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CULTURE NETWORK

MEETING DATE: 10 February 2015, NorthEastScotlandCollege
PRESENT: Angela Michael, Stewart Aitken, Caroline Docherty, Chris O’Neil, Christine Rew, David Officer, Fiona Clark, Gary Cameron, Jacky Hardacre, Ben Torrie, John Davidson, Karen McDonald, Colin Farquhar, Lesley Thomson, Liam Smyth, Angela Lennon, Louise Baxter, Mark Bremner, Murray Dawson, Neil Bruce, Paula Gibson, Lord Provost George Adam.
APOLOGIES:Cate Garrow, Charlie Penman, Ken Hay, Ray Douglas, Jane Spiers, Duncan Cockburn, Fiona Robertson, Lindsay Gordon, Pete Stollery, Peter Sharp, Sally Reaper.
NO. / AGENDA ITEM / NOTES OF DISCUSSION / ACTION/DECISIONS / BY WHOM / WHEN
1. / Welcome & Introductions / Introduction to College and tour/lunch organised by John Davidson, Head of School, including slide presentation and video, with a brief introduction about the College and how it has developed, the range of courses on offer, student numbers and training opportunities, for example, the professional cookery and hospitality students provided today’s catering.
2. / Minute of previous meeting and matters arising / Page 5
Centre for Northern Culture and Design – Chris O’Neil would be pleased to talk to network at next meeting. / Agenda item next meeting / CO/KM
3. / Review of Single Outcome Agreement / SOA was agreed between the City Council and the Scottish Government in 2013 and is now outdated. Intention is to revise agreement. Will review and submit to the Government in the next 12 months, which gives Cultural Network the opportunity to be involved in the cultural outcomes. The Community Planning Reference Group has been put on hold at present until the role of group is resolved.
Independent chair of Culture Networkis not progressing at present as there are no formal job descriptions or formal mechanisms and the overall review of the SOA. Keep existing arrangements in place.
The thematic groups are looking at a more refined reporting progress – audience figures/participation numbers. Hope to involve all groups round table.
Culture Network is contributor to overall community plan process and SOA. Work of sub-group will show how culture can contribute to overall life of the city and how the cultural community demonstrate value and contribute to the life of the city.
Q – Creative Scotland has strong commitment to geographic working. Conscious of other cultural agencies do they have a role to contribute? i.e. Historic Scotland and Heritage Lottery Fund.
A – We can approach and ask if they want to have regular attendance, corresponding members or feed into process. / Draft list for consultation and share. / LT
LT
4. / Culture Network – meeting with Janet Archer, 5 March / AB+ event taking place on the same day, Janet is participating in“Culture in the North East, life after the referendum” – panel discussion will also include Marie Boulton, Mark Fisher, Chris O’Neil – 12noon -2pm. Still firming up venue. AB+ event is conversation about two way role, image and perceptions of the area.
Janet Archer meeting culture network on 5 March– agenda is for us to set. Janet invited to hear more about ambitions and aspirations of people in Aberdeen. Opened up to group to suggest topics/questions, including:
How Creative Scotland intend to have a more local presence and how Janet would anticipate how any staff could be based here and role of individuals moving forward.
What are we going to do for Creative Scotland – national picture and where does Aberdeen sit within that and what gaps Aberdeen could fill.
Are there opportunities for 1-2-1 visits – what else can we offer on the day?
Duncan Cockburn or someone else from the sub-group to talk about work already undertaken.
Caroline Docherty requested that a briefing be prepared in advance for Janet.
Lack of investment from Creative Scotland – her perception on why that is and what we can do collectively.
What makes a difference from Creative Scotland’spoint of view. Discussion on the application processes, to include individual artist applications, as examples.
CD advised that Creative Scotland monitor geographic spread of its investment; investment per capita has gone up in Aberdeen. It is dependent on the number and quality of applications received. Across the country, applications have approximately 50% success rate.
Request made to see the proportion of successful applications which were new, and those from previous rounds, re-applying.
Do we need to know about National Lottery distribution through Creative Scotland? Would like complete breakdown of last year’s figures. Geographic information useful in order to challenge policy.
Caroline pointed out that the information is in public domain, though Creative Scotland doesn’t at present share by geographic areas on website, but that information can be made available. Creative Scotland does not generally give out information on unsuccessful applications. The most mature and largest centres of population, with long standing arts organisations are well ahead in respect of investment. Local Authority areas around Edinburgh and Glasgow are not very strong. Creative Scotland recognises that there is an increasingly confident sector in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
Quality and volume of bids – AGCC challenge about the art of bid writing. As a group should we look at funding someone to do that work on behalf of organisations – to make bids better?
Q - Does Creative Scotland have regional managers?
A – No, but it is trying to be more present across the country in a practical way. Quality of concept and vision of project and ability to transfer into application – can be quite different. It is about meeting the criteria and sometimes applications do not meet them quite well. It would be good to get feedback from those who have been unsuccessful. Need to have a separate conversation with those who write bid applications – successful/unsuccessful. CD will share figures.
In the future, the aim is to find ways as to how collectively we can secure greater funds for city.
Funding: presence, place, support; to progress alongside cultural strategy development. Consider how to target applications in ways that can make a difference for more people.
NB encouraged as many as possible to attend AB+ event, and the meeting with Janet Archer. / Will share agenda with group prior to Janet’s visit. / NB
CD
ALL
5. / Culture Sub Group – Update on Culture Plan / GC gave update on work of sub-group on behalf of DC.
Agreed that over next few months the existing information will be collected prior to asking the public for information. Will then highlight strengths identified.
The Group met a couple of weeks ago – looked at engagement in arts and culture, including the Scottish Household survey, which both Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government both use. Aberdeen has well above national levels of cultural engagement, both asaudience and in participation. Attendance at cinemas is high, theatre is particularly high. Participation – more people read for pleasure. A conversation on defining engagement has commenced. CultureRepublichave looked at how to target specific groups.
A short report is to be drafted from sub-group meeting and shared.
Next sub-group meeting will look at creating artistic development – sparking an interest and what support is available.
JH/GC/FR/DC have been working to appoint an external facilitator to help with sessions. Have shortlisted 3 from 10 submissions. Will interview later this month. Will have and external facilitator in place by next Culture Network meeting in May. Should also have template for residents panel to share. / GC
GC
6. / Update – Spectra 2015 / MB outlined this year’s programme – it will involve 20 participating artists from various European countries. Official launch, 19th February at 6.20pm. Activities include lighting of “knit one burn one”; series of workshops – information available on website. Free public sessions, by organisation OMAI, are taking place in Northfield and Seaton. Festival taking place in UnionTerraceGardens, 19-22 February, open daily 5.30-9.30pm.
APA taking part in countdown event. Will evaluate programme and look at extending partnerships with organisations next year.
Q - How many years funding ahead do you have?
A - 3 years within cultural programme in principle, subject to annual revenue budget being set by Council.
7. / AOCB / MD raised question on Cultural Programme Investment – question raised on role of this group in helping to inform the spending allocations and priorities for the money. Who decides – is it the Council alone or does the Cultural Network collectively have contribution towards the significant investment in next 4-5 years?
NB pointed out that the funding is not guaranteed. Involves the annual budget process, with proposals having to be accepted by Council. The Council allocations are the responsibility of Council Officers to make - report going to Committee in March – intend to share report with Network in advance as part of consultation. It is the Council’s investment and contribution to wider cultural opportunities.
LB felt that the Council is investing money on behalf of the city. It’s wider than just the Council.
MD asked what responsibility the Cultural Network had to look at how best to invest or be consulted on the report prior to it going to Committee?
The Lord Provost asked if groups who had attended various meetings and consultations had felt that they have had no part of discussions. Response made – not in terms of additional investment.
Chris O’Neil commented that he felt that the Council had democratic processes and are elected to represent us. He was comfortable with what is proposed.
NB explained the practicalities of the process - Council Officers take reports to the Directorate Leadership Team to the Service timelines. The Cultural Strategy is an action plan, which will be a delivery mechanism. Setting the budget is the first step, with the subsequent report to Committee requesting how to spend the money allocated. The Cultural Strategy will influence in future years.
Chamber Business Bulletin in June – LS advised that there will be a thematic focus on business engagement with culture and arts – would like to talk to businesses about engagement with culture and the arts. Also do feature to stimulate businesses to start to think about getting involved.
AB+ event 17 Feb – networking event “what, why, where, who”, venue RGU. Presentations by Volunteer Scotland; Creative Spaces; and David Officer.
Aberdeen Art Gallery & Cowdray Hall – closed to public first Monday in March, will reopen end of 2017. Behind the scenes tour this week, with some spaces available on 6pm tour. Final concert in Cowdray Hall last Saturday in February. Two final events in the Gallery last weekend in March, Friday night “extreme makeover” and Saturday family events throughout the building.
Arts Across Learning Festival – opens 21 February. Festival hub is Lightbox at Union Square East. Family events every Saturday. Monday to Thursday - range of CPD events. Keen that students come along and meet artists.
NB thanked John Davidson for the College’s hospitality, which was very much appreciated. / Report to Committee on investment to be circulated.
All requested to share information with LS / NB
ALL
8. / Date of next meeting / 12 May 2015, 12 noon: The Northern Lights, Beach Ballroom

Confirmed dates and venues for 2015:

12 August 2015 – HMT Studio

11 November 2015 - RGU