Accessibility of Arts and Cultural Activities in Wales’
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CC(3) AC 86 Communities and Culture Committee: Inquiry into the ‘Accessibility of Arts and Cultural Activities in Wales’ ‘Post-Script’ Evidence from Capital Region Tourism/ Uwch Ranbarth Twristiaeth Background Capital Region Tourism (CRT) is one of four regional tourism partnerships (RTPs) in Wales with, since 2002, resources and responsibilities devolved from Visit Wales for the development and implementation of a tourism strategy for South East Wales. Culture and Heritage is one of the six key visitor experiences identified in the current strategy (2007-13) where the region is deemed to have market advantage. As a partnership body, CRT’s board of management includes all local authorities in the region together with 11 industry representatives elected by their peers. CRT is an active member of the Wales Cultural Tourism Partnership and forms part of Wales’ representation in the European Cultural Tourism Network. The remaining three RTPs have also identified areas of cultural life as key to tourism development and marketing e.g. Food in Mid Wales and Gardens in South West Wales. Dewi Davies of Tourism Partnership North Wales, which leads the ‘Giants of North Wales’ campaign, has been asked by Visit Wales to take the lead ‘champion’ role for Cultural Tourism in Wales – a demonstration of tourism’s commitment to delivering on the One Wales agenda for regionally based tourism linked to cultural activities. This evidence, submitted by CRT on behalf of the 4 RTPs, was also endorsed by the Wales Cultural Tourism Partnership at its meeting on 4th November 2010. Tourism’s relationship with Culture, Heritage, Arts and Creative Industries Tourism is firmly in the economic sphere as a major wealth creator for Wales but in the sustainable model of tourism to which all stakeholders in Wales increasingly subscribe we would seek to summarise the relational issues in the attached diagram, which recognizes that the various policy agendas, inputs, outcomes and objectives are not identical but do overlap. In the review of Cultural Tourism Strategy undertaken in 2007 it was stated that: Research by Visit Wales and analysis of the 2006 UKTS survey shows that the annual value of UK residents undertaking a cultural activity as the main purpose of their holiday in Wales is £120 million, whilst the value of those UK visitors who undertake a cultural activity as part of their visit was worth £465 million in 2006. This highlights the importance of culture and cultural activities as an important part of the holiday experience for 1.87 million UK tourist trips to Wales (representing 9.7 million nights stay). For these visitors culture is incidental but vitally important to their experience. Their encounters with culture will be predominantly generic (sense of place, language, local hospitality, local food and drink, landscape and scenery and contact with local crafts, music), with some specific elements (such as visits to heritage attractions, festivals and galleries or museums). The findings of the review and the action plan arising from it are being taken forward by the Wales Cultural Tourism Partnership, whose work was briefly covered in evidence to the committee from WAG. To expand on key points: In spite of the impressive figures above, attitudinal research by Visit Wales suggests that within its traditional UK target markets Wales is perceived to be scenically beautiful with many opportunities for outdoor activities but limited ‘cultural’ life, as expressed by ‘things to do’, especially in the evenings. The exception is Wales’ reputation for castles. The Cultural Tourism Partnership has been successfully addressing this perception gap through its work as we would contend that cultural activity represents the primary differentiator for Wales as a destination brand – many other UK and world competitor destinations can and do claim scenery and activities. Culture, both tangible and intangible, provides the all-important ‘sense of place’ through which we can deliver the Wales brand promise – real, magical, human. Interestingly there seems to be a greater appreciation of Wales’ cultural uniqueness in some overseas markets. The language is an obvious and powerful signifier of cultural difference with the linked eisteddfod tradition perhaps explaining the increased propensity of welsh-speakers to participate in the arts. We know from ATLAS and other research that cultural tourists spend more, stay longer and are: increasing in number, more independent, highly influential, increasingly participative and less seasonally influenced. 95p of every £1 spent by cultural tourists is invested in the wider economy – transport, retail, accommodation and food - thus contributing to sustainable communities. The corollary is the economic leverage value for communities across Wales from continued strategic investment in the arts. Tourism can and does take place in all parts of Wales. Visitors therefore play a major role in underwriting local cultural provision or creating or supporting enhanced facilities or events that would not otherwise be viable: e.g. Eisteddfod, Brecon Jazz, Hay Festival, Abergavenny Food Festival, National Botanic Garden, National Museum, Wales Millennium Centre etc. Increasing accessibility to arts and culture is one of 4 priorities in the Wales cultural tourism strategy. Accessibility in this context is both physical and intellectual. Our view is that if we get it right for those that do not know Wales well – our tourist visitors – in terms of information distribution, transport, technology, events, marketing etc then the barriers to local participation and attendance are also significantly lowered. The People’s collection offers an innovative solution to linking access to cultural and tourism assets with new audiences. One of CRT’s key activities is the coordination and distribution of events information for the region through Destination Management Systems. We would recommend that those leading cultural and tourism organizations in Wales share research and marketing best practise and outputs as a matter of course to optimize participation and attendance. There is a danger, evident in some other destinations, of ‘sanitising’ cultural experiences or even deliberately manufacturing stereotypical ‘touristic’ output in a misguided anxiety to meet visitor expectations. The sustainable tourism model however suggests that Wales needs to ‘create’ for its own consumption and then warmly invite visitors to join in. Cadw has already outlined the thinking behind the Cauldrons and Furnaces project. As a further example a group of American Ryder Cup visitors recently experienced a choir concert at Ewenny Priory and were then encouraged to join the customary impromptu follow-up performance in the local pub – it was the unforgettable highlight of their visit. Exposure of cultural endeavour to those outside the immediate community or destination in terms of building ‘reputation’ does have a positive impact on quality (another pillar of the Cultural Tourism Strategy) and therefore adds value for the community itself. This also illustrates another important point – the ‘everyday’ behaviourally-based cultural life of Wales is just as valued by visitors as the more formal object/ venue based activity. Work in Cornwall by Demos for example discovered the ‘disconnect’ between culture as defined by communities themselves and the significant high-level public investment in international cultural ‘icons’. It also gives confidence for local involvement and participation if there is seen to be an external validation in a community’s expression of its ‘story’. This is the approach taken through the Herian project and continued in the Valleys Regional Park project, which in turn deliver unique and highly personal visitor experiences. In the Creative Barcelona model this concept is taken even further with an open invitation from the creative community in the city to visitors to come and add their own artistic output. The result is increased visitor income, improved cultural exchange and an increased events programme for visitors and residents alike. Where external tourism branding and marketing are clearly linked to internal ‘hearts and minds’ activities and events, as in the Valleys ‘Heart and Soul’ campaign, a positive community attitude to participation in and attendance at ‘badged’ events can be engendered e.g. Ebbw Vale Eisteddfod, Guardian (Six Bells memorial), Only Boys Aloud, Turner Exhibition (Cyfarthfa Castle) etc. ATLAS tells us that the cultural tourist is primarily looking for ‘a nice place to be’ and assumes most destinations will contain a number of specific cultural activities or attractions to back up an overall attractive ambience and lifestyle. Visit Wales is currently promoting the concept of Destination Management to deliver on that visitor experience which will require partnership working between public, private and community sectors. Again, a holistic approach to public realm and local cultural provision, reflective of and involving local communities, will improve the experiences of local residents as well as visitors. Peter Cole Regional Strategy Director Capital Region Tourism/ Uwch Ranbarth Twristiaeth Economic Return on Brand Marketing Tourism Destination Investment Destination ‘Sustainable Experiences’ Communities Management Visitors Brand Delivery Sense of Place Community buy-in New products Events Calendar Technology Objects Location Skills Places IP Capitalisation Archives Distribution Destination Traditions Behaviours Creative Industries ‘The Creative Culture and Heritage ‘Ideas Management’ Explorer’ ‘Precious Stories’ New IP Wider Business Ops engagement Sectoral growth Imagination Interpretation Refreshed narratives Events Loyalty New Audiences New participants New venues Story-telling Advocacy Innovation Social Return Creative Problem-solving Arts On Investment communities Artform ‘Transformative techniques Self-Expression’ .