Development (Arts) Sub-Committee 2 August 2006
From Nigov
Wednesday, 2nd August, 2006
MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT (ARTS) SUB-COMMITTEE
Members present: Councillor Kelly (Chairman); the High Sheriff (Councillor Humphrey); and Councillors Adamson, Cunningham, Hartley, Kirkpatrick, Lavery, Long, P. Maskey, McCausland and Stalford
- In attendance:
- Mrs S. McNicholl (Head of Urban Development);
- Ms P. Morrow (Culture and Arts Manager);
- Ms L. Holmes (Cultural Communications Officer);
- Ms D. Robb (Arts Development Officer);
- Mrs C. O’Toole (Arts Development Officer); and
- Mr J. Heaney (Committee Administrator).
Apology
An apology for inability to attend was reported from Councillor Attwood.
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 6th June (sic) were taken as read and signed as correct.
Lyric Theatre Redevelopment
The Sub-Committee was informed that the Lyric Theatre was undertaking currently a major redevelopment project and the Acting Chair of the Theatre had requested an opportunity to make a presentation to the Committee to provide an update in regard to the project.
After discussion, the Sub-Committee agreed to receive at a future meeting from representatives of the Lyric Theatre a presentation in respect of the progress which had been achieved in the redevelopment of the Theatre.
Rolling Programme to Support Innovation in Culture and Arts
The Culture and Arts Manager reminded the Sub-Committee that, at its meeting on 2nd November, 2005, it had agreed to the implementation of a Rolling Programme to Support Innovation in Culture and Arts during the financial year 2006/2007.
She pointed out that the purpose of the Programme was to assist arts or heritage organisations to avail of opportunities which would arise during the year, including those which were submitted after the closing date for Annual Funding or Multi‑Annual Funding applications. Grants awarded through the scheme would range from £250 to £3,000.
She reported that two applications for funding under the terms of the Programme had been received. The Sub-Committee considered the undernoted recommendations in relation to applications for funding under the Programme:
|Organisation |Event |Amount |Recommendation | | | |Requested | | |Ulster Aviation Society |Publication of a book telling |£500 |Do not support. | | |the story of Naval aviation in | |With funding already promised the | | |Northern Ireland | |publication should be at least | | | | |self-supporting and possibly | | | | |profitable for the Society. In | | | | |addition, the book covers only one | | | | |site within Belfast out of a total of | | | | |five sites and it does not appear to | | | | |be directed at widening audiences or | | | | |presenting information in new ways. | |Big Telly Theatre Company |Production of "The Little |£3,000 |Agree to award funding in the sum of | | |Mermaid", a large-scale | |£2,000 | | |theatrical production set | | | | |entirely in a swimming pool | | |
After discussion, the Sub-Committee adopted the recommendations as outlined above.
Annual Funding for Culture and Arts 2007/2008
The Sub-Committee considered a report in relation to Annual Funding for Culture and Arts in respect of the financial year 2007/2008. A copy of the report, with the exception of the appendices referred to therein, is set out hereunder.
After discussion, the Sub-Committee agreed to proceed with the Annual Funding Scheme as outlined and agreed, in principle, that the recommended budget of £890,950 for Multi-Annual and Annual Funding be provided during the financial year 2007/2008.
IMPACT Initiative
The Sub-Committee was reminded that the Council had obtained grant assistance in the sum of £194,000 through the Peace II funding mechanism for the IMPACT Initiative. The Council was the lead partner in a consortium of six of the City’s leading arts organisations which had delivered successfully, over a two-year period, a programme whereby 342 young people, aged between 12 and 25 and living in areas of social need within the City, had been afforded the opportunity to engage in a range of free creative courses in order to assist them to enhance their ability to undertake a career in the creative sector.
The Culture and Arts Manager informed the Members that, following the successfully delivery of the IMPACT Initiative, it was proposed that a publication be produced to provide a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the project and to provide also useful personal development and career advice, together with other information which would be of use to young people in schools, colleges or universities. She outlined the key areas which would be included within the publication and indicated that its launch would coincide with an exhibition of work from the IMPACT courses, which was planned to be held during September at the Belfast Exposed gallery. The approximate cost of the publication would be £3,000, provision for which had been made within the IMPACT funding budget.
After discussion, the Sub-Committee noted the information which had been provided and approved the production of the IMPACT publication.
Belfast Festival at Queen’s
The Sub-Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 5th January, it had agreed to provide financial support for an event to launch the Belfast Festival at Queen’s. The event, which was known as “Wall Talk”, had been scheduled to take place for ten days during the month of October and would require the entire frontage of the City Hall to be used as a backdrop onto which live and interactive videos, graphics, e-mails and text messages would be projected.
The Members were informed that the event had required the permission of the Policy and Resources Committee, however, that Committee, at its meeting on 23rd June, had rejected the application on the basis that it did not represent a suitable use of the building and would be wholly inappropriate given the nature and status of the City Hall. This decision was subsequently ratified by the Council at its meeting on 3rd July.
The Culture and Arts Manager informed the Sub-Committee that the Belfast Festival at Queen’s had confirmed that there were no other suitable venues and, accordingly, it had proposed that an alternative event entitled “Crackers” should take place at Lower Botanic Gardens. She advised the Members that “Crackers”, which was a large-scale production combining fireworks, projections, performance and music, and would involve the audience, if they so wished, being surrounded by fire, smoke, spinning wheels and fireworks. She reported that, since the show had met the funding criteria to the same level as the previously proposed “Wall Talk” and, in order to meet the marketing material’s publication deadline of 17th July, the Director of Corporate Services had exercised during July the authority delegated to him under Standing Order 42 and had granted approval for the previously agreed funding to be used for the “Crackers” event.
The Sub-Committee noted the information which had been provided.
Les Rencontres Networking Meeting
The Sub-Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 8th March, it had agreed to host Les Rencontres Networking meeting as part of the joint Les Rencontres/Banlieues D’Europe/Community Arts Forum Conference to be held in Belfast during the period from 23rd till 26th November. A Draft Programme for the event had been produced which outlined the proposed themes, including the role of arts within a divided community, the concept of identity and interaction of communities and multi-culturalism within the urban context. The Programme would create the opportunity to showcase the City during its Celebrate Belfast year and would facilitate discussions on cultural policy matters in both a global and local context. A number of visits and case studies would permit the expected 250 delegates to experience the impact of community arts at first hand.
The Sub-Committee noted the information which had been provided.
Re-Imaging Communities
The Sub-Committee was informed that the Government had announced recently the establishment of a £3.3 million investment programme aimed at tackling the visible signs of sectarianism and racism in Northern Ireland communities.
A consortium, supporting the new Re-Imaging Communities Programme, had been established and included representatives from the Department for Social Development, the Office of the First and the Deputy First Minister, the Community Relations Council, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the International Fund for Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The Arts Council would be taking the lead role in the delivery of the Programme which would place creative regeneration at the heart of the work in local community neighbourhoods. The overall aim of the project would be to help communities, in both urban and rural settings, to focus on broader expressions of civic and cultural identity and to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.
The Programme would support a wide range of community-led initiatives offering grants up to a maximum of £5,000 for small projects and up to £50,000 for large-scale projects and community development workers would be available to assist organisations in areas with limited experience in applying for funding.
The Culture and Arts Manager advised the Sub-Committee that the Government had announced also a new £100,000 “Place, Identity and Arts” small grants programme which was aimed at fostering arts projects promoted by groups which had difficulty on religious or moral grounds with accessing funding from the National Lottery.
The Sub-Committee noted the information which had been provided.
Arts and Business Skills Audit and Training Schedule
The Sub-Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 3rd May, it had noted the contents of a report in relation to the Arts and Business Skills Audit and Training Schedule for Arts Annual Funding clients during the financial year 2006/2007. However, approval had not been sought at that meeting to provide a budget in order to deliver the proposed training programme. Accordingly, the Culture and Arts Manager recommended that the Sub-Committee agree to provide a budget in the sum of £30,000 in order that the Skills Audit and Training Schedule for Arts Annual Funding clients be delivered.
The Sub-Committee adopted the recommendation.
Funding to the Belfast Festival at Queen’s
The Sub-Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 7th June, it had expressed concern regarding the decision to cut the budget allocation to the Belfast Festival at Queen’s and had agreed to seek a meeting with representatives of the Arts Council for Northern Ireland to discuss its concern and, in addition, agreed also to write again to the Minister with responsibility for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Ms. Maria Eagle, M.P., requesting that she receive an All-Party deputation to discuss the levels of investment in Belfast’s cultural sector. Accordingly, the Sub-Committee considered the undernoted correspondence which had been received from the Departmental Private Secretary to the Minister:
“Thank you for your letter of 4 July 2006 advising the Minister of the outcome of the Council’s Development (Arts) Sub-Committee meeting on 7 June. The Minister has read your letter and asked me to reply.
I understand that the Committee’s meeting with the Arts Council is due to take place on 19 September. As explained in my earlier correspondence this is the appropriate forum for the Committee to raise its concerns in relation to the Arts Council’s decision to cut the amount of funding granted to the Belfast Festival at Queen’s.
In relation to the additional request for the Minister to meet an All‑Party delegation to discuss the levels of investment in Belfast’s cultural sector, it is recommended that you take the opportunity to discuss these wider funding issues with the Arts Council at the meeting on 19 September.
After that meeting, if necessary, the Minister would be happy to meet the Council to explore the whole question of investment in the cultural life of the city. You should contact Julie Lyness, the Diary Secretary, on 208 90 258893 to make the necessary arrangements.
I trust this is helpful.”
The Sub-Committee noted the contents of the correspondence which had been received and agreed to inform the Minister that it wished to proceed with the aforementioned meeting in order to discuss the levels of investment in the cultural life of the City.
Chairman
