Community Arts Strategy

Community Arts Strategy 2012-2015

Lisburn City Council’s Arts Service

Lisburn City Council Arts Service

Community Arts Development Strategy

2012-2015

Siobhan McCormick

Arts Service Manager

Lisburn City Council’s Arts Service

August 2012

T: 02892 509 509

E:

W: islandartscentre.com

Contents

Introduction Pg 03

Policy Context Pg 05

Community Arts in Lisburn city Pg 06

Community Arts Staff Pg 07

Strategic Themes, Objectives and Performance Indicators 2012 – 2015 Pg 09

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Pg 15

Communications Strategy Pg 16

Resourcing the Plan Pg 17

Introduction

The term “community arts” refers to a “field of community, neighbourhood and public art practice with roots in social justice and popular and informal education methods”. (Wikipedia 2012)

In the art world, community art signifies a particular art making practice, emphasizing community involvement and collaboration. Community art is most often art for social change and involves empowerment of community members who come together to create artwork/s with professional artists. Community art is a growing national, international, regional and local field and recently community arts and sustainability work or environmental action have begun to interface, including urban revitalization projects creating artwork at a neighbourhood level.

In essence Community Arts is a process. It harnesses the transformative power of original artistic expression to produce a range of social, cultural and environmental outcomes. It aims to establish and maximise inclusive frameworks of working in political, social, cultural and economic community contexts and provide opportunities for communities and their participants to develop their own skills as artists as well as for artists to explore ways of transferring those skills. Through its process, community arts maximises access, participation, authorship and ownership in collective arts practice.

There is a thriving community arts sector in Lisburn city and its practice is at the cutting edge of community arts, internationally. Providers range from major organisations to small community-based groups at the grass roots. The range of settings is broad too, including arts centres, community centres, neighbourhood halls, prisons, youth centres and public spaces.

Community Arts is inclusive and democratic. It recognises the duality of the artist as enabler and the participant as artist in their own right. Participation in the process can often ignite a life-long engagement in the arts.

Community Arts plays an important role in understanding the variety of our own identities, celebrating the multiculturalism that exists in Northern Ireland whilst our society faces the challenge of creating a shared future based on respect, tolerance, peace and equality.

The corporate strategy of the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure emphasizes equality of access to culture and arts, promotes creativity, innovation and lifelong learning and encourages respect for and the celebration of diversity. The Arts Council of Northern shares those goals and that vision by seeking to contribute to the Shared Future agenda through this policy and by working in partnership with the sector and with key departments and agencies.

Community Arts transforms both individuals and communities. However, shrinking resources and ever-increasing demand presents major challenges prompting difficult decisions over the next 4 years as we engage through the transition processes of Local Government Reform. The key to continued success is therefore to sustain our current levels of excellence in community engagement through the arts, whilst encouraging new growth and development. Key to this is the evaluation of our community arts programme to demonstrate the effectiveness of such work as a tool for social cohesion and collective and individual development to promote the benefits and power of community arts to policy and decision makers for its future sustainability.

This Community Arts Development Strategy outlines Lisburn City Council’s vision for investment in Community Arts from September 2012 to March 2015 and as such undertake the following:

·  Review the context of Community Arts provision as part of the Council’s existing Arts Service delivery

·  Review the role of the Community Arts Officer

·  Provide Aims for the Council’s Community Arts Programme from September 2012 to March 2015

·  Provide Action and Evaluation Plans for the Council’s Community Arts Programme from September 2012 to March 2015

·  Define new aspirations for Community Arts development in the context of Local Government Reform

It is important that this strategy is therefore viewed as a working document, enabling it to respond and adapt where necessary.

Policy Context

The Council’s Community Arts programme actively seeks to complement the provision of arts events and services based at ISLAND Arts Centre by using creative processes to develop active group participation, regardless of ability, to regenerate and transform both the community and individual alike.

It is therefore primarily developed to provide creative opportunities for people who through economic or social circumstance have little access or means to participate in or gain the value of participation in the arts either as an active participant or audience member (whether it is a live event, show or installation).

The key hypothesis for undertaking Community Arts provision is:

·  Access & Participation

Everyone deserves the opportunity to expand their ideas, skills and creative potential through access to the arts regardless of age, experience, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, economics, or geographical location

·  Ownership

The result of collective community creativity means it belongs to everyone

·  Process before product

The core of creative community engagement is the transformative process of creating work and as such is of greater importance than the final piece.

These key ideas link with the Council’s Arts Service priorities of accessibility and audience engagement that require the benefits of participation in community arts to include:

·  Personal development through enhanced social skills and the creation of new friendships increasing confidence, self esteem and the acquisition of new skills through enjoyable learning

·  A sense of one’s place in the community

·  Community development through joint working towards a common goal that ignites team building skills and discussion forums

·  Neighbourhood improvements through urban and rural regeneration initiatives such as public art works

Community Arts in Lisburn City

Since its inception, the Council’s Arts Service has valued and emphasised the importance of engagement and participation in the arts and since 2001, when the Community Arts Programme was established and the Community Arts Officer post was permanently established, it has undertaken highly successful annual work outputs encompassing the following:

Accessibility

·  The engagement of wider audiences

·  An increase in creative outreach opportunities

·  Increased community sector involvement

Audience Engagement

·  An increased understanding of the value of the arts

·  Provision of wider

·  Enhanced learning opportunities

Art in Public Places

·  A framework for the delivery of public art projects

·  A support programme of initiatives in the public realm

Communication

·  Development of a dedicated Community Arts website and online presence for community festivals

·  Increased marketing and communication with and form the community sector through dedicated promotional opportunities such as social networking

·  Enhancement of Lisburn City Council’s profile within the city

Research

·  The regular gathering of engagement statistics

·  Increased monitoring, evaluation and feedback opportunities regarding community engagement in the arts

·  Commission specific arts’ reports such as the Re-imaging Communities Programme, Audience Development Engagement

Community Arts Staff

Community Arts Officer

The Community Arts Officer reports to the Arts Service Manager and is based at ISLAND Arts Centre. The post is responsible for the promotion and development of a proactive programme of community arts events, activities and festivals to enhance community access to the arts. This includes the assessment and allocation of grant-aid provision for community arts projects from and by the local community and the preparation of external grant-aid and sponsorship applications for community arts and cultural activities including the servicing of Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee and its Arts Grants programmes and the Council’s Community Festivals Fund.

The post also assists with the implementation of the Council’s Arts Development Strategy and Community Support Plan in partnership with National and Regional Statutory and Voluntary Bodies and their agents e.g. DCAL and the Arts Council for Northern Ireland. The Community Arts Officer maintains effective and appropriate contacts with the media regarding publicity for and commentary upon community arts within the City including the arrangement of publicity, marketing, education and community liaison to ensure effective public access to programmes of activity.

Arts Administration Assistant

The Arts Administration Assistant is responsible for supporting the Community Arts Officer with all community arts administration including the delivery of Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee’s arts grants scheme and the Council’s Community Festivals Fund, assisting with the organisation and event management of all community arts activities, leading public art tours as required. This post has grown exponentially since it was established in 1998 and year on year the role of the post continues to require increasing levels of responsibility to effectively support the Community Arts Officer in their work.

Strategic Themes, Objectives and Performance Indicators 2012 - 2015

This section presents the performance indicators on an annual basis for this three year Community Arts Strategy

Service Unit Task / Departmental Objectives to which the Task relates /

Associated Actions

/ Target Date for Actions / How will Progress be Measured
To meet the targets set out in the Arts Development Strategy and as follows:
Provide and support access to the arts in the City / Through improvement, collaboration and efficiency continue to develop high standard, customer responsive leisure opportunities both innovatively and equitably / To formulate, manage and deliver an innovative and developmental community arts programme including an annual Children’s Arts Festival at ISLAND AC
To maximise positive attention to the social cohesion benefits of the arts within the city by assisting the Arts Service Manager by undertaking a review of the current community arts programme and develop a new 3-year Arts Development Strategy for the Arts Service / Ongoing annually
1 May Children’s Arts Festival
Jan 2013 / Uptake of at least 95% of occupancy for the community arts programme and Children’s Arts Festival at ISLAND AC
Integration of Community Arts Plan within new Arts Development Strategy
Service Unit Task / Departmental Objectives to which the Task relates /

Associated Actions

/ Target Date for Actions / How will Progress be Measured
Enhance the cultural image of the City / Through the work of the Department enhance the profile of the City of Lisburn
To contribute to building and fostering cohesion, sharing and integration within the council area. / To develop the Mayor’s Carnival Parade as one of the biggest, most vibrant and culturally diverse event attractions in the City
To connect wider audiences to the City’s festivals to further enhance the City’s profile as a imaginative destination for tourists
To enhance the City’s cultural profile through more informed arts programming / Ongoing annually in May
Ongoing to 30 April 15
Ongoing to 30 April 15 / Coordination and delivery of a quality carnival to showcase community and professional arts in the city
Evaluated annual increase in uptake of the on-line Community Festivals Forum, reviewed annually
Attendance at arts seminars, events and festivals to network on content and marketing drives, reviewed annually
Provide artistic perspectives to urban and rural regeneration initiatives in the City / To contribute to building and fostering cohesion, sharing and integration within the council area. / Support Economic Development staff with a view to enhancing the City’s cultural profile through future events opportunities and public art initiatives and work with appropriate Statutory Agencies and groups to link the arts with environmental improvements in the city e.g. Lisburn City Centre Management LHQ Partnership/Laganbank Quarter etc and through the Economic Development Lisburn City Centre Master- Plan / 1 April 15 / 5 projects actively promoting the cultural use of public spaces and development of public art in the city
Service Unit Task / Departmental Objectives to which the Task relates /

Associated Actions

/ Target Date for Actions / How will Progress be Measured
Enhance positive media interest for the arts in the City / To pro-actively and creatively develop use of services and facilities particularly by identified target groups.
To work in partnership with other Council Departments, other Councils, agencies and social partners in the development and delivery of services. / To undertake customized assessments for community arts based on actual business, industry and market profiles to improve the market reach in the general and multicultural, urban, ethnic markets and new age segments
To undertake public and media relations, promotions, event sponsorship and Good Relations initiatives to build awareness and equity, consumer behaviour, advertising and other creative prospects
To raise the profile of ISLAND AC as an accessible venue
To champion Good Relations and support cultural multiplicity through Peace 3 funding
To exploit ISLAND AC Volunteer Scheme for the voluntary support of community arts events
To assist with the integration of cultural development in the Community Planning and Regeneration processes / 31 Oct 12 / 1 April 13
31 Oct 14 & 1 April 15
Ongoing to 30 April 15
Ongoing to 30 April 15
Ongoing to 30 April 15
Ongoing to 1 April 15
Ongoing to 1 April 15 / 20% year on year measured increases in audience uptake / participation for target audiences
To increase usage of the community arts network on ISLAND AC’s website by 50% to support community arts events at ISLAND AC and other community venues in the City, reviewed annually
Promotion of Disability Charter Mark / Access
100% GR outputs for funded community arts projects, reviewed annually
Enhanced ISLAND Volunteer work at community arts events by 50%, reviewed annually
Develop 10 written case studies in good practice in community arts for the ISLAND AC website
Service Unit Task / Departmental Objectives to which the Task relates /

Associated Actions

/ Target Date for Actions / How will Progress be Measured
Promote arts and culture as a means for positive development, expression and Good Relations in the City / To work in partnership with other Council Departments, other Councils, agencies and social partners in the development and delivery of services / To develop the capacity of
Community organisations to use the arts as a vehicle for social change and encourage the sharing of good practice and innovation in this area