Arts Strategy 2007-11

A Strategy for the Arts in

Barrow-in-Furness

2007-11

Introduction

Barrow-in-Furness has an exceptionally rich and diverse arts

sector…It is home to artists and arts organisations of international

standing …



The arts play a special role in the lives of the people who live and

work in the borough…

They offer vitality and inspiration to a community in transition, expressing

the unique identity and heritage of the borough while investing vision,

aspiration and potential into its future. They encourage cultural

engagement, underpin social integration and sponsor economic

growth.







In short, the arts in Barrow already make a leading contribution towards

the creation of a place that is contemporary, vibrant, confident and

attractive.









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This document sets out to do two things:







First it is designed to raise awareness of this contribution…

including the assets and huge potential of the arts in Barrow – particularly in the public

domain, and with members of the local business community and those involved in local

government and policymaking.







Secondly it aims to provide a plan for development …

which makes clear what needs to be done not just to maintain this contribution but to

maximise it. What are the key local issues and needs should be addressed within the

emerging regional and county-wide framework for cultural development? In other words:







…what is required to enable the arts in Barrow-in-Furness to

flourish over the next 5 to 10 years?









3

This Strategy‟s key recommendations for taking forward the arts in Barrow

Borough over the next decade are rooted in research which highlights the need to …







recognise and support the pivotal role of home-grown professional arts

organisations in maintaining and growing the arts in Barrow…



improve the visibility, status and profile of the borough‟s arts community and what it

offers…



specify and promote the uniqueness of Barrow‟s arts offer in the wider regional

context…



nurture, attract and retain new talent …



develop participation and extend impacts…



take the arts out into public space…



invest in making a robust and coherent case for the arts









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what do the arts do?









5

ENRICHMENT



QUALITY OF LIFE

Social inclusion









Community

identity



Education









Social capital





Enhanced

environment





Crime reduction









Health





Economic

regeneration









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Arts in Policy

At one level, we hardly need to make a case for the arts in this document. This has been

done in a plethora of reports, studies and evaluation materials, stressing and illustrating

their value, and is now reflected in wider strategic thinking on economic development and

social cohesion in particular.





‘The cluster of creative industries in the North West is the UK’s second biggest outside London

and the South East. The sector is growing at around 5% per year, twice that of the rest of the

economy. The symbolic value of creative industries has significant implications for image,

tourism and inward investment. They help re-imagine the region’s future as a place for

innovation, investment, risk and diversity and serve as a model for the transformation of the

region. They are also a key ingredient for any successful knowledge-driven economy’



(Andy Lovatt, ex Head of Creative Industries, North West Regional Development Agency)



The arts can support the creative and personal development of excluded individuals. At a

community level they can bring people together, promoting neighbourhood renewal and cultural

citizenship. Working in partnership with other sectors – such as the criminal justice system,

health and education – the arts can make a valuable contribution to combating exclusion.



(New Audiences for the Arts, Arts Council England)









Arts as Public Good

But while the ancillary or „instrumental‟ benefits of the arts are crucial to the current

relationship between policy makers and the sector, the equally important cultural

contribution of the arts is often underplayed or misunderstood. It is this dimension which

underpins the often referred to but rarely explained notion „quality of life‟ in strategic

pronouncements about the importance of the arts and culture.



The cultural value of the arts refers to enrichment - of individuals, communities and

societies. Every day we experience the vital nature of creative engagement and

expression to human existence, whether it‟s through watching a film, reading a book,

listening to music, looking at a painting, seeing images in posters or adverts.



The arts provoke, challenge, entertain, inform, absorb, enable and inspire. They offer

opportunities for self-discovery, confidence building and the negotiation of identities.

They provide a medium for questioning, understanding and achievement, and for the

raising of both individual and collective aspirations. In short, the arts are a public good in

their own right, and a fundamental component of the civic process in a liberal,

democratic society.









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the arts in barrow









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Our definition here includes theatre, music, dance, literature, the visual and digital arts

and media and encompasses the voluntary arts sector as well as professional artists and

arts organisations. In each of these dimensions there is much to see, experience and do

in Barrow Borough. Here, we briefly assess the current infrastructure, culture and profile

of the arts in Barrow, identifying some of the factors that make them stand out both

within the borough and beyond.







Profile and Infrastructure

Barrow was recognised as the North West‟s first Star Cultural Turn by the Cultural

Consortium of England‟s North West in 2005. This acknowledged the borough as a model

for arts development and for demonstrating the value of the cultural sector in economic

terms. Culture Northwest cited five professional arts organisations‟ work and the support

given to them by the Borough Council as the basis for its decision.



The capacities and contributions of these leading light organisations, along with those of

other key contributors to the arts scene in Barrow Borough, are summarised in the panels

below. These reflect Barrow‟s astonishingly rich and diverse resources in the arts. They

also indicate the complexity of the arts sector, which raises a challenge to coherence and

balancing of needs across the sector



The quality, profile and leadership of Barrow‟s professional arts organisations is

fundamentally important to the future development of the Borough‟s arts sector. They are

flagships of innovation and experimentation, and role models of experience and success.

But, at the same time, care should be taken not to overlook the contributions - both

current and potential - of individual and emerging artists to the vibrancy, creativity and

culture of Barrow‟s arts scene. Nor should the popularity and reach of the „amateur‟ arts

groups be underestimated.









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The arts scene in Barrow Borough – „star turn‟ organisations



Art Gene – an ongoing experimental arts research project established in 2002 by artists Stuart Bastik

and Maddi Nicholson. Art Gene has turned an unused derelict listed building and an idea into a vibrant

and unique (Inter-) national Contemporary Art Research Facility and Gallery for people who wish to

develop their practice in a challenging and inspiring context; one where practice can be explored, art

challenged and ideas exchanged and tested.



The Research Residency Programme attracts around a hundred applications annually. Since 2002 sixty

artists from Japan, Finland, UK, Canada, Colombia, Germany, France and Greece have spent periods in

residence or have exhibited at Art Gene.





The Ashton Group – a new writing theatre company which commissions and produces new plays for

national touring and creates a wide range of participatory theatre projects in the local community. Since

its formation in 1997 up to 2006 The Ashton Group has commissioned 23 new plays, provided 209

contracts for artists and technicians (many of whom are local), 14 placements and put £628,900 back

into the local economy, whilst also training and developing local talent.





Barracudas – are one of the country‟s leading contemporary carnival arts organisations. Barracudas

Carnival Band has been performing since 1988 and now tours regularly throughout Britain at events such

as the Glasgow Festival, Manchester Pride, Liverpool International Carnival, as well as local Cumbrian

carnivals. The organisation has gained a reputation for its exciting visual performance and now passes on

its skills to others from master-classes for professional groups such as Coventry Belgrade Theatre to

training workshops for rural community groups.



Artistic Director, Julie Hammerton has studied – and has links with - carnival around the world; in 2005

she became an Arts Council Fellow for her six-week placement in Brazil.





Barrow Borough Council for the strategic support it has given to the emerging creative industry

infrastructure in the borough. Working in partnership with Arts Council England North West and Cumbria

County Council the borough council contributes in the region of £60,000 per annum to the creative

industries. The creative industries in turn attract match funding of 7 to 1 for agreed programmes of work.

The ACE North West investment in the arts in Barrow Borough for 2004/06 is £466,219.





Dance Resource Ltd (DARE) – based at Furness College, the company is an artist-led initiative delivering

dance development through projects at both community and professional level. Now well established as

a leading force within the County, DARE is seeking to increase its own capacity as a professional

producing dance company, working with art forms including dance, sound and lighting. DARE has led

over 1,500 dance workshops and offered 35 contracts or employment to 35 dance artists from around

the UK.





Shoreline Films – Barrow‟s award-winning film production company and digital video facility is committed

to developing and maintaining a thriving film culture in Cumbria. Since 2002 it has provided open-

access, state of the art training for the people of Barrow Borough, the Furness peninsula and beyond,

building up an excellent track record, locally and regionally, both as a provider of professional training

and also access to production. It is now the selected provider in Cumbria for Access to Film Production

for the UK Film Council in England‟s North West, Cumbria Learning Skills Centre trainers and the

nominated Cumbrian partners of industry training providers, Media Training North West.



Shoreline‟s feature film, Frozen, was released at cinemas across the UK in January 2005 and has won 11

major international film festival awards, including the Scottish BAFTA for its lead actress, Shirley

Henderson. The company‟s most recent production projects include a one-hour documentary about the

death of 23 Chinese cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay, which has been commissioned by Channel Four.









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The arts scene in Barrow Borough – other key contributors



Hands On Rhythm - is a creative music company that specialises in music workshops and training, writing

and recording soundtracks, interactive sound installations, making percussion instruments and

performance. They deliver the Boom Dang Project in Barrow which enables young people to gain

drumming skills and to perform for audiences nationally and internationally.



Canteen Arts & Media Centre – a new alternative multi-purpose venue in Barrow Island owned and run by

Northern Riviera Productions, who offer film production services to the corporate sector. The Centre aims

to run contemporary events which help to „put Barrow back on the map‟. There‟s a main hall with a bar

area which has hosted music events plus a range of spaces for artists, creative practitioners and

organisations. The ambition is for it to become a dedicated media centre, with project ideas including the

Canteen Film Project (not for profit cinema) and Barrow film Festival.





Chromazone – an artist-led initiative offering mutual support, help and guidance to local contemporary

artists. Its aim is to create an environment where facilities and resources are freely available or

affordable to artists and help to find exhibition and selling opportunities. There are currently 15 members

from across the borough and further afield.





forum twenty eight – acts as a greenhouse for arts development. The Local Authority owned and

managed venue is currently being re-furbished and offers a year-round, eclectic mix of mainstream arts

and media performances through to more experimental work and work produced by locally-based groups

from the both the borough and wider Furness.





Music Factory – is part of the Borough Council‟s directly managed music development programme and is

based at forum twenty eight. Funded by Youth Music the project is teaching children and young people to

play music of their choice whilst building the capacity of local musicians to work professionally.





Up & Comin‟ – is part of the Borough Council‟s directly managed music development programme.

Supported by Soundwave (the Cumbria Youth Music Action Zone) .The project delivers „out of hours

activity‟ in six secondary schools in the borough. The purpose of the project is to enable young people to

form or further develop bands which are then supported to perform at under 18‟s nights at forum twenty

eight. The project also enables local musicians to develop their capacity to work professionally.





Amateur dramatic societies – the borough has a strong and vibrant tradition of voluntary and amateur

arts, including 5 formally constituted societies and 3 junior societies, which together comprise 300 active

members. The full voluntary sector network, including families, friends and regular audiences members,

possibly reaches out to more than 1,500 people.





Freelance artists – Barrow hosts a diverse and dynamic community of freelance artists, attracted by the

borough‟s unique setting and a culture that sponsors experimentation and interaction. The freelance

sector in Barrow embraces a range of art forms and applications, offering skills and experience to local

organisations and further afield.

Arts in education – many one-off and ongoing projects take place in local schools. Dowdales School,

which hosts the Furness Music Centre, has performing arts status and Furness College runs performing

arts courses.









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Defining Qualities, Distinguishing Characteristics





When people try to distil the essential and distinguishing qualities of the borough‟s arts

sector, the context of an isolated community - physically, economically, socially – looms

large. In Barrow this context is a vital catalyst in driving the approach of the arts

community and defining its relationships with the outside world. The unique combination

of place, attitude, ambition and application is key to local arts sector‟s achievements.









What characterises the arts sector in Barrow?



 Passion and commitment to both the arts and to the place

 Collective energy and ambition

 Diversity and accessibility

 High quality standards in artistic practice and in training

 Excellence in technology within the fabric of environment and place

 Rooted in the community but with international and national audiences and profile

 Isolation – a community within a community and physical isolation too -

sponsoring self reliance and a strong sense of identity

 A unique landscape, acting as a medium for creative expression, providing a

rawness that fuels the creative process.







What sets the arts in Barrow apart from the rest of the region?





 Home-grown and organic

 International figureheads

 Adventurous and pioneering

 Enterprising and entrepreneurial by necessity and desire. Role models used to

inspire broader business development

 Younger artists

 Good spread of creative organisations and individuals – performing arts, visual

arts, film and media

 Growth of film and new media

 Rate of job creation high









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Connections



Arts organisations and artists in Barrow provide a bridge to the outside world literally and

imaginatively. They reach out, they bring people in, they „export‟, they connect with and

influence cultural trends nationally and internationally, they reflect the place they come

from and they bring back new ideas and confidence.



Barrow has a culture of doing things for itself. It has an administrative relationship with

Cumbria but a more natural affinity with the wider North West, particularly the cities of

Manchester and Liverpool. Some recent reports have suggested that the arts in Barrow

need to form more regional and national partnerships but our research clearly shows that

the links regionally, nationally and locally are extensive and meaningful. These links

ensure that the physical isolation, which the borough, its artists and wider community

clearly experience, is counter-balanced by rich networks of cultural dialogue and

intellectual exchange.



At the same time, the foundations of these networks and relationships are perhaps not

as strong as they might be, with some being under-exploited and others having dissipated

over time. The borough has yet to fully capitalise upon the collective importance of these

connections and collaborations so that there is limited knowledge of their importance

and potential. Evidently, the changing context of the region‟s cultural profile, exemplified

in the BBC‟s planned move to Manchester, developments in Higher Education, and a

strategic emphasis on the regenerative power of the creative industries and the

internationalisation of cultural markets, suggest that action is required to address this

issue.





Map of some of Barrow‟s wider arts links to be inserted here:



Barracudas – Nottingham, Luton, London, Kingston, Jamaica, Kendal,

Workington, Oldham, Glasgow, Gretna, Manchester, Coventry

Ashton Group – Manchester, Leeds, Lancaster, Huddersfield, London

ArtGene – Manchester, Lancaster, London, Japan, Canada, Finland,

Columbia

Shoreline Films – London, Hollywood, Morecambe, Keswick

Boom Dang – North East, Yorkshire, Brussels, Belfast

DARE – London, Liverpool, Manchester









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Culture and Prospect



There is a genuine and deeply-felt passion for arts work in Barrow, by those who practise

it, those who experience it, and those who fund it. Many in the borough have worked hard

to establish Barrow as a successful, dynamic and creative centre for the arts, able to

attract and keep high quality artists and arts organisations while forging strong

relationships with diverse groups of local people. Crucially the arts in Barrow have

benefited from the moral and financial support from its champions and from the Borough

and County Councils, which has been both consistent and strong.



But while Barrow is a remarkable place, offering a special environment in which artists

can experiment and explore the role the arts play in revealing people and place,

complacency is not an option. Many other urban centres cities, nationally and regionally,

are forging ahead with the creation of cultural quarters and clusters, placing the arts at

the heart of regeneration and branding themselves as centres of excellence for creative

work.



In its artists and people - their experience and commitment – with its unique spaces and

architectural heritage, and through its substantial inward investment capacity, Barrow

has the raw material to meet the competitive challenges implied by this trend. But if

these are to materialise into a successful and sustainable response development must

be focused and prioritised in ways which enable the arts to play their fullest and most

effective role.









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the arts in strategic context









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The arts are crucial to delivering the aims of the organisations and agencies that are

charged with planning the future for Barrow Borough. The cross-cutting contribution by

the arts has not yet been fully explored or expressed and, therefore, the arts in Barrow do

not benefit from the level and depth of understanding which could bring them to the

forefront of community development.





Links to the Community Plan



The key local document in this context is The Community Plan for Barrow Borough (draft

June 2006), which sets out a vision for the future of Barrow. Created and managed by the

Furness Partnership, which is the Local Strategic Partnership for the borough, it is this

document that defines the priorities and guiding principles for community development.



The Community Plan sets out seven priority issues, targeting jobs, education, health,

crime, housing, the environment and neighbourhood renewal, which must be addressed

in order to achieve its vision of Barrow Borough becoming „recognised, both by local

people and by those outside the area, as a prosperous, pleasant, healthy and safe place

to live and work‟. These are underpinned by four guiding principles, which stress the

particular needs of young people, the importance of equality and diversity, the need to

engage and consult with local people, and the need for sustainable development.



Here we set out how the arts can make, and in some case are already making, an

important contribution in each of the seven priority areas. Links between this strategy

and other key local, regional and national documents are detailed in Appendix 1.





Priority 1: More and better jobs for local people

o The cultural sector is the most dynamic component of the national economy, and

they produce and attract creative, entrepreneurial people



o In 2004/05 the cultural sector contributed over £7 million to the Cumbrian

economy, attracting 1.1 million people as audiences for events and productions



o The cultural sector in Cumbria employs more than 34,000 people





Priority 2: Better education at all levels



o Arts in education can generate intellectual, personal and social development by

sponsoring self-awareness, self-confidence and interest in others



o The arts offer routes into education for people with different learning styles and

capacities



o Enrichment programmes and creative activities in schools have been shown to

have transferable benefits for learning in other subject areas and to be linked to

exam success





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Priority 3: Improved health for people living in the area

o People who attend or participate in arts activities are more likely to report good

general health than those who do not engage with the arts



o There is clear evidence that arts interventions can achieve positive impacts on

clinical health outcomes



o By developing communication skills, fostering self-expression, reducing anxiety,

and promoting inclusion the arts have been shown to improve mental health





Priority 4: Reduced crime and fear of crime

o There is a large body of evidence suggesting that arts interventions in custodial

and community settings can be effective in challenging and reducing offending

behaviour



o Arts-based resettlement programmes have had notable success in encouraging

ex-offenders into training and employment



o By facilitating community involvement and promoting social inclusion, arts projects

can foster tolerance and mutual understanding, thereby increasing feelings of

safety





Priority 5: High standards of housing

o Artists and designers can make an important contribution to the planning and

fabrication of new, high quality residential developments, and to the renovation

and diversification of existing housing stocks





Priority 6: A more pleasant environment to live in

o High quality art and architecture in the public realm can create spaces and places

of interest, distinction and value





Priority 7: Help for those areas in greatest need through Neighbourhood

Renewal

o By facilitating consultation and partnership between local people and public

agencies, arts projects can play an important role in the regeneration process



o As an effective medium for getting people involved in community activities,

local arts projects can help build organisational skills and capacity



o Participation in community arts projects can help develop local identity and

belonging, giving pride to marginalised groups and making people feel better

about where they live





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Links to other key local, regional and national documents1



LOCAL



West Lakes

Renaissance Urban Design

Sport & Physical Business Plan Framework &

Activity Strategy Barrow-in-Furness

Waterfront Masterplan









Barrow Arts Strategy



Sustainable

Cumbria Cumbria

Cumbria

Vision Cultural

Cumbria

Strategic Strategy

Strategic

Plan

Partnership





COUNTY

Regional Cultural

Economic Strategy for

Strategy England‟s

North West

REGION



Arts Council England

Framework







NATIONAL



1 These links are explained in Appendix 1





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strategic development









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Vision



The arts will be central to recreating Barrow Borough as a place

where young people want to stay, return to, and invest in the future

of their community, where there is the widest possible range of

cultural opportunities for all types of people, and in which the

leading role of artists and their organisations in regeneration and

renewal is properly recognised and supported.





Aims



o DYNAMIC, SUSTAINABLE, VALUED

To create a context and environment which provides recognition,

sustainability and growth for excellence in the arts so that the sector can

thrive and not merely survive



o EMBODIED IN THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY



To ensure that the arts are at the heart of all new physical and

infrastructural developments in Barrow Borough, and that the adventurous,

pioneering spirit of the borough‟s arts community is encouraged and

captured in this process



o EXCITING, ENGAGING, RELEVANT



To effectively connect with and respond to local audiences, making the most

of opportunities to boost attendance and attract new participants



o INTEGRATED WITH CORE AGENDAS



To build and maintain strong links between the arts and other sectors

(children and young people, jobs, health, crime and community safety)

enabling each to contribute coherently and dynamically to the other‟s

agendas









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Priority Issues and Objectives for the Arts





The research and consultation process informing the development of this document

revealed a number of priority issues which must be addressed if we are to deliver the

vision and aims of the strategy. Here we review these issues and proposed action areas -

strategic objectives - required to tackle them.









o Issue One: the needs of the professional arts organisations

The home grown professional arts organisations in Barrow are central to achieving this

strategy‟s vision. They have many issues in common whilst also having very particular

individual needs. Both must be addressed if they are to continue to play their vital role in

the borough‟s cultural life. All are over-stretched, need to build capacity and face funding

challenges. Some have issues over workspaces which are low quality and unfit for

purpose. At the same time they have ideas for developments which will raise their game,

profile, and the range and quality of the work they do.



We must ensure these organisation are not taken for granted but recognised as a key

asset which promises substantial and lasting returns on investment, because what

currently exists and has been achieved up to this point is just the tip of the iceberg. As

they continue to commit to providing the year-round programme of activity to which the

borough has become accustomed, they also require room to breathe as organisations

and individual practitioners. This will ensure that they can sustain a pioneering and

forward-thinking focus, providing inspiration to new generations of artists.









o Strategic Objective One: sustaining a thriving professional arts

core

To enable the existing professional arts organisations to thrive not just survive we will

need to:

1. Recognise and help to address revenue needs to enable them to deliver with

confidence and develop new areas of work

2. Recognise and support three of each of the key organisations‟ priority development

plans

3. Create opportunities for ideas and energy to be shared between the professional and

voluntary arts sectors and between the “recognised” arts organisations and others

practising in the Borough

4. Address issues relating to quality and location of workspace

5. Provide opportunities for professional development and review to encourage

experimentation and innovation



*******









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o Issue Two: the lack of an obvious presence

Throughout the research and consultation phase of this strategy it was noted that the

arts organisations have a low profile in the borough. There is no clear focus, no physical

indication that they exist and no co-ordinated and consistent marketing and PR campaign

to ensure they are kept at the forefront of people‟s minds – stakeholders, local

population and visitors. Likewise, both those who regularly attend or take part in the arts

and those who rarely participate felt that not enough information about events and

opportunities was available, that advertising and promotion could be more widespread

and assertive.



It is notable that Barrow has fewer outdoor events and festivals with an arts element of

focus than many comparable towns. Whilst this may be put down to lack of funding, the

economic benefits of events and festivals has been recognised by key agencies at county,

regional and national level and the borough certainly has the resource (expertise, talent,

ideas) to create and deliver an attractive programme. Public consultation revealed a

demand for more varied and imaginative event locations, and more outdoor

performances in particular. Putting creativity into the public domain through festivals and

events will increase profile and status and bring the arts to new audiences.







o Strategic Objective Two: increasing visibility and status

1. Barrow is uniquely placed to develop a creative or cultural quarter, a focus for creative

activity and a natural place for networking and the sharing of ideas and resources.

2. A (set of) coherent, concentrated places(s)/space(s) needs to be identified which can

also furnish learning opportunities and business incubation



We also need to:

3. create signage - on the streets, via flyposts, and using street furniture – to raise

awareness, focus attention and provide direction

4. improve the quality, intensity and reach of publicity – both in the press and printed

media and through the expansion and development of on-line information systems

5. design and implement a coherent programme of Events and Festivals

6. develop a marketing campaign (internal and external), to inform, advertise and case

make to the local community, politicians and funders, while encouraging inward

investment by actively promoting the borough as a place to locate cultural and creative

industries



*******









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o Issue Three: establishing role and profile in regional context

As the profile on pages 8-14 above illustrates, Barrow Borough has a unique arts offer in

relation to the County, the region and beyond. The new dynamics of the regional cultural

sector, defined by developments in Higher Education, the proposed BBC relocation to the

North West, the prominent role given to the creative industries in strategic thinking on

regeneration, and the increasing emphasis on developing international markets for

cultural production and services provide an opportunity for Barrow Borough to define and

exploit its position as a regional centre for excellence in the arts and, in the process, to

redefine itself in the eyes of the outside world. In this context the sector now needs to

focus on developing its competitive advantage by pulling out and promoting areas of

distinction, and by building up external links, networks and relationships.







o Strategic Objective Three: distinguishing the arts offer regionally

The two key opportunities here are:

1. Focus, clusters and networks, with an emphasis on the borough‟s youthful, vibrant,

and contemporary arts culture. Barrow can be an international centre for visual arts, for

carnival arts research, and for the development and application of new digital media

2. Re-branding Barrow. Using the reputation, creativity and unique profile of the arts

sector to articulate and promote a new identity for Barrow Borough within the region and

beyond, enhancing its attractiveness to investors, businesses and tourist visitors









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o Issue Four: preparing for the future

Whilst the nucleus of arts organisations in Barrow is currently very strong and dynamic,

room and support needs to be created for new talent as well as full recognition of other

arts work happening across the borough. More space for artist-led as opposed to funding-

led agendas must be found in order to motivate new talent. A more effective dialogue

between managers, arts organisations and individual practitioners is required to

overcome feelings of exclusion beyond the core.



If existing arts organisations are going to build their capacity they will also need to attract

and/or train new arts professionals including administrators, technicians, marketing and

PR officers etc. As the creative industries sector grows it is vital that young people should

see increasing career opportunities. Clear and attractive job pathways need to be offered

to fuel the engine of cultural development.







o Strategic Objective Four: fostering and retaining new talent,

developing critical mass

We need to:

1. Provide well-signposted support and advice, including an accessible and affordable

resource centre, for up-and-coming artists in the local community

2. Continue to attract high quality artists and creative people to the borough

3. Create more opportunities for ideas, energy and resources to be shared between the

professional and voluntary arts sectors and between the “recognised” arts organisations

and others practising in the borough

4. Design and resource pathways for young people – education to employment, utilising

Creative Partnerships, Dowdales School and Furness College, and looking to provide

cultural focus (e.g. digital technologies and carnival arts) for the new University of

Cumbria





*******









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o Issue Five: appeal and relevance

Community-based consultation exercises suggested that the borough has a broad arts

audience with, on the whole, a clear and quite sophisticated understanding of what it

wants. Feedback consistently revealed a demand for high quality and high profile

programming, for age-appropriate/targeted/relevant forms and opportunities, and for a

well-appointed, performance-suitable, appealing and comfortable venue. Local people

also appreciate and want to see more made of local resources and references, in

particular Barrow‟s industrial and maritime heritage, experience and sites. There is a

strong feeling in places like Dalton and Askam that there needs to be more recognition of

the needs and aspirations of the borough‟s outerlying communities. Cost, transport, time

and scheduling issues are the main obstacles to overcome in attracting those people who

currently don‟t participate in the arts.



A clear majority of local people would seem to have at least some appreciation of the

wider (economic and social) relevance of the arts. We need to build on and demonstrate

this further by systematically establishing and extending partnerships which link and

cross-reference the arts with other sectors to support community and business

development.





o Strategic Objective Five: attracting audiences, developing

participation, extending impact

We need to:

1. Attract more top quality, headline performers and performances to Barrow

2. Offer age-group specific opportunities, such as more live music for younger people and

craft-related activities for older people

3. Establish a more systematic and coherent approach to audience consultation and

development

4. Ensure provision of alternative, fit-for--purpose arts venues

5. Explore the potential for integrating the arts and cultural tourism, for example, through

the development of the visitor cruise ship offer

6. Create innovative links with business and industry to exploit technology and local

resources, for example by harnessing the skills, and experience of BAe Systems and its

(ex-) workers

7. Following the recommendations of NWDA‟s Participation in Sport, the Arts, Physical

and Creative Activities in England’s Northwest Survey, make more links and „cross-over‟

opportunities between the arts, sport and physical activity

8. Establish cross-sector partnerships to fully exploit the potential links with the children

& young people, crime and safety and health agendas (opportunities with evolving

Children‟s Trusts and expansion of primary and acute healthcare infrastructure)







*******









25

o Issue Six: the arts in public space

The four layer Public Art Strategy (Urban Design Framework) offers great opportunities for

bringing exciting and appropriate art to the public spaces and developments in Barrow

Borough and to the public realm more broadly. High quality public realm development

incorporating artist influenced design and works enhances the urban environment and is

an attractor for businesses and visitors. It also reaches out to a broader section of the

community, raises visibility and can help to develop an audience for the arts more

generally.







o Strategic Objective Six: putting the arts at the heart of public

space design and development

1.Strong advocacy and careful consultation involving artists themselves is required to

explain and convince about the role and benefits of the arts led design

2. Content should be imaginative and challenging while being appropriate to local

references and resonances and sensitive to public concerns

3. Delivery must be by people with the sufficient breadth of experience and expertise to

ensure the delivery of imaginative, high quality work





*******









26

o Issue Seven: understanding demand and capturing value

As highlighted by the Audit Commission and the Improvement and Development Agency

(I&DeA), and reflecting the situation nationwide at local authority level, there is presently

only patchy consultation and limited understanding of the impact of the arts in Barrow

Borough. An effective approach to audience development requires a systematic, coherent

and sector-wide approach to engagement and intelligence gathering. Evidence of impact

is not consistent, substantial or well collated enough to provide robust case for senior

managers, politicians, and external partners





o Strategic Objective Seven: Spelling out the benefits and raising

intelligence

There is a need to:

1. Collate, review and distil all existing evidence of participation and impact across the

arts sector

2. Convince and resource artist and arts organisations to engage with more robust

evaluation methodologies

3. Create a coherent evaluation framework and toolkit to ensure the consistent collection

of substantial and targeted evidence around key impact indicators

4. Carry out and publish a regular summary analysis of sector-wide findings





*******









27

logistics









28

Who Will Enable the Arts to Flourish?



The arts in Barrow are, first and foremost, the responsibility of the Borough Council and

are delivered via the Local Arts Development Agency (LADA) which is part of the new

Community Services Department (with Parking Services, forum twenty eight, Gardens and

Parks, Town Centre Management, Parks, Dock Museum and Park Leisure Centre). The

LADA offers a mix of direct delivery and support to independent organisations.



I&DEA (Improvement and Development Agency) findings in December 2004 focussed on

the need for a greater understanding of the cross-cutting potential of the arts within the

Council and, once priorities for the arts had been agreed via this strategy, called for

responsibilities, capacity and resources to be carefully reviewed.



The Audit Commission‟s Cultural Services Inspection (published January 2006) awarded

the Council a „fair‟, one-star service with promising prospects for improvement. It did

however feel that the unique contribution of the culture sector had not been recognised

and, therefore, cultural services had not been integrated as a cross-cutting theme across

the five task groups of the local strategic partnership. It will be important to re-visit how

the arts cross-cut the Community Plan‟s themes and to seek to integrate them into the

key task group action plans



Barrow Borough Council now has a Cultural Services Board which will be central to

advocating for this strategy across the Council and for overseeing its implementation.

Effective arts development can only happen in partnership with key stakeholders and

funders from both the arts and other key sectors and with support from agencies and

initiatives which have been established to maximise the impact of the arts.



Additional key stakeholders are Cumbria County Council, Arts Council England North

West, North West Development Agency, West Lakes Renaissance, Cumbria Vision,

Furness Partnership, Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust, Youth Work in Cumbria, the

Learning and Skills Council, artists and the private sector. It will be crucial to ensure that

they understand, endorse and are active partners in this strategy.









29

Key Support Agencies and Mechanisms







Here a diagram show and briefly explain support mechanisms - split into

education, youth, creative industries.





 Local Arts Forum

 Arts & Business and Business in the Arts

 Cumbria Cultural Forum

 Desire Lines

 Creative Partnerships – first phase partner schools are Barrow Island

Community Primary School, Cambridge Primary School, Parkview

Community Technology College, The Alfred Barrow School, George Hastwell

School and Ormsgill Primary School – “preparing and inspiring for the

future”. A national programme funded by Department for Culture, Media

and Sports and the Department for Education & Skills building sustainable

relationships between schools and creative individuals and organisations.

It works with the Aimhigher initiative to promote the creative industries as a

career option to Cumbrian youngsters.

 Creative Affinity Group

 Creative and Cultural Skills CCSKills is the new Sector Skills Council

representing the arts and creative industries providing a national focus for

skills development.

 Cumbria Cultural Skills Partnership – bringing together cultural

organisations, creative industry professionals and training providers based

in Cumbria to share knowledge, expertise, ideas, training resources and

identify gaps in skills.

 Cumbria Arts-in-Education

 Cultural Business Venture Cumbria provides a business development

package for small to medium size enterprises.

 Cumbrian Network – new support organisation for Cumbria based visual

artists

 Creative Cumbria – sub-regional creative industries development agency

for Cumbria

 Cumbria Tourist Board

 Cumbria Youth Music Action Zone

 Furness Community Network

 Furness Enterprise – the local Enterprise Company to help anyone starting

a business in Furness

 West Lakes Renaissance

 Cumbria County Council









30

Implementing the Strategy: What Needs to be Done?





 Identify actions on an annual basis and sign up to deliver – clear

measures and visible results



 Articulate how the arts can deliver each of the community plan themes

afresh and integrate arts strategy actions into the task groups‟ action

plans as appropriate.



 Ensure that the full Community Services team understands and signs

up to this strategy



 Make the most of County and region-wide arts initiatives and funding

and agree full cost recovery principle – partnership agreements with

stakeholders



 Members and senior managers within the Council need to actively

promote the role of the arts in delivering priorities both within the

Council and within the community



 Re-define the brief of the Arts Development Officer to prioritise

strategic development and advocacy tasks and ensure support is

available for delivery and administration – must be proactive and

reactive



 Continue to employ the arts as a creative engagement and

consultation tool









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How Will We Keep on Course?





Annual Review Meeting

(September)



 Progress on Objectives and

Action Plans

 Changes to Strategic

Environment

 Changes to Local

Environment

 Recommended Changes

 Recommended Annual

Targets

 Budget Setting (alignment

with Council priorities)









BARROW ARTS Adoption by

Progress Report to

Borough STRATEGY Borough

Council/LSP for Council/LSP of

Information MONITORING & Revised Strategy

(April) (October)

REVIEW CYCLE







Biannual Meeting

(March)

 Progress on Annual Targets

 Presentation by Representatives

of Regional Agencies









32

appendix 1



The Wider Strategic Context



o Local



In addition to the Community Plan, the following are relevant:





The Urban Design Framework and the Waterfront Masterplan



The arts are fundamental to successful delivery of these plans‟ ambitions, particularly the

four-layer public art strategy informing the public realm framework.



The Sport & Physical Activity Strategy – key aims include “widen access and reduce

inequality in participation amongst priority groups” and “work in partnership to increase

opportunities for people to take part in sport and physical activity as part of a healthy

lifestyle, particularly targeting groups and areas most in need”



The West Lakes Renaissance Business Plan – culture and creativity and enterprise

support and networking are the key relevant themes. WLR wants to “foster, promote and

celebrate culture and creativity in Furness and West Cumbria by developing the tourism

and cultural offer, supporting new cultural industries and festivals and boosting the

profile of the area and its tourism appeal”. It wants to help to develop an entrepreneurial

culture supporting new forms of social enterprise and strengthening existing business

support delivered through the enterprise agencies and other local networks





o County

At a County level two key strategies underpin, inform and link to the WLR plan:



Sustainable Cumbria – Cumbria Strategic Partnership

Aiming to establish Cumbria as a county that :-

Celebrates its diversity, creativity and heritage

Engages everyone in the mainstream of community life

Retains and attracts the skilled and talented

Participates to its fullest as a competitive sub-region

Strengthens its infrastructure

Makes a positive contribution to the wealth of the North West

Marries economic growth with social progress and environmental protection and

enhancement









33

Cumbria Vision Strategic Plan 2006-16



Cumbria Vision is a private sector organisation aiming to transform Cumbria through

integrated and sustainable economic development into a competitive, high added value,

knowledge based, inclusive economy, It will lead the economic component of Cumbria

Strategic Partnership„s activity, ensure delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy in

Cumbria and maximise and manage the flow of external funding into Cumbria including

EU Funds. Its key priorities include Knowledge Industries and Enterprise Support,

Tourism, Image and the Environment and Creative and Cultural Industries





o Region



At the level of the North West region, the lynchpin document for all regeneration related

strategies is:



England‟s North West Regional Economic Strategy :-

Business, Skills and Employment, Regeneration, Infrastructure and Quality of Life are the

pertinent objectives.

In Business “developing an enterprise culture and job growth especially in

underperforming locations and communities and in developing sectors digital/media –

transform the creative and cultural industries in the region exploiting the potential of the

BBC relocation to the North”

In Quality of Life “improving the image of the region, building on the impact of major

events, developing the uniqueness of the region‟s cultural offer, capitalising on and

strengthening the natural and built heritage environment”





The regional Cultural Strategy for England‟s North West specifies the need to advocate

the benefit of culture to the wider economy, to make culture central to the self-image of

the region, to develop a sustainable as well as innovative cultural and creative economy,

to promote heritage and landscape as central to the culture of the region, to encourage

high standards of design and best practice in public arts programmes, and to ensure that

pathways to entry and progression in education and training are linked to the needs of

the cultural and creative industries.







o Nation

The key priorities set out in the Arts Council England Framework 2006-9 are:



Investing in building the creative economy (innovation to drive up economic performance)

Investing in people particularly sustainable communities, children and young people and

health (a cultural offer for all, all children and young people have opportunity to engage

with highest quality of creative arts and cultural experiences and integrate arts into

mainstream healthcare policy)

Plus the four shared priorities of Local Government Association and Arts Council England,

which are creative economy, healthy communities, vital neighbourhoods and engaging

young people







34

appendix 2



Key Support Agencies and Mechanisms





Here a diagram show and briefly explain support mechanisms - split into

education, youth, creative industries.





 Local Arts Forum

 Arts & Business and Business in the Arts

 Cumbria Cultural Forum

 Desire Lines

 Creative Partnerships – first phase partner schools are Barrow Island

Community Primary School, Cambridge Primary School, Parkview

Community Technology College, The Alfred Barrow School, George Hastwell

School and Ormsgill Primary School – “preparing and inspiring for the

future”. A national programme funded by Department for Culture, Media

and Sports and the Department for Education & Skills building sustainable

relationships between schools and creative individuals and organisations.

It works with the Aimhigher initiative to promote the creative industries as a

career option to Cumbrian youngsters.

 Creative Affinity Group

 Creative and Cultural Skills CCSKills is the new Sector Skills Council

representing the arts and creative industries providing a national focus for

skills development.

 Cumbria Cultural Skills Partnership – bringing together cultural

organisations, creative industry professionals and training providers based

in Cumbria to share knowledge, expertise, ideas, training resources and

identify gaps in skills.

 Cumbria Arts-in-Education

 Cultural Business Venture Cumbria provides a business development

package for small to medium size enterprises.

 Cumbrian Network – new support organisation for Cumbria based visual

artists

 Creative Cumbria – sub-regional creative industries development agency

for Cumbria

 Cumbria Tourist Board

 Cumbria Youth Music Action Zone

 Furness Community Network

 Furness Enterprise – the local Enterprise Company to help anyone starting

a business in Furness

 West Lakes Renaissance

 Cumbria County Council









35

appendix 3



Consultation





o Stakeholders and key organisations



Consulted by face-to-face interview, telephone interview and questionnaire

Bev Collins, Youth Work in Cumbria, Cumbria County Council

Alma Carruthers, Fundraising and Voluntary Manager, Furness General Hospital

John Kinsella, Creative Industries Champion, Creative Cumbria

David Gaffney, Regional Partnership Officer, Arts Council England NW

Pamela Johnson, Dance Officer, Arts Council England NW

David Haughian, Assistant Projects Manager, WLR

Mike Baker, Regeneration Manager, WLR

Keith Johnson, Community Services Manager, Barrow Borough Council

Dave Camlin, Director, Soundwave

Chris Athersmith, Sports Development Officer, Barrow CRC

Rachel Ashton, Artistic Director, The Ashton Group

Colin Bentham, Chromazone (plus others)

Stuart Bastik, Artgene

Sue Jenkins, Freelance Development Coordinator, Barracudas

Kerry Kolbe, Shoreline Films

Gary Robinson, Northern Riviera

Amanda Mortlock, Artistic Director, DARE

Sandra Baines, General Manager, forum twenty eight

Carol Leathley, Cumbria County Council

Andy Mortimer, Creative Partnerships Cumbria



Three further organisations were approached but failed to respond.





o Additional sector consultation



Freelance artists‟ focus group

Of the 31 people invited, 12 attended the consultation meeting on 28th February. All

those not attending were sent a follow up questionnaire.



Voluntary and amateur arts focus group

19 groups were invited to attend the meeting but representatives from just one (Abbey

Musical Society) attended the meeting on 7th March. Follow up questionnaires were sent

to the 18 groups who did not attend.









36

o Community/public consultation

Public Meetings

The consultants addressed and heard responses from three Neighbourhood Forum

meetings across the borough – Barrow Island, Newbarns and Dalton-in-Furness.



Questionnaires

An Arts Strategy Consultation Questionnaire was distributed at each of these meetings.

Copies of the questionnaires were also made available at following places and

organisations:



forum twenty eight

the Dock Museum

Dalton Town Hall

Art Gene

The Ashton Group

Barracudas

Dance Resource

Shoreline Films



300 copies of the questionnaire were placed inside copies of Central Issue newspaper,

produced by Furness Community Press, Furness Community Network.





Web Survey

The questionnaire was also available online on the Barrow Borough Council website

throughout May and June. It was publicised in two articles carried by the North West

Evening Mail.





Street Survey

In an attempt to gather more views from people who do not attend or participate in the

arts a series of interviews were carried out with people in a fast-food restaurant, a pub

and a supermarket









37