South East Creative Economic Network (SECEN)

17 January 2018, 10.30 – 12.30, Chatham Historic Dockyard

Chair: Sally Staples, East Sussex County Council

Minutes: Emma Watson, Kent County Council

In Attendance

Caroline Reynolds (CR) / Southend BC / Haley Dixon (HD) / Focal Point Gallery
Sujun Fieldhouse (SF) / Southend BC / Joe Hill (JH) / Focal Point Gallery
Richard Holdsworth (RH) / Chatham Historic Dockyard / Donna Plakhtienko (DP) / Kinetika
Mo Tomaney (MT) / Wise Birds London / Ali Pretty (AP) / Kinetika
Sarah Wren (SW) / Kent CC / Tony Witton (TW) / Kent CC
Emma Wilcox (EW) / EW Associates / Michele Gregson (MG) / ROH, Purfleet
Tim Rignall (TR) / Thurrock Council / Valerie Tinker (VT) / Essex CC
Polly Gifford (PG) / Hastings Council / Victory Pomery (VP) / Turner Contemporary
Jon Linstrum (JL) / Arts Council / Solène Ferreira Dawson (SFD) / SFD Europe
Dalia Halpern-Matthews (DM) / Nucleus Arts / Anne Knight (AK) / Medway Council
Jennie Godsalve (JG) / CC Skills / Graham Hammond (GH) / Shepway DC
Marc De’ath (MD) / Chelmsford City Council / Sally Staples, SECEN Co-Chair (SS) / East Sussex CC
Emma Watson (EW) / Kent CC

Apologies

Alastair Upton / Creative Foundation / Madeleine Lund / CCSkills
Catherine Gill / GFE South / Niamh Pearce / Towner Gallery Eastbourne
Gill Burden / Tendering DC / Rob West / CCSkills
Helen Code / Essex CC / Sarah Dance (Co-Chair) / Sarah Dance Associates
Ian Ross / Jasmin Vardimon / Scott Dolling / Southend BC
Jo Nolan / Screen South / Sharon Phillips / GFE South
Lisa Rawlinson / Eastbourne CC / Simon Wellington / Arts Council England
Lorna Fox O’Mahony (Co-Chair) / University of Essex / Steph Fuller / Ditchling Museum of Art & Craft
Lucy Medhurst / Artwork South East Bridge / Steve Mannix / Mercury Theatre

Introduction & apologies

Welcome from RH

Agenda was rearranged by SS. Item 4, South East Creative, Cultural and Digital Service, was moved after item 7, AOB.

Review of previous minutes/actions

No comments

SECEN research base – time for refresh?

The Shared Intelligence Report is now 3 years old. Indications are that the growth trajectory for the creative economy in the SELEP region will be more extreme going forwards. There is a danger that we are selling the region short and updated research would give a clearer picture of where the SELEP region is in relation to national performance. The information has helped inform the workspace masterplan which is helping us to unlock resources, skills and understanding. Is it time to revisit the statistics? If so, how do we go about it?

TR -questioned the practicalities of going about this.

SS - indicated that this could be a desk based exercise and also mentioned that the timing of this is important due to the emerging South East Plan (SEP) and the soon to be announced Cultural Sector Deal. The timing of this will inform the data we look for.

TR - questioned what do we do with this data?

SS - mentioned that it would be useful in underpinning workstreams.

TR- due to potential changes in the SELEP area is this the piece of work that we want to do now?

TW - said that it could be informed by the skills gap work.

SS - Do we refresh the data? Agreement that this is not the right time, due to a changeable landscape but maintain as a standing agenda item. We would need funding to repeat the process and views invited on how this could be done and if we should use similar methodology? Colleagues were asked for ideas on other statistics which could be referencedpotentially as a next phase development.

Action: List SECEN research refresh as a standing agenda item.

Action: Ideas sought from SECEN on how we might repeat the process.

SECEN Open Workspace Masterplan - SS

SS –Workspace Masterplan is completed.

  • Team East Sussex has approved this and recommended it to SELEP – we hope to have sign off at the March SELEP meeting.
  • £15K has been awarded by Arts Council England (ACE) towards the delivery of the action plan.
  • The Masterplan will on the next KMEP agenda for approval (Kent and Medway).
  • There are 2 federated boards in Essex and TR agreed to make sure that both boards approve the plan prior to the March SELEP meeting.
  • SS will start to draft brief to deliver programme.
  • There may need to be an investment ask from top tier authorities in the next financial year.
  • There is an opportunity to carry out deep dive research which will need additional investment and management of the commission. Second tier authorities wishing to work with SECEN on this will need to co-invest – SS to clarify costs once brief is finalised.
  • The aim is to have approval in place before the March SELEP Board

Action – VT and TR to ensure endorsement of the Workspace Plan in Essex prior to March SELEP board and report back.

Action: SS will draft brief to deliver programme.

Action: SS to provide covering report and submit plan to SELEP March Board

Updates on work programmes

Talent Accelerator – TW

TA looks to provide end to end skills development. The thinking behind it was to look at it as a LEP wide area programme as it would add scale if people joined together with the potential opportunity to apply for ESIF funding. Thesteering group has developed a model and commissioned Always Possible to do some pilot work. KCC will lead on commenting on the LEP skills advisory board emerging Skills Strategy. The Skills Strategy is in two parts;

  • Generic overview document, creative and media guild to provide feedback back and TW to circulate draft to SECEN
  • Sector reports, one of which will be on creative industries and will require input from SECEN colleagues.

MG– presented the Talent Accelerator model to the November meeting. It highlighted

  • Access to creative careers
  • Digital platform, pupil powered and menu based
  • Sign posting pupils to framework from which they can design their own pathways
  • Work by Richard Freeman at Always Possible will identify gaps and provide evidence which we can use to tell a wider narrative

Next steps: 22nd Jan –report back from pilot work; 31 Jan – Steering Group Meeting.

Respond to sector report as part of Skills Strategy.

Consider how to resource the next stage by making it a solid project to attract funding.

The industry strategy sector deal will be published in late spring, so we must be aware of new language.

SW –Skills development agenda should have a more inclusive age range: second careers and providing new opportunities.

Potential for pilot work in Sheppey in partnership with CCU?

The pilot will require match investment – partners to include

  • Shepway Council
  • Sheerness
  • Chatham Historic Dockyard
  • KCC Early Years
  • CCU

Budget of £60K

Work through Skills Advisory Board and there are conversations with SELEP.

Treading water, but firmly

TW Creative media & guilds will feedback into skills strategy.

Action: TW to circulate LEP skills advisory board emerging Skills Strategy and collate combined response for SECEN.

Thames Estuary Production Corridor

Vision document with focus on production and large-scale projects. Emma Wilcox has been appointed as TEPC project manager and is currently reflecting on current growth plan and looking for opportunities in infrastructure development, particularly around digital skills and setting up HE group around these. EW - stated that this will not be at grass roots level. High House Production Park is a good example. The GLA are working together with Kent and Essex to provide an Estuary wide response. There is a smaller working group led by Sarah Dance.

EW introduced herself as the new project manager with a passionate interest in North Kent due to involvement in her previous role at KCC, and is looking forward to learning more about South Essex.

  • Engagement Strategy will be finalised by end of January
  • Need to respond to the Estuary Commission by March and this need to be wrapped up by July
  • How to keep Kent & Essex voice in the Estuary
  • HE grouping
  • TEPC provides understanding of implications into SELEP area, not just Thames Estuary – rather than competing, working together.

Culture Coasting – VP

Lead by Turner Contemporary, Culture Coastingis a cultural trail that runs from Essex to East Sussex.

It was awarded Discover England funding and Arts Council England funding and will be delivered in partnership with Visit Kent.

  • Commissioning artist and using geocaching to drive more visits
  • Kick off meeting has now taken place
  • Sarah Dance is appointed as Project Director
  • Bryony Bishopis appointed asProject Manager
  • A curator is due to beappointed.
  • It will run as a 3-year project, there are challenges around commissioning artists, finding sites, and making visible what is available.

The strap-line for the area is that it is the Creative Coast. It will hopefully enable further funding and provide a long-term legacy.

New Faces (item not on original agenda)

SS – there are new members of the SECEN group, SS asked what else should we be doing? Also, what brings you to the group?

AP of Kinetika discussed the Silk River project between UK and India. Strong UK network with Kew Gardens, SouthendBarking. The project is looking at creating a range of new products, with silks made in the community. Similar opportunities are being explored through Thurrock 100 stories. Silks setting up studio to provide visual assets with places they have worked with. Kitchen table, a new project, will create pop up Kitchen’s and also explore the creation of artist led products. SECCADS is good timing and interested in connecting.

MD – of Chelmsford City Council is new in post and expressed that SECEN is a good platform to open up and share ideas.

JG – Confirmed that the research into skills gaps and the sector Deal should be ready by March meeting

VT- expressed that it could potentially be a daunting group, with many acronyms that could be unfamiliar. Would it be helpful to send out documents to new members? There are currently discussions with LEP to make the SECEN web page, where it currently sits on the SELEP site more accessible. With one landing page and a summary of contents for each document. It is understood that not everyone knows everyone and that is helpful to offer reassurance in this area. Also make clear that businesses are welcome to join.

PG – There are different local reps at both tiers. Hastings is experiencing a period of change. Would be helpful to have an overview of how other local authorities are working together. SS – sharing information is a good idea and very valuable. PG- models and case studies and interesting solutions. SS - suggested that this could be put forward as an agenda item.

JH – what is in it for businesses to get around the table? Helpful to see what other networks are around, who is representing on which networks and to ensure that we are not duplicating, but cross collaborating.

AK – would be helpful to be provided with a summary of the group. Definition of culture can be quite broad. Think about new areas of work within this broad definition – more around other elements of the sector. Anticipating what be done to prepare for next steps.

Examples of good practice, could be future agenda items.

RH-suggested producing a list of who is on which network, good for finding reach. After a show of hands, it was established that most people were on more than one network and that a Venn diagram of who is on which network could be useful but also potentially over complicated. SS -suggested that if anyone wanted to take on that task they were very welcome to.

Action: Dave Evans to circulate prospectus, research, and terms of reference to all SECEN members.

AOB

TR will be leaving Thurrock to go to Southend, he will not be on this group any longer. He is not leaving until end of March and will ensure that SECCADs will be left on firm footing. SS - stated that TR had been a founding member of SECEN and expressed thanks for the work he had done on SECCADS.

JH - asked if anyone would be taking on his role. Steve Taylor would still represent as part of Thurrock and his work on the wider Purfleet regeneration project. New team members as part of the SECCADs so there would be more capacity there. TR’s post will be advertised.

SECCADS

TR - Bid to ERDF through DCLG. Scope of the original project had changed,lost many delivery partners and associated match funding during the development phase. Originally a £12 million project now just over £5 million.

Thurrock is Lead Partner and KCC, East Sussex, Southend and Medway, Essex and Colchester project partners. Total budget of £5.71 million with 50% match funded. It is a project involving a growing sector, which will encourage new start-ups and help businesses grow. Fits into SELEP economic plan and is evidence of value of the sector and will move forward business support growth streams.

  • Project coordinators will support businesses. £500K to procure business support.
  • One large procurement will ensure flexibility to enhance business support already in place.
  • Provide a single digital platform
  • Provide a way to build on current SELEP offer and will link into current existing Growth Hubs.

SF - explained that there are 3 strands to the project

  • Cluster it - micro businesses – encouraging clustering of micro businesses and offer grant of between £1000 – to £20000 for collaborative working.
  • Design it - provide ongoing support to businesses
  • Grow it -identify HR support and to protect your contracts. Marketing support, finance, and knowledge transfer - students into creative and non-creative sectors.

In terms of project delivery Thurrockis reporting to DCLG and will draw up partnership agreements with delivery partners. SECEN will be helpful in a coordinating function and as a sounding board for ideas.

We are very much in the implementation phase and do not have official notification that the project has been approved. The next phase will be preparing the grant programme and any questions into development of grant programme.

SF – asked if there were any questions.

VT – will the project also provide support in Essex for those outside of the areas of Southend Colchester and Thurrock? SF -business support will be available in other areas, as the project will tap into existinghubs. VT – Essex wants to get involved, delivery partners, co-ordinating people on the ground.

Grants will not be available for the next 4 -5 months and the grant applications will be like SEBB and LoCASE. Companies should have the capacity to manage the ERDF requirements which will be strict, but feasible.

  • Procure one provider who can subcontract.
  • Each hub has a budget for business support so there is flexibility there.

SF – It is important that delivery partners start talking now. It is best that it is organised into 1 bid, 1 tender and then broken down into lots. Advised that partners should take a co-ordinated approach and start talking now. Partners were also advised to approach procurement.

There will be more info on how we deliver in a few months’ time.

AOB

Next meeting will be in East Sussex