Agenda of Arts and Culture Subcommittee

ARTS AND CULTURE SUBCOMMITTEE
Membership:	10 (4 elected members, 1 iwi representative and 5 community representatives) To be chaired by a Councillor.
Quorum:	3
Meeting Cycle:	Meets on a quarterly basis, as required or at the requisition of the Chair
Reports to:	Community Services Committee

HUTT CITY COUNCIL

Arts and Culture Subcommittee

Meeting to be held in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt on

Wednesday 11 April 2018 commencing at 6.00pm .

ORDER PAPER

Public Business

1. APOLOGIES

No apologies have been received.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT

Generally up to 30 minutes is set aside for public comment (three minutes per speaker on items appearing on the agenda). Speakers may be asked questions on the matters they raise.

3. Presentations

a) Presentation from Hutt Art Society (18/518)

Presentation from a Hutt Art Society representative. 7

b) Presentation from MIX (18/517)

Presentation from a MIX representative. 11

4. Minutes (18/534)

Meeting minutes Arts and Culture Subcommittee, 12 September 2017 17

5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

6. Wellington Regional Amenities Fund Update (18/409)

Report No. ART2018/2/76 by the Divisional Manager, Strategy and Planning

Chair’s Recommendation:

That the Subcommittee:

(i) directs officers to prepare a presentation for a Council workshop to get further direction from Council on Council’s continuing participation in the fund;

(ii) provides a memorandum for the Council workshop on the Subcommittee’s views and suggestions for Council’s continuing participation on the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund; and

(iii) requests that the Community Services Committee endorses it’s recommendation to Council that any future savings in Council’s contribution to the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund must be earmarked for arts and culture funding in Lower Hutt.

7. Information Item

Community Arts and Culture Advisor Report (18/326)

Report No. ART2018/2/37 by the Director, Museums 32

Chair’s Recommendation:

That the recommendation contained in the report be endorsed.

8. QUESTIONS

With reference to section 32 of Standing Orders, before putting a question a member shall endeavour to obtain the information. Questions shall be concise and in writing and handed to the Chair prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Judy Randall

COMMITTEE ADVISOR

Attachment 1

Arts and Culture Subcommittee minutes 12 September 2017

The unconfirmed minutes are subject to confirmation at the next meeting of the Arts and Culture Subcommittee

HUTT CITY COUNCIL

Arts and Culture Subcommittee

Report of a meeting held in the Council Chambers,

2nd Floor, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt on

Tuesday 12 September 2017 commencing at 6.00pm

PRESENT: Cr M Lulich (Chair) Cr T Lewis

Mayor WR Wallace (from 6.16pm) Ms P Hindmarsh Ms A Mansell Mr J Mueller-Welschof Ms D Mulligan Mr N Woods

APOLOGIES: Apologies were received from Deputy Mayor Bassett and Ms Fagan. An apology for lateness was received from Mayor Wallace.

IN ATTENDANCE: Mr M Reid, General Manager, Community Services

Ms C Johnston, Director Museums (part meeting)

Ms P Sanderson, Community Arts and Culture Advisor

Mrs A Doornebosch, Committee Advisor

PUBLIC BUSINESS

1. APOLOGIES

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/ Mr Mueller-Welschof) Minute No. ART 17401

"That the apologies received from Deputy Mayor Bassett and Ms Fagan be accepted and leave of absence granted and the apology for lateness from Mayor Wallace be accepted."

2. PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no public comment.

Minutes (17/1241)

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/ Ms Mulligan) Minute No. ART 17402

“That the minutes of the Arts and Culture Subcommittee held on 4 July 2017 be confirmed as a true and correct record.”

4. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

Community Arts Advisor update (17/1238)

Memorandum dated 14 August 2017 by the Community Arts and Culture Adviser

The Community Arts and Culture Advisor elaborated on the memorandum.

In response to a question from a member, the Community Arts and Culture Advisor advised the amendments to the Community Arts and Culture Implementation Plan 2017/18 did not relate to the funding. The amendments related to the original document.

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/ Ms Hindmarsh) Minute No. ART 17403

“That the Subcommittee:

(i) notes and receives the memorandum; and

(ii) notes and approves the amendments to the Community Arts and Culture Implementation Plan 2017/2020.”

6. Information Item

Public Art update (17/1296)

Memorandum dated 24 August 2017 by the Director, Museums

The General Manager, Community Services elaborated on the memorandum. He highlighted the work completed by officers to address the maintenance concerns for public art pieces. He advised the Russell Clark sculpture was now shielded from the weather by scaffold and protective wrap, until a decision on its future was made.

In response to questions from members, the General Manager Community Services said he would be happy to discuss possible support for Hikoikoi Reserve from the Lions Club in Petone . He confirmed that the conservation assessment undertaken by officers had been taken into account when considering priorities for repair or restoration.

Mayor Wallace joined the meeting at 6.16pm.

Mayor Wallace advised he had presented an artwork ‘Toss Wollaston The Red Shed’ created by Erica Van Zon to the Dowse Art Museum. He said this was a valued piece presented to the Dowse for its collection from Friends of the Dowse and was the 40^th such artwork donated to the City.

Cr Lulich highlighted Mr Wood’s recent representation in North America on a cultural exchange with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in Oregon.

Mr Woods advised that two representatives from Toi Maori were sent on this visit each year, which strengthened their cultural relationships, language and art. He noted future visits from America were likely and would create further opportunities to build on these relationships.

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/ Ms Mansell) Minute No. ART 17404

“That the Subcommittee:

(i) notes the memorandum;

(ii) requests that an ongoing Council budget allocation for Public Art (maintenance and acquisition) be considered as part of the next round of Annual Plan deliberations; and

(iii) requests that the Community Plan Committee, in early 2018, considers this budget allocation for 2018/19.”

7. QUESTIONS

There were no questions.

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 6.25pm.

Cr M Lulich

CHAIR

CONFIRMED as a true and correct record

Dated this 11th day of April 2018

20 11 April 2018

Arts and Culture Subcommittee

19 March 2018

File: (18/409)

Report no: ART2018/2/76

Wellington Regional Amenities Fund Update

Purpose of Report

1. The purpose of this report is to:

a. Update the Subcommittee on the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund

b. Make recommendations to the Subcommittee on next steps.

Recommendations

It is recommended that the Subcommittee:

(i) directs officers to prepare a presentation for a Council workshop to obtain further direction from Council; OR

(ii) directs officers to prepare a further report for the Subcommittee so that it can make recommendations to Council on:

(a) Options for Council’s participation in the Fund; and

(b) Opportunities for arts and culture funding in Lower Hutt.

For the reason(s) outlined in the report below.

Background

2. The Wellington Regional Amenities Fund (the Fund)^{^[1]} was first established in 2012 to support eligible entities of regional significance with day to day operational expenses and new innovative projects that would help achieve identified regional outcomes. When it was first established the Fund was:

a. intended as a ‘top up’ funding mechanism for entities that provide regional benefits primarily in the arts, culture and environmental attractions and events sectors. Participating councils were expected to continue with their existing investments into local amenities;

b. originally supposed to grow incrementally, starting at $2 million for 2013/14 and capped at $3 million in year five;

c. implemented through a binding agreement of all participating councils in the Wellington region, agreed and was adopted through each council’s 2012-2022 Long Term Plan; and

d. supposed to be reviewed as part of the development of each participating council’s draft 2015-2025 Long Term Plan. This did not happen.

3. The Fund’s initial purpose was to help ensure that regionally significant entities could be sustained or developed in the Wellington region to contribute to the region’s quality of life; attractiveness to residents and visitors; and economy. It was envisaged that the Fund would allow amenities to:

a. Focus more on their core business

b. Reduce the amount of time spent on securing funding across the region

c. Improve their ability to perform on a wider regional basis

d. Improve accessibility to their services

e. Ensure staffing requirements were met adequately for a fixed term.

4. When the Fund was established the key concern was that the region was at risk of losing national organisations such as the New Zealand Ballet, Symphony Orchestra and Opera Company to Auckland (in 2008 Auckland introduced a fund to retain and attract significant arts and culture organisations. This fund has its own legislation^{^[2]}).

Discussion

The WRAF study - 2016

5. In 2016 the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund (WRAF) Joint Committee agreed to commission an Economic and Social Impact study on the Fund to ensure clarity of purpose, and to work towards gaining evidence about the benefit of the fund and the impact it had, both economically and socially, on the Wellington region. Market Economics (M.E) undertook the study. The aim of the study was to assess whether the WRAF has resulted in any:

a. economic and/or social benefits across the region as a result of the Fund’s investment in cultural and environmental amenities; and

b. benefits to the funded organisations.

6. M.E examined a number of research questions that sought to understand the extent of benefits achieved in terms of their scope, significance and distribution across the region. The role of the fund in facilitating partnerships and in building and maintaining projects that contribute to the attractiveness and vitality of the Wellington region were also examined.

7. Specific questions relating to the original fund criteria (2013-15) addressed by the study included:

a. have any regional economic and social benefits been created by the fund since its inception and if yes, what are they and how much?

b. how is the economic return of the fund distributed across the participating territorial authorities (TAs) and does this distribution correlate with the different levels of TA investment in the fund?

c. Has the fund facilitated regional partnerships, and what are the economic benefits of these partnerships?

d. To what extent has the fund preserved significant organisations, projects and events at risk of non-viability or relocation?

e. To what extent has the fund made a significant contribution to building, maintaining or retaining (i.e. the sustainability of) funded projects, events and organisations?

f. To what extent has the fund facilitated the creation, extension/development of arts, culture or environmental ecosystems, and events in the Wellington Region (social benefits)?

g. How has the fund contributed to Wellington's status as an internationally competitive region?

Key Findings

8. The research combined qualitative and quantitative analysis. It was based on data provided by the WRAF and gathered from a questionnaire completed by grant recipients. The analysis was supplemented by a review of applications submitted to the WRAF and the post-grant reports prepared by grant recipients. M.E also considered relevant literature on economic and social benefits as they relate to the arts and culture and amenity sector.

9. As a result of this research, M.E considered that the WRAF had achieved its purpose over the first four funding years. It had been successful in its role of supporting Wellington region’s significant ^{^[3]}arts, cultural, environmental and event organisations. Grants had helped recipient organisations to function more effectively and efficiently, and in doing so, contribute more widely to the social and economic wellbeing of the Wellington region.

10. Other conclusions included:

a. The WRAF contributes to the costs of selected projects/programmes to varying degrees and often in conjunction with other funding organisations/sources

b. Increasingly, contributions from the WRAF appear to be playing a more dominant role relative to overall project/programme costs

c. By supporting some Regionally Significant Organisation (RSOs), the WRAF is supporting those organisations that have a big impact on Wellington region’s arts, cultural and environmental offering and reputation

d. By supporting RSOs (as opposed to smaller, less experienced organisations), the WRAF’s investment is low risk and high yield in terms of desired outcomes for Wellington region

e. WRAF grants helped recipients to do what they do better. The WRAF is helping these strong organisations to get stronger.

Economic Impacts

11. The study considered the economic impacts of the fund. The authors view was that while “economic impacts are a tangible outcome of the Fund, they are a small component of the overall economic effects stimulated by grant activity and are of less relevance at a regional level.”

12. Not unexpectedly, economic impacts have been heavily directed towards Wellington City. The study relates this not just to the fact that this is the location of most of the grant recipients but also to the role Wellington’s CBD plays in the regional economy.

13. It was always going to be difficult if not impossible to be able to assess whether the Fund had contributed regional economic and social benefits since its inception and if yes, what they were and how much they were worth. The study found that:

a. WRAF represents the full transfer of money from one sector (local government ) to another (arts and culture activities) within the region

b. There is a mismatch between the value of grants and the value of contributions. Grants to Wellington RSOs (predictably) exceed WCC contributions

c. There is a net loss of direct expenditure in Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt cities

d. The TA distribution of facilitated economic impacts (impact from audience, visitor and participant spend) closely matches the locations of the actual shows, events, exhibitions or festivals

14. It is important however to recognise the wider less tangible benefits for the economy per se arising from arts, cultural and environmental amenities and events even if they can’t be reliably quantified. WRAF has contributed to:

a. achieving organisational benefits for funded organisations that otherwise may not have occurred

b. the diversity of the regional economy and building regional partnerships (although the focus on RSOs will reduce this benefit)

c. the skill level of the arts, culture and environmental sectors

d. clustering cultural and arts oriented organisations and workers which can breed innovation and new specialisations and concentrating creativity through both physical density and human capital, and

e. stimulating capital and operational expenditure in areas regularly used for arts and cultural events (such as the water front in Wellington’s CBD).

Current Purpose, Priorities, Criteria and Outcomes

15. WRAF is allocated once every year. In March 2017 the Joint Committee of Mayors agreed to a more strategic and proactive approach to the fund, with a focus on regionally significant organisations and on projects and events that have regional impact.

16. This approach built on the 2016 fund review by M.E which emphasised the importance of the fund in supporting organisations (events and projects) that are ‘regionally significant’ – which deliver identified strategic priorities for the region around economic growth, regional connectedness and competitive advantage.

17. Regionally significant organisations are those that are considered to be leaders in their field or have the potential to become leaders. They deliver high quality cultural/environmental activities that reach across the region and draw people to it – making Wellington Region the best place to live and to visit. Each participating local Council contributes to the fund on a per capita basis. The priorities are now:

To increase their long-term contribution to the economy of the Wellington Region by:

a. increasing visitor numbers to the region

b. growing audience numbers and diversity

c. increasing paid and volunteering opportunities

d. ensuring activities are accessible (financially and physically)

e. contributing to another key regional growth sector, for example film, hospitality, recreation.

Partner with organisations in the Wellington region to:

a. strengthen networks (through skills transfer, knowledge sharing, or increased organisational capacity through sharing resources)

b. develop robust, diverse cultural and environmental infrastructures through working in collaboration

c. mentor smaller/like organisations, and/or deliver education opportunities

d. complement other regional events (by ensuring event calendars align).

Contribute to Wellington’s status as a nationally and internationally competitive region by:

a. strengthening its unique arts, cultural and environmental offering

b. addressing gaps in the cultural/environmental ecosystem

c. ensuring they plan to stay in the Wellington Region.

18. In 2018/19 a limited number of organisations will be invited to make applications and these will be identified through the participating Councils. WRAF has a focus on supporting a smaller number of organisations to achieve maximum impact in the region. Applications will be made during July 2018 and considered by the Joint Committee in late August 2017.

19. There is one funding round each year. Funding decisions are made by the WRAF Joint Committee in a public meeting forum at Upper Hutt City Council. The Joint Committee comprises the Mayors of each Territorial Authority that contribute to the fund. The current Chair of the Joint Committee is Mayor Guppy from UHCC and the Deputy Chair is Mayor K Gurunathan from KCDC.

20. The Fund Manager alongside one representative from each contributing Council (Council Officers Group) will review all applications and make funding recommendations to the WRAF Joint Committee. The Joint Committee makes the final decision on which applications best deliver to the fund priorities.

COMMENT

Is Lower Hutt benefitting economically?

21. There is no evidence that Hutt City’s contribution to the Fund $1.2 million contribution (includes 2018) has benefited Lower Hutt in any way – either directly through the funding of Lower Hutt entities – or through collateral benefit accruing to Lower Hutt from events held in other parts of the region (e.g. hotel stays, retail spending).

What about regional collaboration/cooperation?

22. In 2012, when Council agreed to contribute to the Fund, the debate on regional amalgamation was in full swing. Council agreed that it was important that it supported this regional project as a show of good faith and their commitment to working with other Councils in the region. It is unlikely that regional amalgamation will be debated again in the short to medium term. Nevertheless, it is important that the region’s Councils work together to achieve regional success.

Regional Significance

23. The emphasis on the fund being there for entities of “regional significance” means that the great majority of the funding goes to established entities based in Wellington City. There is a lack of regional focus and cooperation as the focus has shifted to big Wellington-based events.

National organisations leaving?

24. No National Organisation such as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra or New Zealand Ballet has relocated to Auckland. Only two national organisations have received funding in the three years the fund has existed.

NZ Opera (2013/14)	$50,000
NZSO (2014/15)	$30,000

Regional Priorities

25. It is unclear which regional priorities will be achieved through this funding and what the regional benefit from the amenities to be funded are – what benefits are we talking about – financial, cultural, environmental, quality of life, attracting visitors, competitive edge?

Differential

26. There is no differential applied. The approach to financial apportionment is flawed as no consideration is given to which TAs benefit the most from having the entity partially funded on a regional basis in an economic sense. That is, which local authority receives the highest financial benefit compared with the costs of having the entity in its area?

Council owned entities

27. WCC funds a number of the entities identified as being ‘regional amenities’ – WCC also gets the direct and indirect benefits of this investment. Council funded entities are now able to apply for funding – this decision was made in 2016. Prior to 2016 Council owned entities were unable to apply and this seriously disadvantaged Lower Hutt as all other TAs have their arts and culture organisations as part of a Trust similar to the Community Facilities Trust.

HUTT CITY ARTS AND CULTURE POLICY

28. Council now has an Arts and Culture Policy (which includes community arts and culture and public art). This has the potential to raise the profile of arts and culture in the city and through this increase the vibrancy and attractiveness of the city overall. Council is also investing in key events for the city such as Highlight.

Recommendations:

29. That the Subcommittee:

i. Directs officers to prepare a presentation for a Council workshop to get further direction from Council; OR

ii. Directs officers to prepare a further report for the Subcommittee so that it can make recommendations to Council on:

a. Options for Council’s participation in the Fund

b. Opportunities for arts and culture funding in Lower Hutt

Consultation

30. Comment was sought from arts and culture staff at Hutt City Council.

Legal Considerations

31. There are no current legal considerations.

Financial Considerations

32. There are no financial considerations at this stage.

Other Considerations

33. In making this recommendation, officers have given careful consideration to the purpose of local government in section 10 of the Local Government Act 2002. Officers believe that this recommendation falls within the purpose of local government in that it considers how Council can best meet the arts and culture needs of the region and Lower Hutt. It does this in a way that is cost-effective because it is ensuring that Council can make an informed decision about its ongoing support of the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund.

Appendices

No.	Title	Page
1 ⇩	WRAF funding decisions 2013-2017 Appendix I	28

Author: Wendy Moore

Divisional Manager, Strategy and Planning

Approved By: Kim Kelly

General Manager, City Transformation

Attachment 1

WRAF funding decisions 2013-2017 Appendix I

Appendix I

FUNDING DECISIONS

Since it was established the following entities have received funding:

2013 Round
Organisation name	Support for	Amount granted
BATS Theatre	For new lighting infrastructure for three performance spaces at 1 Kent Terrace	$102,500
Circa Theatre	Towards developing staff capability	$32,500
Mahara Gallery	Towards the capital development of the research institution, collection store and dedicated Field Gallery	$50,000
NZ Festival of the Arts	Towards a study on future developments of the Festival	$45,500
NZ Opera	Towards educational programmes in 2014	$50,000
Orchestra Wellington (Outreach including Taita)	For operational support for outreach and community development programmes	$100,000
Pukaha Mt Bruce	Towards the development of a walk through aviary	$50,000
Te Papa – Matariki Festival (The Dowse is involved with this)	Towards the promotion of activities for the Matariki Festival in 2014 from regional galleries and organisations	$150,000
Wellington Marine Conservation Trust	Towards phase two of the Ocean Exploration Centre Project focusing on design development and obtaining resource consents	$100,000
Wellington Museums Trust Capital E (Outreach to schools around region)	Towards the Capital E Arts Festival for Children	$100,000
Wellington Zoo and Zealandia	For bridging funding for phase two of the Nature Connections Project	$100,000
Total		$880,500

2014 Round
Organisation name	Support for	Amount granted
Circa Theatre	Fund will be used to support stage one of the refurbishment project	$150,000
Creative Capital Arts Trust	Staging the 2015 NZ Fringe Festival	$34,000
LUX Festival	Towards the 2015 Wellington LUX Festival	$100,000
Mahara Gallery	Operational support for project manager for redevelopment project	$55,000
Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa Matariki Festival	Towards the regional consortium of galleries and museums to deliver Matariki 2015	$130,000
NZ Symphony Orchestra	Special event commemorating the centenary of Gallipoli as part of WW100 commemorations.	$30,000
Toi Maori Market Limited	Toi Maori Art Market 2014	$125,000
Wairarapa Arts Festival Trust	LUMA event as part of the Kokomai Creative Festival	$47,000
Wellington Museums Trust	150 years:150 buses pilot project	$100,000
Wellington Regional Orchestra Foundation Inc	Operational support for Orchestra Wellington’s outreach and community development programmes	$100,000
Wellington Zoo Trust + Zelandia	For bridging funding for year two of the Nature Connections project	$100,000
Total		$971,000

In the 2015 round the Mayoral Forum substantially changed the recommendations from the officer’s group. Mayor Wade-Brown and WCC’s CEO Kevin Lavery spoke and noted that the purpose of the fund was to support entities of regional significance. Both emphasised the need to support the NZ Festival in particular and the fact that Wellington is in competition with Auckland for our National Organisations like the NZ Symphony Orchestra and the Royal NZ ballet. This latter argument was put forward in 2010 when the fund was first proposed – six years later no national organisation has left Wellington for Auckland.

2015 Round
Organisation name	Support for	Amount granted
Aratoi Museum and Gallery	Exhibition development	$35,000
Circa Theatre	Redevelopment project	$195,000
Festival of the Elements	Festival development	$15,000
LUX Festival	Business Development	$95,000
Creative Capital Arts Trust	CubaDupa Street Festival2018	$100,000
Mahara Gallery	Project manager for redevelopment project	$50,000
Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa Matariki Festival	Festival Development	$95,000
New Zealand Festival	Three large-scale free public events	$345,000
Wellington Museums Trust T/A Experience Wellington	Kids to the capital programme and teacher resource development	$70,000
Wellington Regional Orchestra Foundation Inc	Community Development Programme	$75,000
Wellington Zoo Trust + Zelandia	Nature Connections Programme marketing and development	$75,000
Total		$1,050,000

2016 Round
Organisation name	Support for	Amount granted
Creative Capital Arts Trust	CubaDupa Street Festival2018	$100,000
Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre	Catwalk to Cover Exhibition	$40,000
New Zealand Festival	Waka Awaken 2018 opening ceremony	$100,000
Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa	Matariki Wellington 2017	$100,000
Tawata Productions	Kia Mau Festival contemporary indigenous theatre and dance festival 2017	$95,000
Wellington LUX Festival Trust	LUX Light Festival; free, outdoor celebration of art and technology	$150,000
Toi Maori Market Limited	Toi Maori Art Market 2016	$100,000
Wellington Regional Orchestra Foundation Inc	Three orchestral concerts and two education programmes in Wellington, Porirua, Hutt City & Upper Hutt	$135,000
Wellington LUX Festival Trust	Wellington LUX Light Festival 2017	$150,000
Wellington Museums Trust T/A Experience Wellington	Children’s Festival and Wellington regional tour 2017	$100,000
Wellington Regional Orchestra Foundation Inc	Orchestra Wellington Education & Community Programmes, 2017	$100,000
Wellington Zoo Trust	Nature Connections 2017	$70,000
Total		$955,000
2017 Round
Organisation name	Support for	Amount granted
Creative Capital Arts Trust	CubaDupa Street Festival2018	$200,000
Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre	Secrets of The Mona Lisa exhibition	$40,000
New Zealand Festival	Waka Odyssey', a series of events featuring Waka Hourua	$400,000
Porirua City Council	Measina Festival of Contemporary Pacific Dance and Theatre - week-long festival	$50,000
Tawata Productions	Kia Mau Festival contemporary indigenous theatre and dance festival	$100,000
Wellington LUX Festival Trust	LUX Light Festival; free, outdoor celebration of art and technology	$150,000
Wellington Regional Orchestra Foundation Inc	Three orchestral concerts and two education programmes in Wellington, Porirua, Hutt City & Upper Hutt	$135,000
Total		$1,075,000

32 11 April 2018

Arts and Culture Subcommittee

08 March 2018

File: (18/326)

Report no: ART2018/2/37

Community Arts and Culture Advisor Report

A report on Community Arts activities led by Council since the last Subcommittee meeting. As of 5 March 2018.

Recommendation

That the report be noted and received.

Community funding

1. The Creative Communities Funding Scheme Round 1 for 2017/18 opened on Monday 5 February, and closes on 26 March 2018. There is $35,000 to distribute. The Creative Communities panel will meet on Tuesday 1 May 2018 to allocate funds.

Community Arts Network

2. A coordinator for the Hutt Community Arts Network, Sian Torrington, was recruited and has been involved in planning and hosting three community arts network meetings since November last year. Resources within the arts community were identified and plans made for involvement in the Hutt Winter Festival and other arts events.

Mural projects

3. Planning is underway for the final mural of 2017/18 financial year, ‘It’s OK’ mural in Wainuiomata with the Rangatahi Centre and artist Ranga Tuhi, in partnership with local youth organisations, CAYAD and CART.

Hutt Winter Festival 2018

4. Dates of the 2018 festival are confirmed: 17 – 19 August.

5. Several planning and consultation workshops have been held for the Hutt Winter Festival that included Council staff, Hutt artists, local rangatahi and community groups.

6. A Project Manager has been contracted for the festival through an open recruitment process. Vicki Cooksley has years of experience in the art events field as a production manager and project manager, and has worked previously with Council’s Events team.

Summer in Dowse Square

7. This was the fourth season of Summer in Dowse Square, a summer programme of free lunchtime concerts in Dowse Square. The aim of the programme is to:

· raise community awareness of local performers and build pride in Lower Hutt talent

· Present Dowse Square as a lively and accessible space for community performance

· Promote the idea that Dowse Square is a vibrant space to enjoy during summer

· Provide an added attraction to visitors to The Dowse

· Provide free entertainment for our communities

8. This year Summer in Dowse Square ran from 27 January to 17 February. Throughout the programme:

· 14 bands and / or solo musicians performed

· Eight workshops / activities were presented

· 800 people attended

9. A Waitangi Day in Dowse Square event was introduced to the programme. This was the first time Council has held a Waitangi Day event. The day was very successful, with many groups and audience members expressing a desire to see a regular Waitangi Day event in the Hutt.

10. The feedback was very positive in relation to the performances, but less favourable towards the site (Dowse Square). The primary complaint was lack of natural shade. For the 2018/19 programme we will be looking at ways to improve attendee comfort at the performances (alternative sites, better shade options, having concerts later in the day).

Appendices

There are no appendices for this report.

Author: Courtney Johnston

Director, Museums

Approved By: Matt Reid

General Manager City and Community Services

[1] Funding decisions from 2013 -2017 are attached as Appendix I

[2] The Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Act was passed in 2008. The Act establishes a framework for the secure and sustainable funding of 10 organisations that provide arts, educational, rescue or other community facilities and services which are vital for the Auckland region. Auckland Festival one of only four arts organisations funded under the Act.

Deputy Mayor D Bassett	Cr T Lewis (Deputy Chair)
Mayor WR Wallace

Community Representatives:
Christine Fagan	Iwi Representative
Pam Hindmarsh	Stage and Event Manager
Anita Mansell	Hutt Multicultural Council
Johannes Mueller-Welschof	Hutt Art Society
Desiree Mulligan	Heritage and local history expert
Noel Woods	Atiawa FM, Event organiser, musician

Determine and monitor:

Consider and make recommendations to Council on:

General:

Delegated Authority: