Chester: UK City of Culture Initial Bid – Clarification Questions

1)The new theatre/library is clearly a central part of your bid. Can you please provide [in no more than one page]:

  1. An explanation of the components of this project:

The Vision for Chester Theatre & Library

  • To create a sustainable world-class cultural enterprise where theatre, film and library services co-exist.
  • To become a cultural hub where diverse audiences and artists will connect and make use of the building in many different ways.
  • Provide a cultural destination point welcoming audiences and artists alike.

The project comprises

  • LargeAuditorium – 600/800 seats.
  • Studio & Rehearsal Room – 150 seats.
  • Central Library.
/
  • Foyer – incorporating Box Office / Bars / Dining areas / Sponsors Area.
  • Cinema

The theatre will be large enough to support middle to large scale touring productions as well as seasons of produced work. The stage and auditorium will be suitable for a range of performance types including spoken word, musical theatre, opera, ballet, contemporary dance, comedy, small orchestral concerts, digital and live stream performances.

  1. How much it will cost

The total scheme can be delivered for a project budget of £36.5m

  1. Where you are at in terms of funding, design

The design is currently at RIBA work stage B+, with a range of ground investigations undertaken on the selected site.

Funding of £29.5 million has been secured for the project, leaving a funding gap of £7.4m

  1. The delivery and programme

The site for the theatre has been acquired by the council and it has vacant possession. Demolitions necessary to clear the site will commence in 2013 with construction starting in 2014. The facility will be completed in Summer / Autumn 2016, with a commissioning period leading to the first full season of operation in 2017

  1. What is the risk it will not be ready in time for 2017?

Chester Theatre & Library is this authority’s top priority within the current 10 year capital programme. It represents a core manifesto pledge for the ruling group, but has also secured strong cross party support within the authority. There is an absolute requirement to have construction well underway by the time of the next election in May 2015, with completion in 2016.

2)Similarly, the bid mentions other capital investment (mentioned on page 12) such as public realm, a “newly restored Grosvenor Park” and the creation of a new Grosvenor Museum. Can you explain how much these projects will cost, where you are in terms of funding, design and timetable for delivery?

Infrastructure Investment / Cost / Secured / Status / Delivery
Chester Theatre & Library / £36.9m / £29.5m / RIBA B+ / Autumn 2016
Walls & Towers / £3m / £3m / Complete (RIBA L1) / 2012
The Groves riverside, amphitheatre, St Johns & Roman Garden / £1.48 / £1.48m / Complete (RIBA L1) / 2013
Chester Town Hall / £3m / £3m / Complete (RIBA L1) / 2012
Grosvenor Park restoration / £3m / £3m / On site (RIBA K) / 2014
Lion Salt Works / £9m / £9m / On site (RIBA K) / 2015
Memorial Court Venue / £6m / £6m / Contractor appointed / 2015

A portion of this capital investment reflects the commitment and spend that was levered by Chester’s initial bid for City of Culture 2013.

The total capital programme is £62.38m with a funding gap of £7.4m. This gap exceeds that of £5m reported in the bid document, and is due to revised schedules of cost within the Theatre and library project

In addition to the capital programme, we are undertaking a rolling programme of museum gallery refurbishment and upgrade in partnership with Arts Council England and the Renaissance Museums Strategic Grants initiative. This will result In significant enhancement of the visitor experience between 2012 and 2017. £100k was secured for 2012/13 and £297k for 2013/14.

The creation of a new Grosvenor Museum is intended to be one of the legacy benefits from City of Culture 2017. This £9m scheme will result in the provision of 3 new gallery spaces, improved entrance and visitor facilities, new education spaces and additional refurbishment to the original galleries. The project is at RIBA B with a fundraising strategy in place. (Note: the costs of this scheme are not included in the £60m capital estimate given in Part C3 Q8 of the bid document).

3)Your area: the bid is focussed on the city of Chester but includes the wider hinterland.

  1. Can you confirm which of the data and statistics used in the bid refer to Chester or the wider Chester and West Cheshire area (e.g. on page 13)?

Data in the bid is drawn from a variety of sources, and reflects different geographies.

Audience reach data (Part B1 Q1) is based on drive times of 15, 30 and 45 minutes from Chester City Centre

Source: CACI Ltd.

The baseline position of 650,000 participating in cultural activities(Part B4 Q18) is derived from returns provided by cultural partners and funded organisations as part of their grant and contractual commitments. The baseline relates to activities across Cheshire West, but is heavily weighted in favour of Chester, due to the majority of funded cultural activity being centred on the city.

The target of creating 5,000 new jobs and attracting £500m of private sector investment (Part B4 Q18) is borough and economy wide. However, the authority’s economic growth strategy “Altogether Better for Business: An Economic Growth Strategy for West Cheshire 2013 – 2018” identifies culture as a key driver for economic change. The strategy identifies the visitor economy as a major element of the local economic base, with the City of Chester acting as the commercial and tourism centre.

The focus of the social impact outcomes (Part B4 Q17)is derived from the authorities national community budgeting pilot “All Together Better”. The statistics given are borough wide. The figures are currently being disaggregated to locality level and neighbourhood responses designed accordingly.Cultural services are fully engaged in this process.

The tourism baseline and targets (Part B6 Q26) are taken from the annual STEAM survey. Since 2008, this survey has been conducted on a borough wide basis.

2006 - £588.6m (Chester City Council)

2007 - £649.1m (Chester City Council)

2008 - £1121.7m (cwac)

2009 - £1159m (cwac)

2010 - £1225.5m (cwac)

2011 - £1,290m (cwac)

2012 – available soon

  1. There is mention of Tatton Park and other locations which are in Cheshire but not the CWAC area. How would these venues, if at all, be used and how would you ensure access to them?

We are engaging with venues in the surrounding area with a view to developing the depth and scope of the cultural programme, providing elements of these ‘out of area’ activities within the core programme and encouraging visitors to City of Culture to explore further afield as part of their visit.

Examples of these potential relationships include:

  • Tatton Park with the established Tatton Biennial and RHS flower show
  • Jodrell Bank observatory with a proposed Science Festival
  • Blinc digital festival in Conwy
  • Theatre Clywyd in Mold

The current intention is to ‘import’ content from these locations and signpost visitors to them. We are also open to these locations having a greater engagement with City of Culture, perhaps acting as satellite venues.

  1. The bid mentions connecting with your wider hinterland (including Wales). What elements of the bid are intended to connect with this hinterland and what steps have you taken so far to explore links with north Wales?

We are classifying this hinterland in four categories:

  • Major population centres in Cheshire West and Chester, specifically Ellesmere Port and the Weaver Valley (Northwich and Winsford), where satellite City of Culture activity will be based around the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port Civic Hall and John Prescott Theatre, Memorial court Northwich and Winsford Lifestyle Centre. The intention is to provide access to quality cultural content in areas that have traditionally been under represented.
  • Market towns and rural hinterland within Cheshire West and Chester, including the canal and river corridors, where the focus will be on community driven and young peoples activity (including formal educational programmes). The intention is to utilise the existing cultural infrastructure of amateur groups rural touring networks, library branches and green infrastructure.
  • The historic county of Cheshire, including Cheshire East, Wirral, Warrington, Halton and potentially Tameside. The intention is to use existing cultural networks and develop new initiatives to extend the reach of the city of Culture brand and programme into these areas. The Cheshire Museums Partnership involves museums from across this geography and is led by Cheshire West Museums Service and Cheshire Archives and Local Studies also delivers archive services to Halton, Warrington and Cheshire East.We are keen for cultural partners to benefit from City of Culture activity, but are especially interested in attracting residents from these areas to visit Chester as the hub of City of Culture Activity.
  • North Wales, extending from the borough of Wrexham to Anglesey and Aberystwyth. For areas in proximity to Chester – Wrexham and Mold - the intention is to provide satellite City of Culture activity as I other population centres I Cheshire West. The intention for the wider area is to provide access to market for the very strong visual arts and maker communities.

Historically, Chester has played a significant role as the administrative, commercial and cultural focus for North Wales, with a reach to Llandrindod Wells, Aberystwyth, Anglesey and the North Wales coast. By the mid 20th century, the relationship had consolidated around Chester as a commercial and retail centre. However, in recent years, the loss of competitive position by Chester has further weakened these relationships.

The intention is to utilise and strengthen existing cultural relationships, using the City of Culture as a vehicle to strengthen the association between Chester and North Wales.

  • We intend to strengthen links with Theatre Clywyd (Mold), Mostyn (Llandudno) WCC (Ruthin), MoMA Wales (Machynlleth) and others.
  • North Wales is home to a very large number of visual artists, crafts practitioners and other makers. We intend to offer these artists a route to market, not only for the duration of the city of Culture, but also for the longer term. Many of these practitioners already participate in the Chainlinks artists network run by Cheshire West.

4)Practitioners (p10): how many of these partners have been contacts and expressed an interest in participating? Or are they just examples of potential partners at this stage?

The table on page 10 is illustrative of the range and significance of the partners envisaged for the City of Culture programme

The table below provides an analysis of recent partner engagement at regional national and international level, together with an initial assessment of the additional partnerships to be developed for 2017. The scale of existing relationships suggests that the range and significance of partners sought is not unreasonable.

Organisation / Current / Recent Engagement / Aspirational
Local Artists / Organisations (Northwest Region) / Liverpool Philharmonic / Currently involved in CP Chester Music Festival
Manchester Camerata / Currently involved in CP Chester Music Festival / Potential for Chester to be the 'second home' for Manchester Camerata.
Stephen Broadbent - Public Artist / Has had Public Art commissions in the past, including in Ellesmere Port and Chester.
Russell Kirk - Visual Artist / Currently works with CW&C Arts and Festivals Team, delivers the Midsummer and Midwinter parades and associated workshops and national links as well as St George's Day celebrations and lantern parades across the borough
Kajal Sharma - Kathak Indian Dance guru / Worked with CW&C Arts and Festivals Team to deliver community dance work for Chester Christmas celebrations 2012
Rafael Braga Araujo - Contra-Mestre Piolho, Capoeira / Working with Cheshire Dance to deliver young people sessions
Axis (MMU) / CRTA partner Axis in the Cutting Hedge element of their programme
Francis Cook - MD Halle Choir / Currently directs the Chester Music Festival Chorus / Potential for her to be involved in the voices festival element of the programme.
Fact, Liverpool / Worked with CP on various project including Up the Wall and Screen Deva
The Unity Theatre, Liverpool / ATT work with Unity to collaborate on theatre pieces this year is Pied Piper
Manchester International Festival / CW&C would explore the potential of involvement or programming relationship
Homotopia / ATT have had initial discussion but would want to explore a youth LGBT project
Kaya Herstad Carney - Musician and Vocal expert / Works with the University of Chester and links to the Chester fringe pilot / Potential link to Voice Festival and Chester Music Fringe
Contact Theatre / ATT
Fact / Future Everything / ATT
Andy McKeown - Digital / New Media Artist / Commissioned by CW&C and CP for projects / Potential for commission in connection with our digital mapping strand
National Artists / Organisations / Globe Theatre / CP - current pool of artists used in Grosvenor Open Air Theatre include those with strong links to Globe and RSC. In addition CP would look to create programming links.
RSC
Richard Woods - Public Artist born in Chester / Potential
Walk the Plank / Collaboration with Cheshire Dance to deliver the 'The Moment When' 2012 Olympic Celebration Community Dance Event
Gordon Young - Public Artist / Lead artist for CW&C within regeneration area of Neston / We aspire to work with leading artists in the public realm building on our current work
David Cotterall - Public Artist / Lead artist for CW&C within regeneration area of Chester
Studio Weave - Public Art and Architecture / Lead artist for CW&C within regeneration area of Ellesmere Port
Katayoun Dowlatshahi - Public Artist / Lead artist for CW&C within regeneration area of Northwich
Nayan Kulkarni - Public Artist / Developed the Hryre lighting artwork with CW&C regeneration. Is currently working on the Gore Stacks redevelopment in Chester.
Janet Hodgson - Public Artist / Currently working as a curator for a project within the Odeon building in Chester
CandoCo - Integrated Dance Company / Previous relationship with CandoCo / Cheshire Dance as part of a potential integrated dance project for 2017
Theatre Hullabaloo / Worked with ATT in 2010 and 2012 to produce an opera for children and young people
V&A / Relationship with the Museum Service / Museums have an excellent relationship with a range of local and national museums for collection loans and outreach
Tate / Relationship with the Museum Service
British Museum / Relationship with the Museum Service
National Gallery / Relationship with the Museum Service
Richard Alston Company / Cheshire Dance worked with RAC to support their winter CPD lab
Spot On / Partner with CRTA in delivering the Rural Touring schemes in Cheshire and Lancashire
No of directors, writers and actors. / Including Alex Clifton, Nikolai Foster, Glyn Maxwell have worked with Grosvenor Open Air Theatre over the past 3 years
No of poets, writers and broadcasters. / Including John Hegley, David Mitchell have performed at Chester Literature Festival
No of notable music performers / Including Yijie Shi, Penguin Cafe, Vilde Frange have performed at Chester Music Festival
No of professional performing orgs / Including Blaize Theatre, Relative Pitch Opera, Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company have been engaged to perform with CRTA
As part of our International Cultural exchange strand of the programme we will look to partner with a minimum of 10 organisations from around the world.
International Artists / Organisations / Gabrieli Consort / CP
Verbier Festival / CP
International Kamer Music Festival / CP
Oberammergau, Germany / The Mystery Plays will explore a relationship with the renowned German Plays
DanceAbility, USA / Potential for Cheshire Dance to collaborate on a Pathways site specifc dance project for 2017
Body Cartography (USA) / Collaboration with Cheshire Dance on the Station Stationary dance event at Crewe Station celebrating Cheshire's Year of Gardens 2008
Steve Paxton (USA) / Cheshire Dance
Stepping Stones (USA) / ATT working with on young writers exchange - current / ATT partnership performances made through digital and virtual exchange.
Canberra Youth Theatre (Australia) / ATT project involving site specific mini-plays streamed live from Australia - current / ATT partnership performances made through digital and virtual exchange.
Vulavulani (South Africa) / Supported independant artist Sizwe Vilakazi who developed a one man show with ATT in 2010.

5)Baseline (p13): are the jobs figures quoted before the impact of UK CoC in 2017?

The jobs figure of 5,000 is the target for additional jobs given in the authority’s economic growth strategy “Altogether Better for Business: An Economic Growth Strategy for West Cheshire 2013 – 2018”.

The strategy identifies the visitor economy as a major element of the local economic base, and the authority recognises the synergies between culture, the strength of the retail offer in Chesterand the development of the visitor economy.

6)Tourism impacts: it is not clear whether the impacts shown for 2017 are before or after the impact of UK CoC.

  1. If the latter what is the expected additional impact of being UK CoC by 2017?

For the years 2008 to 20011 STEAM data shows the visitor economy growing at an average of 4.7% a year. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these figures may be overstated.

  • Larger hotels in Chester have reported that they have reduced staffing levels over the last 4 years.
  • Whilst occupancy levels have been constant, factors such as the increase in bed numbers (new hotels opening) and heavy discounting have impacted on profitability.

Achieving an increase of 15% on the 2011 base (equivalent to an increase of 32% on the 2008 base will require an annualised average growth rate of 2.5% from 2011 (or 3.6% from 2008).

Our judgement is that the intrinsic growth potential of the tourism sector in the current economic climate is 1% – 1.5% per annum. We believe that the 15% growth target is achievable as a consequence of City of Culture activity, and would result in an additional impact of between 6% and 9% on the 2011 base

  1. Does the annual visitor spend include day visitors?

Yes.

Historically, Chester has been a significant destination for the coach market. The current emphasis for tourism in Chester is to move away from this market and attract more independent and more affluent visitors. The integration of the cultural, retail and visitor offer is particularly valuable in this respect.