ACGB and Arts Centres
Although the flowering of the Arts Centre movement did not occur until the late 1960s, as early as 1945the ACGB published a pamphlet:Plans for an Arts Centre. Its purpose was to show how a ‘medium sized town’ (population 15,000-30,000)—where it was not economically viable to have a separate theatre, art gallery, concert hall—might make provision for the arts. In terms of size, this publication acknowledged the need for something in between the village hall and the Albert Hall, a building which would ‘accommodate the local amateur as well as the visiting professional’. Includedwere architectural plans for an all-purpose Arts Centre, as well as guidelines for future development.
The importance of the Arts Centre was recognized by the ACGB with the establishment of the ‘Arts Centres Sub-Committee’ in 1973, under the aegis of the Regional Department. The sub-committee remained with the Regional Department, as part of Combined Arts from 1979, until 1981 when Arts Centres became the responsibility of the ‘Community Arts Committee’. The Combined Arts section was disbanded in 1988, when its clients were devolved to the regions.The series which contain material on Arts Centres are, therefore, those concerned with the Regional Department and the Combined Arts Section.
Although throughout its existence the ACGB funded a range of Arts Centres, from the Beaford Arts Centre in rural Devon to the flagship South Bank Centre in London, the Arts Centre suffered from the same stigma as its near relation, Community Arts. Both Arts Centres and Community Arts projects involved amateurs as well as professionals, and did not restrict themselves to one art form—thus earning continued scrutiny from the ACGB. As part of the administrative re-organisation in 1980, a more rigorous assessment structure for Arts Centres was introduced (see Arts Centre Assessment diagram which accompanies this report).
Researchers should note that while the larger Arts Centres—such as the Riverside, South Hill Park, Cannon Hill (the MAC)—have named files, information on many smaller Arts Centres is contained with the files of their Regional Arts Association/Board.
Series, and files, which the researcher may find particularly useful, are:
Policy and External Relations Division: 1942-1996
Policy and Planning Unit 1950-1996
ACGB/103Regional Development Department, 1955-1987
ACGB/103/6Regional Arts Centres 1982-85
(Including responses to the reportGlory of the Garden)
ACGB/103/13National Association of Arts Centres 1980-87
ACGB/103/46Arts Centres: Development and Funding 1968-76
ACGB/103/125Regional Arts Centres 1983-87
ACGB/103/135Arts Centres in the Regions: Evaluations and Discussion 1974-81
ACGB/103/174Regional Arts Centres 1972-75
ACGB/103/181Regional Arts Centres1980-86
ACGB/113Combined Arts, Community Arts and Art Centres 1970-1986
ACGB/113/70Arts Centres Working Group 1973-76
Policy and External Relations Division: 1942-1996
Policy and Planning Unit 1950-1996
ACGB/103Regional Development Department, 1955-1987
ACGB/103/33Cannon Hill Trust / Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)
1967-69/1980
ACGB/103/85SouthHillPark Arts Centre, Berkshire1969-74
ACGB/103/91Cannon Hill Trust / Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) 1971-74
ACGB/103/119SouthHillParkArts Centre, Berkshire1978
ACGB/103/130Cannon Hill Arts Trust / Midlands Arts Centre ( MAC)
1983-84
ACGB/103/145Cannon Hill Arts Trust / Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)
1986-87
ACGB/103/161SouthHillPark Arts Centre, Berkshire 1985
ACGB/103/166Cannon Hill Arts Trust / Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)
1984-86
ACGB/103/177Cannon Hill Arts Trust / Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)
1975-77
ACGB/103/218Cannon Hill Trust / Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) 1960-83
ACGB/113Combined Arts, Community Arts and Arts Centres 1970-
1986
ACGB/113/31SouthHillPark Arts Centre 1981
ACGB/113/47Cannon Hill 1979-81
ACGB/113/53SouthHillPark1980-82