Arts Provision in Ealing Borough Scrutiny Review Panel – 8th February 2012 Arts Provision in Ealing Borough Scrutiny Review Panel MINUTES Wednesday 8th February 2012 at 7.00pm (Preceded by a tour of Questors Theatre for Panel Members at 6.00pm) PRESENT: Councillors: Byrne (Chair), Anjum, Ball (substituting for Rose), Ann Chapman (Vice Chair), Isobel Grant (part), Kausar, Langan, G Mann (part) and Young. 1. Apologies for Absence Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ahmed, Joanna Dabrowska and Midha. 2. Matters to be Considered in Private/ Urgent Matters There were none. 3. Declarations of Interest There were none. 4. Minutes of the Meeting Held on 7th December 2011 (See Agenda Item 5) Arising from consideration of the minutes of the last meeting the Panel considered a supplementary paper submitted by Ealing Arts Centre Limited (EAC) regarding the perceived need for a major performance venue for the arts in Central Ealing. Whilst welcoming the refurbishment of Greenford Hall EAC had argued that there remained a need for the establishment of facilities in Central Ealing which would cater for the visual and performance arts at a professional level. In this context Panel Members noted that there was unallocated Dickens Yard Section 106 funding of £1 million which had been set aside for social, community, sports and leisure facilities in Central Ealing which could be used for the provision of community arts facilities in the area. Resolved: (i) That the minutes of the meeting held on 7th December 2011 be approved as a true and correct record. (ii) That the Panel has regard to the possible future uses of Ealing Town Hall and the representations received from Ealing Arts Centre Limited when it considers conclusions and recommendations to be included in the Panel’s final report at its next and final meeting. 5. Presentation from Questors Theatre (See Agenda Item 6) The Panel received a presentation on the Questors Theatre from the theatre’s Chairman, Richard Mead; Artistic Director, Mark Fitzgerald; and Executive Director, Andrea Bath. 1 Arts Provision in Ealing Borough Scrutiny Review Panel – 8th February 2012 Founded in 1929 the Questors Theatre Club had developed into a vibrant non- professional theatre company with an international reputation and a history of pioneering new and challenging dramatic works. Illustrious and distinguished presidents of the theatre had included Michael Redgrave and from 1985 to the present Judi Dench. The theatre had occupied its current site in Mattock Lane since 1933, The current building had been opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1964, replacing the previous theatre building which had been converted from an old church. In addition to the main playhouse auditorium the site also contained a studio theatre – the Constantin Stanislavsky Room built as a rehearsal room and converted into a studio theatre in 1968 – three rehearsal rooms – the Bernard Shaw Room, the Michael Redgrave Room and the Alfred Emmet room – a scenery workshop and a members’ bar. The theatre staged some 20 or so of its own productions each year with actors and backstage teams drawn from its membership. In addition the theatre hosted shows and performances by other local arts and community based groups and schools. There was a large, vibrant youth theatre at Questors which also operated an acting course in conjunction with the University of West London as well as offering a number of education and rehearsal rooms for work with young people. Questors had been chosen by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) as its London partner venue for its Open Stages project. This project was a country-wide celebration of the work of Shakespeare and as part of the build up to the Cultural Olympiad the theatre would be putting on a number of Shakespeare productions in March and April 2012. The theatre had been running courses and workshops to select actors for these productions with Othello and Romeo and Juliet to run in repertory in March followed by a youth theatre production of The Tempest. There were currently some 250 people actively working on this project with volunteers busily engaged on producing scenery for the productions in the theatre’s workshop. The theatre had a number of trained tutors and drama teachers. In addition to its acting courses and work with young people the theatre also hosted creative writing and other arts related courses. The aim was to give children and young people, including young disabled people, experience of the theatre either through acting or through work backstage including the scenery and costume workshops. In addition to acting experience many of the theatre’s members had professional experience of theatre, television or the performance arts, including lighting, sound and other technical aspects of production, experience that they were able and willing to share with others. A registered charity the theatre received no direct financial support from local or central government or the Arts Council. Funding to support the theatre came predominantly from commercial and ticket receipts supplemented by additional funding from its members and other fundraising activities. Andrea Bath explained that Questors was the only non-professional theatre that had been engaged by the RSC as a partner on the forthcoming Open Stages project, which attested to the theatre’s achievements and its current status amongst the theatrical community. There was a growing emphasis within Questors on reaching out to other organisations both locally and further afield and on developing 2 Arts Provision in Ealing Borough Scrutiny Review Panel – 8th February 2012 partnerships with other drama studios and with Ealing Studios, the University of West London and Ealing Council in its role as facilitator. The aim was to build on work and progress to date to develop culture and art in Ealing and to make people more aware of what was going on in Ealing. The theatre already had close links with the Council and used rooms at Ealing Town Hall both for acting classes and rehearsals for young people. However further support from the Council in terms of advertising and promotion was sought. Currently some 80% of people attending drama and shows at the theatre came from the local area. The theatre only had a small marketing budget and more work was needed to raise its profile in the wider community. Richard Mead stated that the theatre was seeking to develop better communication with the Council’s Halls and Events Team in order to promote links with local arts groups that were looking to put on events in Ealing, not all of which could be accommodated at Questors Theatre. Inter alia, it was felt that improved access to ‘Around Ealing’ and the advertising boards outside Ealing Town Hall could help to promote the theatre and its productions. In this context Panel Members agreed that the Council should look at how it could help Questors Theatre to raise its profile both in West London and beyond. Arising out of the presentation Panel Members identified the following possible recommendations for consideration for inclusion in their final report: namely that the Marketing and Communications Team should be asked to work with the Questors Theatre to look at how the theatre could be better promoted in a cost effective way through the Council’s ‘Around Ealing’ publication; that the appropriate Council officers should look at improved signposting to highlight the location of the theatre close to the centre of Ealing; and that the Council give consideration to having a designated Arts Officer to act as a facilitator and point of liaison with local arts and community groups. Resolved: (i) That the Panel notes the presentation and commends Questors Theatre on its impressive work both to promote excellence in the dramatic arts and to engage with young people and encourage youth involvement in the performing arts. (ii) That the Panel notes and has regard to the following suggested recommendations when it considers conclusions and recommendations to be included in the Panel’s final report at its next and final meeting: namely that the Marketing and Communications Team should be asked to work with the Questors Theatre to look at how the theatre could be better promoted in a cost effective way through the Council’s ‘Around Ealing’ publication; that the appropriate Council officers should look at improved signposting to highlight the location of the theatre close to the centre of Ealing; and that the Council give consideration to having a designated Arts Officer to act as a facilitator and point of liaison with local arts and community groups. 6. Strategy for Arts and Culture – Scope for Discussion (See Agenda Item 10) The Panel received a report from Carole Stewart, Assistant Director, Arts, Heritage and Libraries, setting out a draft scope for a new arts and culture strategy for Ealing. The new strategy would seek to reflect the diverse and culturally vibrant nature of the borough with an emphasis on partnership working and providing increased opportunities for more people to get involved in the arts. It was noted that work would 3 Arts Provision in Ealing Borough Scrutiny Review Panel – 8th February 2012 now proceed on refining the scope and priorities of the new strategy and that officers would be consulting widely with the local community and key stakeholders as part of that process. It was anticipated that the new strategy document should be ready for consideration by the Cabinet at its meeting in December 2012. The emphasis within the new strategy, which was predicated on the premise that the arts had an intrinsic value and a vital and culturally enriching role to play in the local community, would be on the Council as an ‘enabler’ and ‘facilitator’ rather than as a direct ‘provider’ of the arts.