There is a familiar ring to the Government?s proposals for ?Opportunity Cards? which will provide discounts for young people on ?a range of things to do and places to go? (p1). The whole concept of a card that young people can use to gain discounts on a range of activities has been tried and tested on many occasions in the arts sector.
For example, in November 2003 ArtsProfessional reported on a multi-purpose student card, linked with an ArtsPass scheme being launched by Southampton?s arts centres. In the West Midlands, Audiences Central (formerly Birmingham Arts Marketing) ran a discount card scheme for students and young people. It was also funded by the New Audiences programme to carry out a feasibility study investigating the introduction of a Smartcard worth £30, to be spent on arts and entertainments in Birmingham. Also, does anyone remember StagePass, the national discount card which gave young people discounts to attend professional performances? What is interesting about all of these projects is that not one of them is still active. Southampton has experienced such serious problems with the technology for its ArtsPass initiative that it is going to have to re-launch a cut-down version of the scheme; the New Audiences project made it no further than the feasibility stage; the Birmingham card was phased out due to low take-up and a heavy administrative burden; and Youth and Music had its funding cut by the then London Arts Board. This, coupled with a lack of financial support by arts organisations for the scheme?s discounts, rendered the scheme unviable.
So Arts Council England is quite right to suggest that arts organisations have a lot to contribute to the Government?s consultation exercise on Youth Matters ? and a lot to fear if their voices aren?t heard. Over the past ten years, thanks to a whole raft of funding initiatives targeted at ?youth?, the arts sector has amassed a weight of experience working with young people. It is only too familiar with pitfalls of doing this, as well as the potential. Let?s hope someone is listening, before the proposed ?Opportunity Card? turns into a wasted opportunity.
Liz Hill and Brian Whitehead Co-editors