Issue - meetings

To consider the report of Economy and Enterprise Manager.

Place Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 8 September 2016 and its comments will be reported.

The report of Economy and Enterprise Manager was submitted reviewing the performance of the Arts and Events portfolio for 2016/17 and setting out a programme for 2017/18.

The City Arts and Events Manager advised Members that a Creative Industry event, would be hosted by Radio One on 1 November, which was testament to the operational success of the Big Weekend event.

The Portfolio Holder for Economy and Culture stated that the Unexpected Festival would take place on 4 November and would include a celebration of the 450thanniversary of the Exeter Ship Canal.

Members thanked the City Arts and Events Manager and team for all their hard work to ensure the success of the events that had been held in and around the City over the past few years.

Place Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 8 September 2016 and its comments were reported.

RESOLVED that the following be approved:-

(1)

a) proposals to deliver a new festival of performance in 2017 working in partnership with Exeter Bikeshed Theatre, Exeter Phoenix and Exeter Northcott pending successful application to Arts Council England’s Ambitions for Excellence Fund by Bikeshed Theatre, and

              b)  pending the successful application to Arts Council England as set out in in paragraph 2.2a of the report and confirmation of Council budgets,  the use of the £50,000 arts budget in 2017 as match funding for the delivery of a new festival of performance.

(2)     in the event that external funding support for a new festival is not forthcoming, the continuation of the Unexpected Festival in 2017; and   

(3)     the budgets for project grants and other project support as outlined in paragraph 4.1 of the report pending confirmation of Council budgets for 2017/18.

To consider the report of the Arts and Events Manager.

The Arts and Events Manager reviewed the performance of the Arts and Events portfolio for 2015/17 and set out a proposed programme for 2017/18. She referred to the success of the new Arts Projects Grants funding scheme which had provided the opportunity to open up arts to the wider community.

There were two updates to the report namely that an application for £38,000 from the National Lottery via Arts Council England for the Unexpected Festival 2016 had been successful.  The Festival would also include a celebration of the 450^th anniversary of the Exeter Ship Canal, on 4 November. This would be a significant, free outdoor event on the Quay, involving performance, music and pyrotechnics display with local artists, college and school students working with a Scottish based performance company, Oceanallover.  She also confirmed that a Creative Industry event, would be hosted by Radio One on 1 November, which was testament to the operational success of the Big Weekend event.  A Member commented on the authority’s underestimation of the final cost for the event and the reporting of the additional expenditure. The Assistant Director Finance stated that the sum was reported in the Budget Monitoring report for this Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Brimble also congratulated the team for all of the work done and achievements made for the city in the last few years.

Place Scrutiny Committee noted the review of the performance of the Arts and Events portfolio for 2016/17, and recommended approval by Executive of the following proposals to deliver a new festival of performance in 2017 working in partnership with Exeter Bikeshed Theatre, Exeter Phoenix and Exeter Northcott pending successful application to Arts Council England’s Ambitions for Excellence fund by BikeShed Theatre, and

(1)     pending the successful application to Arts Council England and confirmation of Council budgets,  the use of the £50,000 arts budget in 2017 as match funding for the delivery of a new festival of performance;

(2)     in the event that external funding support for a new festival was not forthcoming, the continuation of the Unexpected Festival in 2017; and 

(3)     the budgets for project grants and other project support as outlined in paragraph 4.1, of the report pending confirmation of Council budgets for 2017/18 be noted.