Culture Committee - CC-3-00(p.1)
Date: 13th December 2000
Time: 9.00am - 12.20pm
Venue: Committee Room 2, National Assembly Building
Paper from the Arts Council of Wales
"A Culture in Common"
The Arts Council of Wales (ACW) welcomes "A Culture in Common" (the Report) and its wholehearted support for the arts and culture as central to a healthy, confident and vibrant Wales. We have some concerns in regard to matters of emphasis and detail, and note that the Report is less comprehensive and convincing in some areas than others. We would wish to discuss the final recommendations in more detail following the debate at Plenary in January.
We share a commitment to the principle of access and equality of opportunity for all – as audience, practitioner or participant – regardless of economic status, geographical location, disability, race or gender.
ACW notes the priorities set out in the Report:
young people
communities
diversity
creative industries
standards
The Arts Council will report on how funding is currently directed in support of these priorities, and submit proposals for development.
We applaud the Assembly’s commitment to the main principles outlined in the document, reflected in a significant increase in funding over the next three years.
The role of the Arts Council of Wales
The Arts Council acts on behalf of the government of Wales and in partnership with artists, arts organisations and other agencies.
It is the responsibility of the Arts Council to provide expert advice to government at all levels on the priorities for arts policy, to develop strategies to deliver those policies and to distribute public money effectively for the benefit of the public and artists.
The Arts Council is committed to providing a high quality service to all the stakeholders and to work in a way which combines transparency, accountability and efficiency.
The establishment of the Assembly provides the framework for greater accountability and strategic focus for ACW and with it the impetus for change.
ACW has accepted the criticism and the recommendations for change in both the Wallace Report and the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Report on Theatre for Young People.
Council recognises the imperative to re-establish confidence with all our stakeholders and partners – and with the Assembly in particular.
A Chairman’s Advisory Group has been set up to evaluate and drive the review and the restructuring of the organisation.
The 5 key features of the restructure will be:
a strengthening of communications/openness;
streamlining administration to provide maximum accountability and minimum bureaucracy,
strengthening planning and strategic actions in support of Assembly priorities
enhancing the role of the regions.
To be cost neutral – with the exception of the cost of establishing additional regional office/s and one-off costs associated with restructuring
The Chairman’s Action Group has started work on models for a restructured ACW which will reflect these priorities. An independent consultant will be appointed before Christmas to assist with the process.
The Chairman, the Acting Chief Executive and the independent consultant will work with the National Assembly’s Task Force chaired by the Culture Minister.
The Assembly has indicated that the costs of restructuring should be met from within the settlement for 2001 –2.
ACW wishes to pass on the increase in resources directly to the arts as of 2001-2 – and in particular we wish to address long term underfunding in key areas as a priority.
We intend therefore to make a case to the Assembly for exceptional additional funding to pay for the one off costs of restructuring.
Partnership
ACW is committed to partnership and supports the Report’ s recommendations in regard to the importance of engaging with other agencies. ACW is committed to a creative and constructive relationship with key partners and we have worked hard to encourage such bodies to put the arts high on their agendas.
We look to the Assembly to give a firm steer to ASPB’s, local authorities and other agencies to give equal commitment to partnership.
ACW and the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) are developing a framework for closer co-operation at both officer and member level.
The local authorities in Wales are represented on the Area Committees and the role of these committees will be strengthened as part of the restructuring process.
ACW works with the WTB and WDA and we look forward to the issues relating to the cultural industries and cultural tourism being given even higher priority on government and agency agendas. We also need to develop close links with Priority Action Plans and WEFO to maximise opportunities offered by European funding.
ACW will also take a partnership approach to working with artists and arts organisations. The newly published Voluntary Sector Compact illustrates ACW’s commitment to this approach.
Young people
ACW has established the Arts & Young People Task Force and the Report’s recognition of the value of this work is also welcome.
ACW is working with the WLGA and the Theatre in Education companies to research the service provided currently and identify future needs.
The recommendation that every school in Wales has the opportunity to benefit from a new artistic opportunity every year is a bold and visionary one.
ACW will advise the Assembly on what opportunities are already supported and on the resources needed to realise the ambition. An important element will be that arts organisations are adequately funded to engage with schools on a regular basis.
The Report emphasises the importance of the arts within the National Curriculum.
ACW would advise further strengthening of the recommendations in the Committee’s Report to reflect the inequalities between disciplines within the curriculum and between schools. For example, in undertaking a national strategy for dance it is important to note that dance in the curriculum is taught only as an adjunct to PE. Clearly this has implications not only for standards, but also on opportunities for boys.
ACW would urge the Assembly to undertake a thorough review of all the issues affecting the arts in schools, including for example, the effects of Local Management of Schools (LMS), on equality and standards of provision, to inform the development of an inclusive National Policy.
The recently published document "Arts education in secondary schools: effects and effectiveness" by the National Foundation for Educational Research offers useful evidence.
Communities
The Report refers to the Rowntree Foundation conference "Culture makes Communities". The report from that conference is a testament to the quality of community arts practice in Wales – from Dawns Dyfed in Ceredigion to the Penrhys Project in the Rhondda and the Cyrenian’s Arts Centre in Swansea and taking in long-standing organisations such as the Pioneers and Valley & Vale. A more detailed publication from the Rowntree Foundation at UK level will highlight 10 organisations in Wales as examples of good practice in terms of positive contribution to community regeneration. ACW is proud to support these and similar organisations.
The increase in funding will enable the Council to provide increased resources to ensure quality and sustainability for such organisations across Wales. It will also support the development of activity by galleries, arts centres and touring companies to work more effectively with community arts organisations and directly with communities.
The report also makes a number of important recommendations – for the Assembly, for ACW and for local authorities. It must be noted however that arts funding is not currently a statutory function for local authorities and this can lead to serious inequalities of provision and further pressure on already inadequate budgets.
We note in particular, the report’s recommendations in regard to the role of Assembly in ensuring that all regeneration schemes have at least one cultural strand.
Diversity
ACW shares the commitment to support and celebrate cultural distinctiveness – expressed through the two main languages of Wales and further enriched by the contribution of African, Asian and Caribbean communities.
The Arts Council supports a number of activities and organisations working exclusively in the Welsh language.
For example, Council has recently confirmed its support for a development in Welsh Language Theatre provision and will be considering models which ensure access to high quality drama across Wales, as well as opportunities for professional development for practitioners – including directors and writers.
All grant applicants are required to state how they will address the bi-lingual culture of Wales and we will continue to work with the Welsh Language Board to develop policy in this area.
Council provides support for the work of Cardiff & District Multicultural Arts Development (CADMAD) and the organisation is also supported to provide cultural diversity training for arts managers/staff and practitioners.
However, ACW recognises that much needs to be done to develop partnerships with ethnic minority communities. A Cultural Diversity Policy and Action Plan has been developed following consultation.
Creative Industries
The report "The Economic Impact of the Arts & Cultural Industries in Wales" was published by ACW in December 1998 and co-commissioned with WDA, S4C and the former Development Board for Rural Wales. It remains an important piece of research and is much quoted. However there is a need for up to date information – particularly in the context of the opportunities offered by European funding.
ACW is currently considering a draft Strategy to facilitate exploitation of European funding for the benefit of the cultural sector in Wales. This report "Creative Nation" will be going out to consultation early in the new year.
It is imperative that we collaborate to exploit the benefits of new technologies for artists and consumers and ACW.
The proposal to establish a new "consortium" under the banner "Cymru’n Creu" should facilitate a more strategic approach to developing the creative industries and extending markets for cultural products. We look forward to assisting in the task of taking this forward.
Wales Arts International (WAI) is a partnership between ACW and the British Council in Wales, which is unique in the UK. We are encouraged by the positive acknowledgement of the achievements of WAI and note the work of WAI in support of the Assembly’s International Relations Co-ordinating Committee. Additional resources, probably from economic development budgets, will be required in order to exploit the potential for our cultural institutions to promote Wales on the international stage.
WAI assists artists to travel and work abroad, developing markets, raising the profile of Wales and broadening their experience. Equal emphasis is placed on support for inward traffic – enabling audiences and practitioners in Wales to enjoy and learn from the arts from other countries.
Standards/Access to Excellence
The Arts Council shares the view that support for excellence is not elitism – it is not about supporting national flagships rather than community arts. It is about ensuring that everyone has the right to share in a high quality of experience and opportunity.
The Report emphasises the practice of the arts – as amateur or professional – both at the grass roots and at national/international level. It describes the importance of supporting innovation and for supporting new art forms and practice alongside the traditional and the mainstream. The Arts Council endorses the fundamental place given to the creative artist as at the heart of successful arts and cultural policy.
ACW provides funding and encouragement for a huge range of organisations as well as individual practice and it is important that we identify clearly our shared expectations.
The "National Remit Organisations" enjoy a substantial share of available resources in support of their work. In return they have significant responsibilities as inspirational organisations – distributing the benefits of this investment and working with and for people across the country. It is important to emphasise that whilst Wales boasts national organisations in the performing arts that the picture is incomplete in regard to the visual arts – including photography and new media. ACW looks forward to debating the remit and resource needs of all national cultural organisations and the potential for growth – with the Assembly, local authorities, NMGW etc.
Art is arguably incomplete without viewers, readers, spectators – the audience is a participant in the process.
There is an equal need therefore to ensure that the benefits of public investment in artists and arts organisations - are available across Wales and that barriers to access are dismantled.
The acknowledgement of the important role of the arts infrastructure (theatres, galleries, concert halls, cinemas etc.) in the Report is welcome.
However, issues of free admission to museums & galleries; reduced ticket prices for opera, theatre etc. for young people and those on low incomes, need also to be explored and developed.
Equally we need to ensure that there is sufficient support for indigenous product to service the needs of the infrastructure/the public.
Both presenters and producers need to be properly resourced to meet public and government expectations.
Research & Policy Development
A "Culture in Common" calls for significant research, for new strategies and audits in support of areas identified as in need of review and development.
Up to date intelligence is vital to the development of visionary policies which meet the needs of the public and artists.
ACW is uniquely placed to direct and co-ordinate policy reviews, data & intelligence gathering to inform government policy. We will provide the Minister with a proposed schedule for this work – to be undertaken in partnership with arts organisations, local government and appropriate agencies.
Conclusion
This paper attempts to respond briefly to some of the key points in the Report. In the time (and space!) available it has not been possible to discuss the detail of the Report’s recommendations nor has Council yet had the opportunity to debate "A Culture in Common", or this response.
The Culture Committee has indicated some reservations about "A Culture in Common" and it will be vital to revisit the priorities and recommendations following the plenary debate in the Assembly in January and in the light of responses from artists and arts organisations and interested bodies.
ACW welcomes the opportunity to provide a more detailed response in due course.
Sybil Crouch
Chairman
2.12.00
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