Cracking the commissioning conundrum

Earlier this month Point Blank hosted the launch of ‘Viva’, South Yorkshire’s new arts consortium, which aims to help arts organisations become more sustainable by providing access to large commissioning opportunities. The event marked a pinnacle in the company’s strategy to develop a model of sustainability for the arts and the third sector. Point Blank was initially largely grant dependent, but it quickly diversified its income strategy in order to grow and become sustainable. A key element of this strategy involved membership of the South Yorkshire Voluntary & Community Training Consortium (VC Train), primarily as a means to access Learning & Skills Council contract income. Point Blank used this experience in delivering accredited training to access further contracts, which it used to underwrite and add value to its core charitable activities.
More recently, Point Blank joined the ‘3rd Sector Consortium’ (3SC) – a national initiative to win prime contracts for the voluntary and community sector. Via 3SC, the company received its largest ever contract through the Future Jobs Fund. Through the combined strength of its membership, 3SC is now well placed to secure prime contracts – providing access to finance otherwise unavailable to its members. Through its membership of key consortia, Point Blank has evolved to produce a wide range of creative enterprises, which are underpinned by essential contract income. The impact on the company has been transformational, enabling it to develop in terms of social benefit, scope of work, profile and, crucially, sustainability. Point Blank now enters its second decade using a diverse mix of contract income to offer its beneficiaries an unparalleled programme of engagement and progression opportunities.