SEC/2015/2/0090

LANCASTER UNIVERSITY

Public Arts Strategy Committee

A meeting of the Public Arts Strategy Committee was held on 30 September 2014 at which the following people were present:

Professor Andrew Atherton (Chair) Deborah Best Dr Martyn Evans Jamie Eastman Diane Salmons Mia Scott Professor Stephen Wildman

The following person was in attendance:

Claire Stevenson (Secretary)

Apologies for absence were received from:

Professor Mary Smyth

1. Minutes

Document: SEC/2014/2/0320

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2014 were confirmed as an accurate record.

Items for discussion

2. Arts Strategy Working Group

Document: SEC/2014/2/0999

The Committee approved the Working Group’s status as a sub-committee of Public Arts Strategy Committee, its proposed membership and terms of reference.

The Chair set the context of the working group which would consider the validity of public arts in a university setting, links with external arts providers and reflect on the role of the University’s arts provision within a community context towards the development of an Arts Strategy to sit underneath the University Strategy. The Arts Strategy would likely be subject to review on a five year cycle.

The Working Group had held a preparatory meeting on 24 September and would meet four to five times before September 2015 and an update on progress would be given at the February meeting of the Committee. It was anticipated that implementation of any changes would take around 18 months.

The Committee approved both the establishment of the Working Group as a sub- committee and its terms of reference.

3. Live at LICA Financial Update

Documents: SEC/2014/2/0994; SEC/2014/2/1002

The Committee received a financial update from the Director of Live at LICA and the annual accounts for 2013/2014.

2013/14 had been a difficult year which involved adjusting budgets to the realities of income. The target income of £55k had been risky and was missed by £5k. The target had therefore been adjusted for 2014/15 and a breakeven position would be aimed for.

The pricing structure had been adjusted following work with an external consultant. The Director reported that the impact of this new pricing would not be seen until 2015/16.

The Committee agreed to receive and consider the proposed forecast for 2014/15 at its April meeting following final sign-off from the Director of Finance, and review of the final figures by the Chair.

4. Live at LICA Activities Update

Documents: SEC/2014/2/1000; SEC/2014/2/0995

The Committee received Live at LICA’s 2013-2014 Annual Report and a Status Update.

The Director drew particular attention to the following points.

 Significant efforts had been made to ‘unpack’ the Live at LICA offering such that the programme incorporated the three strands of activity which comprise:

o Producing (curating/ artist development); o Preservation (University and Peter Scott Collections); o Presenting (performances).

 Separate brochures were produced for the concert series and the contemporary arts (incorporating performance and visual arts).

 Attendance at on-campus events had dropped slightly, whilst attendance at off-campus events had increased.

5. Arts Council NPO Funding Application

Documents: SEC/2014/2/0996; SEC/2014/2/0997

The Committee received at update on Live at LICA’s application for Arts Council England funding from the Relationship Manager, during which she drew particular attention to the following points.

 Arts Council England had agreed in principle to fund Live at LICA for the period 2015-2018 via National Portfolio funding and Live at LICA should be congratulated for getting through what was a stiff competitive process.

 There were additional opportunities for NPOs such as Live at LICA beyond National Portfolio funding which would be available as ACE were proposing to allocate more funds towards emerging talent and talent development.

 £25M had been allocated to invest in creative people and places in locations where cultural engagement was low. Given the University’s location it may be possible for it to be involved with such projects.

 There were to be 5 new major museum partnerships with £11M allocated funding and again there may be opportunities for the University.

 There had been a 2% increase in investment in the Northern area in 2014/15. The focus of this funding had been on densely populated cities, however there was an expectation that the benefits of the funding would radiate out to reach less populated areas.

The relationship manager had the following feedback in relation to Live at LICA’s application.

 There was potential for wider engagement across the University as a whole.

 Arts Council England would like to see diversification of income streams so that artistic aims could be delivered to an appropriate standard.

 She encouraged the University to consider balancing the funding request over the years covered by the application. This would be considered with the business plan and budgets in November, and needed to be with ACE by 10 October.

The Chair thanked the Relationship manager for the complementary but useful and detailed input, and noted that it would be helpful to revisit this through the period.

The Director of Live at LICA agreed to circulate the final detailed funding application document to the Committee in January 2015.

6. Business Plan 2015-2018

The Committee received an update on work towards the Business Plan 2015- 2018. It was noted that this would be the single document from which Live at LICA would work from.

7. Live at LICA Governance Update

Document: SEC/2014/2/1001

The Committee received a report from the Director of Live at LICA and the Curator of Live at LICA which highlighted the following points.

(i) Live at LICA Advisory Group changes

 There were four new members. The next meeting was to be held in December 2014.

(ii) Peter Scott Trust acquisitions and loans

 NESTA - There was tablet access to the collection.

 19 new works had been acquired.

 Museum status accreditation had been returned.

(iii) Friends of the Concerts update

 Work was ongoing to increase audience figures, involving former University Councillor Stanley Henig.

8. Director’s Update

Document: SEC/2014/2/0998

The Committee received an update on activities at the Ruskin Library from its Director.

 The Library had hosted and developed a number of exhibitions at Lancaster and elsewhere over the previous year.

 During the University’s 50th Anniversary celebrations there had been good representation for the Community and Family days, with visits from family groups.

 The Library had received funds from the producers of the film ‘Effie Gray’ which would be used to support scholars.

The Committee sent their best wishes to the Administrator upon her return to the Library.

9. Student Led Performing Arts at

Document: SEC/2014/2/1003

The Committee reviewed and discussed a report from the Students’ Union Vice President (Welfare and Community) which called for reassurance on the following matters.

1. Greater access to venues (Great Hall and others) 2. Guaranteeing the future of venues and facilities (maintenance) 3. Better booking systems for venues (12 months; streamlined) 4. Access to equipment (musical instruments; dance equipment) 5. Collaboration with visiting performers

The Chair noted that the Committee needed to hear the student voice and welcomed the report. Some of the requests listed above would be addressed via the block grant issued to the Students’ Union. In relation to the Great Hall complex, conversations with others would be required. He noted that there was no guarantee that all requests would be accepted, however it was agreed that the process would be as follows.

Items 1 to 3 should be actioned via Space Planning Committee Items 4 to 5 should be actioned via Students’ Union Planning

The Director of Live at LICA would meet with the report’s author to discuss how to take the actions forward.

The Students’ Union Vice President, Welfare and Community, thanked the Committee for their engagement with the report.

10. Business and Community Engagement Group

The Committee noted that the first meeting of the Business and Community Engagement Group, held on 28 April 2014, identified the following next steps.

1. To identify, in broad terms, the different nodes within the network of engagement and the means of communication between them.

2. Consider a ‘shaping event’ to bring together key engagement personnel (including group members) to allow better understanding of the aspects involved and to identify initial barriers.

3. Determine a process to articulate an approach to and key priorities for engagement to further the macro-level aspirations set out in the Strategic Plan and its implementation documentation.

4. Define the relationship with KEEICC and other governance bodies.

11. Live at LICA Digital Strategy

The Committee received an update from Director of Live at LICA in relation to Digital Lancaster and the Live at LICA Digital Strategy. The Director of Live at LICA had had an initial discussion with the Director of ISS and a further meeting was due to take place.

12. Date of next meeting

The next meeting of the committee will be held on Tuesday 14 April 2015 at 2.00 p.m. in the John Welch Room, University House.