To receive any questions, statements and petitions of which Members of the Council have

Councillor Andrew Bannerman asked the following questions and the written response was tabled.

How much was spent by the Council on the Arts Revenue Grant in the last financial year?  

During 2014/2015 the total Revenue Client funding awarded was £65,150 (£48,850 to Arts Organisations/Venues and £16,300 to Festivals). This funding was awarded to 31 organisations.

How much in collateral funding from other agencies was leveraged by this grant?  

£967,535.75

At the end of the financial year, revenue funded organisations are asked to complete a report, which includes financial information.

The above figure, reflects the total amount of external funding organisations received during 2014/15, from earned income. This includes; ticket sales; workshop fees etc; grants from funding bodies such as the Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and sponsorship.

How does the Council value the work of the groups and companies in receipt of this Grant?  

Shropshire Council recognises the important role the arts play in making Shropshire a great place to live, work and visit and their significant role in the economic, educational and cultural well-being of the county.

The Revenue Client grants are awarded through a competitive application process.

The grant scheme is intended to provide revenue funding for professional arts organisations, venues and festivals, who regularly deliver professional arts activity in Shropshire and make up the majority of the arts sector.

These organisations and festivals regularly program arts activity for the benefit of artists, participants and audiences and employ professional artists to deliver this programme.

The funding allows organisations and festivals, to enhance and add value to their programme and be used as seed funding to leaver in other external funding. The revenue client funding does not provide ongoing core operational costs. 

The award criteria looks to fund organisations or festivals that:

·  Provide a high quality arts experience

·  Provide a regular programme of activity in Shropshire

·  Improve access to arts activity for people living in Shropshire

·  Raise the profile of the arts in Shropshire

·  Support the local arts economy

·  Ensure open access to all

·  Deliver programmes of activity that support the organisations development and sustainability

·  Develops and delivers arts focused professional development training for the sector

·  Are financially viable and attract income from other sources

What decision has been made about the future of the Grant?

Following the announcement, that Shropshire Council will be changing the way it supports the Arts Sector and the Arts Development Officer role from April 2016, two meetings have been held with the Revenue Clients.

The meetings, which were held on Thursday 8^th October and Thursday 22^nd October, were an opportunity to; discussthe wider challenges faced by the Council; explore how Shropshire Council can work collectively with the arts sector to successfully meet our joint aims and to identify the revenue clients organisations development needs going forwardin an environment where there will be less money.

A way forward and set of recommendations is currently being developed following the feedback and discussions from the meetings and ongoing dialogue with the arts sector. We aim to announce these, at a meeting with the Revenue Clients in early December.

Councillor Roger Evans suggested that the Arts Revenue Grant be added to the Enterprise and Growth Scrutiny Committtee’s work programme.