Yorkshire town is planning to brand itself as the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture as part of a cultural strategy highlighting Rotherham as “a place people want to visit, where everyone can enjoy Rotherham through the eyes, ears and actions of children and young people”.

The money will be used to finance the next stage of the project over the coming year, with the Children’s Capital of Culture team will partner with three cultural providers and work with local young people to “deliver a programme of creative and cultural events, festivals, experiences and opportunities across Rotherham”, according to a cabinet paper.

“The ultimate goal of Children’s Capital of Culture is to support more children and young people across the borough to create a bolder, more ambitious and creative future for themselves, increasing overall pride and aspiration in our borough and nurturing a skilled young workforce that can make a real difference to Rotherham’s future,” said Children’s Capital of Culture Programme Manager Sarah Christie.

Southend’s Jazz Centre faces eviction from gallery venue

25 Jan 2023

A cultural hub that celebrates all aspects of Jazz is facing eviction from its premises in Southend after the city's council announced plans to repurpose the space to store and display artefacts.

The Jazz Centre has been housed at the lower ground floor of Beecroft Art Gallery in Southend free of charge since 2016. It has used the space to host a walk-through history of jazz, a museum, performance spaces, a cinema and a retail outlet for jazz records and books. 

Carole Mulroney, Councillor responsible for Culture at Southend Council told Echo News that the council was working with the Jazz Centre to find alternative accommodation. 

“We are running a professional museum and arts gallery and we have to take that seriously. We have items to store and display,” she said.

“I am supportive of the Jazz Centre and nothing is off the table when it comes to talks and considerations.”

But Matt Dent, Labour councillor for Kursaal, said that requiring the jazz centre to move out “is a false economy”.

“It’s my view that the presence of the centre in Southend benefits and enriches the cultural life of Southend as a city,” he said, adding that he would speak to officers and cabinet members to try to find a solution.

Conservative councillor for Prettlewell, Kevin Buck, said “any move would be disruptive and cost money too”.

“I would much rather they stay where they are. I just want what they want,” he said.
 

Culture and councils in coalition

Hackney Wick urban skyline during Wicked Festival
18 Jan 2023

The relationship between a place’s local government and its creative economy is an entirely (and rightly) symbiotic one, argues cultural sector consultant and Southwark Councillor, Richard Leeming.

Manchester's Factory International granted 24-hour licence

17 Jan 2023

Manchester's new flagship arts venue Factory International has been granted a 24-hour licence for when it opens later this year.

The £211m venue, which will be operated by Manchester International Festival, has been built on the former site of Granada TV Studios in the city centre.

Its licence will allow alcohol to be sold until 4am every night.

Neighbours of the venue have described the opening hours as "excessive" and expressed concerns about noise disturbances.

Rebecca Lowe, who represented Factory International at the licensing hearing, said the project's funding deal meant it required a "rich diversity" of events at the venue, including late night music. 

However, she assured councillors that the venue would not become a nightclub.

She said: "We can't give detail of all the sorts of events that might take place at this venue over its lifetime because its very reason for being is to be a groundbreaking, cutting edge venue".

The conditions of the licence include a capacity of 2000 people for the venue's outdoor area. A regular residents' forum to discuss any issues arising from the licence will also be required.

The cost of building Factory International has far exceeded original budgets. Funding has mostly been met by the government, Arts Council England and Manchester City Council.

Redundancy threat for staff at Poole Museum

16 Jan 2023

A number of staff at Poole Museum are to be made redundant by Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council as the venue undergoes a major redevelopment project.

The council-owned museum is set to be closed until the end of 2024 to allow for restoration works on its three historic buildings to take place.

A spokesperson for the council told the Bournemouth Echo a “small number of positions” are likely to be made redundant, with the council “actively seeking redeployment opportunities elsewhere in the council” for those affected.

Some museum employees are being consulted to work on a "on the move" project, which will see some of the museum’s exhibits taken into the community during the closure, the spokesperson added.

When the museum reopens, it will feature new and updated communities facilities, alongside three new galleries showcasing the museum’s maritime collection.

Major upgrade of Somerset theatre moves to tender

16 Jan 2023

Plans to upgrade Somerset’s Octagon Theatre are set to move forward this month, after councillors agreed to begin the tendering process.

The upgrade of the arts venue in Yeovil is projected to cost £29m and will include expanding and enhancing the building to create capacity for bigger shows and attract higher-profile acts.

South Somerset District Council announced the project in December 2020. The tender process will begin later this month, subject to the decision being ratified by the full council.

Building contractors will formally bid to carry out the proposed upgrades, which include increasing seating capacity in the main auditorium from 622 to 900 and creating two new smaller spaces to host film screenings and live performances, along with a dance studio, a community studio in which to hold classes and rehearsals and the consutction of a fly tower, which can be used for flying scenery.

The redesign is also intended to create improved front-of-house and customer facilities, an upgraded café and bar area, greater backstage accessibility and toilet facilities for those with additional needs.

“We see the redevelopment of this flagship arts venue as not only about the redevelopment of a building, but also being able to reach out into the community to improve access to the arts,” said Councillor Mike Best, Portfolio Holder for Health and Well-being.

The venue is set to close its doors in April 2023 for redevelopment to begin.

Plans for Worcester arts centre submitted

12 Jan 2023

Worcester City Council has submitted plans for a new arts centre, despite a significant budget gap.

The city council is persevering with plans to upgrade the former Scala Theatre, although several aspects of the proposed project have already been scrapped due to funding shortfalls.

In a statement submitted along with the bid, the local authority wrote that “every element of the aspirational brief” had become “significantly beyond the budget of the project”.

Parts of the original brief that will no longer be carried out include converting the neighbouring Grade II-listed Corn Exchange into a 110-seat venue and plans for a dance studio and rehearsal space.

The authority is waiting for government approval to divert £6m away from other projects, the BBC reports.

Councillors last month voted to continue with plans to build the new venue, despite fears that the final cost could not be accurately estimated.

After rethinking plans to sell the Swan Theatre, the authority admitted the project could be as much as £850,000 short, even if the government backs its request to move £6m.

Derby Museums 'face reduced hours or closures'

12 Jan 2023

Proposed cuts to council funding for Derby’s museums could result in reduced hours or closures, leaders of the charitable trust running them have warned.

Derby City Council told Derby Museums, which runs several of the city’s museums, that its grant is set to decrease from £710,000 to £639,000 from April this year.

“Due to a perfect storm of rising costs and inflation, the council has to make an unprecedented level of savings to balance its budget”, a council spokesperson said, adding that all services were being asked to reduce their budgets by 10%.

In an open letter, Derby Museums' Executive Director Tony Butler warned that the proposed cuts could have a “devastating effect” at a time when museums’ own costs were spiralling.

The trust currently runs the city's museum and art gallery in The Strand, as well as the Museum of Making, and Pickford's House.

“The proposed cuts will be compounded by the challenging financial climate,” he said.

“High inflation has increased our costs. We currently spend £160,000 a year on gas and electricity and that could double… The current financial model leaves little headroom and as things stand, I fear we may run out of road.”

He added that the cuts could force museums to take measures including site closures, reductions in opening hours and staffing and the introduction of admissions charges.
    
 

Reclaiming public space

Immersive audio installation 'Strand Aldwych': new public space with audio installation on street in central London.
11 Jan 2023

A long-held vision to pedestrianise one of the most polluted areas in London has been realised. Jonathan Reekie outlines how a partnership between the local authority, business and cultural institutions was crucial to making it happen.

Selby District Council approves public art plan

10 Jan 2023

Selby District Council (SDC) has approved a plan to increase public art in the area.

The Public Art Plan, which covers the North Yorkshire areas of Selby, Sherburn and Tadcaster, will seek to increase quantity and quality of public art in a bid to add joy to the local community and boost tourism to the area.

SDC’s Executive approved the plan in a meeting last week.

In the same meeting, the Executive also approved a Heritage Interpretation Masterplan which will promote Selby’s heritage offer to “increase civic pride, revitalise communities and bring new audiences to the area”, according to a project report.

Selby, which features in Arts Council England's (ACE) list of priorty places for investment, will also be represented in ACE's national portfolio for the first first time when the funder's new portfolio begins in spring, with visual arts organisation Mediale set to receive £196,000 a year.

Starmer pledges to devolve decisions on culture

Keir Starmer speaking at a press conference. He is standing in front of a plan red background and wearing a red suit
05 Jan 2023

Cultural policy highlighted as one area that will see powers devolved from Westminster to local communities if Labour win the next election.

Cornerstones of culture

Red, blue, orange and brown bricks from the 'Cornerstones of culture: Commission on Culture and Local Government summary report'
04 Jan 2023

AP’s editorial focus for January is on local government. Here Gerald Vernon-Jackson reflects on the role councils and local cultural organisations play in our national cultural life.

Call for 'immediate action' to safeguard local culture

16 Dec 2022

Urgent action is required to protect local cultural services in the face of the cost of living crisis, a Local Government Association (LGA) report has concluded.

The Commission on Culture and Local Government, set up earlier this year by the LGA, found that the cost of living crisis, combined with the prospect of recession, and pressure on public services pose "new challenges".

"Under these circumstances it would be tempting to dismiss investment in cultural services as a luxury we can’t afford," the report states.

"But for the same reasons, these services have never been more important. 

"Cultural services, organisations and practitioners bring people together at times of crisis and celebration, they provide support and social connection, create jobs, develop new adaptive skills, and underpin empathy and critical thinking."

The report calls on local government, regional bodies, cultural arms-length bodies and national government to work together with cultural organisations and communities to "take immediate action to safeguard the future of local cultural infrastructure".

It says this should be followed by a longer-term action plan to deliver a series of outcomes including targeting regional inequalities and enabling local authorities to develop and deliver meaningful place-led strategies for culture, and a "power shift" towards place-led approaches to enable communities, cultural providers and practitioners to shape local decision making.

Baroness Lola Young, Chair of the commission, said: "Access to culture and creativity provides hope and inspiration and enriches people’s lives. That access must be fair for all.

"I hope our findings and recommendations will help councils, regional bodies, cultural arm's-length bodies and national government to work together with cultural organisations and communities to weather the latest storm and secure the future of this vital community infrastructure.”
 

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