Agenda item

The Appendix to the final report ‘Review of grants to major city arts venues’ tabled on 20^th December 2012 is attached. Members are asked to note its contents.

Mr Chris Maughan, De Montfort University, was welcomed to the meeting. 

Mr Maughan gave a presentation on the economic impact of the review of grants to the major city arts venues including the process of measuring economic impact and its application to previous research.

It was reported that the context for the report was to achieve the following overall aims of the research:

•      To complement knowledge and understanding evidenced in the scene setting paper following the report by the Director of Culture and Neighbourhood Services dated 12 September 2012

•      To engage with each organisation in order to develop an understanding for each of their recent performance – programme and management

•      To gauge what levels of support the three organisations enjoy, in particular from the public, the public sector and the private sector, in return for the programmes of work and additional services that they offer.

•      To integrate these and other perspectives into an examination of their collective and individual contribution to the cultural life of the city – their ‘value for money’.

•      To provide recommendations to the council and to the management of each organisation, based on the outcomes of the research, on how they might deliver increased value for money.

In respect of the research findings, financial charts showing income and expenditure, performance over time, learning & participation data and the leverage of additional income were also submitted.

Mr Maughan also stated that the economic impact of audience expenditure and the audience perspective of spending, together with the business perspective, had been analysed as part of the research.  The process for measuring the economic impact was also described within the presentation.

In view of the data collated the following observations were submitted for comment:

•      Audience expenditure had contributed to the local economy.

•      Of the ‘out of venue’ expenditure impact in the city 64% was derived from non-city residents.

•      Developing the strength of the ‘tourism’ offer should increase the long term economic impact.

In discussing the above data the Commission accepted the need to undertake research to identify the nature of the offer to which the non-city audience will respond.

Business leaders had also been asked to provide an assessment of the value and benefit of each venue to the city, and their attitude generally to public expenditure on the arts.  Information showing the respective data collected was discussed.

In concluding the presentation Mr Maughan asked the Commission to note that the Corporate Plans for the venues needed to include as part of their strategy for developing audiences, actions that would develop the wider ‘tourism’ offer for the county and ‘non LE’ audiences.

It was reported and accepted that that this planning process would need to show how the synergies they share with others in their operations and audience could be exploited as part of developing that offer.  It was noted that the relationship with the business sector had great potential but that it required more attention, in order to develop the synergies around tourism packages.  In light of the current financial pressures, it was also considered this depth and form of evaluation should be completed by all in the cultural sector in due course.

Mr Maughan was thanked for his presentation.

The Commission noted the detailed information and data submitted in support of the review and the Chair reminded members that the Commission had previously adopted specific recommendations related to this topic.