SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE 20 MARCH 2013 AN LANNTAIR FUNDING AGREEMENT 2013-14 Report by Director of Development PURPOSE OF REPORT To consider an application for annual revenue funding from An Lanntair for 2013/14. COMPETENCE 1.1 There are no legal, financial or other constraints to the recommendations being implemented. 1.2 Provision exists within the Development Department’s Arts revenue budget. SUMMARY 2.1 An Lanntair Arts Centre is a nationally acclaimed and internationally renowned cultural and creative hub. 2.2 An Lanntair is well supported by the local community and is the most successful visitor attraction in the Outer Hebrides with over 200,000 attendances per annum. 2.3 An Lanntair currently employs 38 FTE’s and has a combined turnover of just under £1.2 million per annum. 2.4 Creative Scotland has acknowledged An Lanntair’s achievements and status by awarding the organisation Foundation status for the period to 2012 - 2015. This releases funding of £390,870 per annum over that period, contingent on match funding from the Comhairle. 2.5 An Lanntair is a critical component of the tourism and creative/cultural sector in the Outer Hebrides. Comhairle support enables An Lanntair to deliver a year round programme of high quality visual art exhibitions, performing arts events, cinema screenings and educational activities which provide significant economic and social benefits for the Outer Hebrides. 2.6 The interim review of the Funding Agreement for 2012-13 has concluded that An Lanntair has satisfactorily met their funding agreement targets. RECOMMENDATION 3.1 It is recommended that the Comhairle approve £69,350 to An Lanntair from the 2013/14 Arts Development budget, subject to the satisfactory conclusion of a one year Funding Agreement and subject to the repayment of the sums (£3,415) due under prudential borrowing arrangements. Contact Officer Elsie Mitchell, Arts Development Officer Tel: 01851 822 695 Appendices None Background Papers 1. An Lanntair Ltd. Estimated Income/ Expenditure 2013-14 2. Extract: Visit Scotland: Visitor Attraction Monitor 2009 3. An Lanntair Ltd. Programme of Exhibitions, Events, Cinema, Education/Outreach held in 2012-13 4. Employment generated at An Lanntair in 2012-13 BACKGROUND 4.1 An Lanntair Arts Centre was established as a charitable trust in 1985 and is currently in its 27th year of operation. Originally based in premises in Stornoway Town Hall, An Lanntair expanded significantly in 2005 when a new purpose built arts centre, at a total build cost of £5.3 million, was officially opened. 4.2 The capital project was made possible by a National Lottery Award from the Scottish Arts Council of £3,060,080 – one of the largest awards made in Scotland from National Lottery Funds. This was a reflection of the strategic national importance of the organisation to the then Scottish Arts Council and An Lanntair’s role in helping to ensure a more equitable geographic spread of cultural provision across Scotland. 4.3 The new venue dramatically enhanced arts facilities in the Western Isles. Housed under one roof are a large gallery, with further display areas throughout the building, a 250 seat auditorium with back-stage changing rooms/ green room for performers, education room, large office space, staff room, bar, restaurant, kitchen, reception area and retail facility. The multi-function auditorium is fully equipped to act as a performing arts space, a cinema and a conference venue. Retractable seating and walls enable the space to cater for larger numbers, standing performances, dances and cèilidhs. 4.4 The Centre services an immediate population of 12,015 (Stornoway and its environs) with a secondary catchment population of 20,473 (covering Lewis and Harris) these figures represent 45% and 77% of the total Outer Hebrides population respectively. 4.5 An Lanntair provide an annual year round programme of contemporary art exhibitions, performing arts events, film screenings and related education and outreach activity. The organisation’s Vision and Mission statement reads: “We will be a beacon for artistic activity in the Western Isles, we will celebrate and encourage creativity in all its forms, we will be a genuine centre for our community, and we will represent and support Gaelic culture.” 4.6 An Lanntair Ltd and its trading subsidiary An Lanntair Trading currently employs 47 individuals (38 FTE’s). In addition, An Lanntair generates work for approx. 30 freelance artists based in the Western Isles via the Education, Exhibitions and Performing Arts Programme. Self-employed musicians, visual artists and crafts makers are also supported via sales of their work in the An Lanntair shop, the gallery and at performances. 4.7 The most recent figures from the Visit Scotland Visitor Attraction Monitor 2009 show that An Lanntair is the most attended visitor attraction in the Outer Hebrides. In 2009 An Lanntair had 201,005 attendances, compared to 31,525 at Taigh Chearsabhagh and 25,347 at the Callanish Visitor Centre. It should be noted that figures for all three of the top visitor attractions in the Western Isles compare favourably with similar attractions in other geographic locations e.g. Bonhoga Gallery in Shetland 15,854, Dundee Contemporary Arts 273,750, Aberdeen Art Gallery 178,344. EVENTS 5.1 Around 300 performing arts events and cinema screenings take place at An Lanntair per year. Events encompass a wide range of performances including classical, jazz, opera, rock and world music, drama, dance and a cinema programme of both popular block-buster films and art house cinema. 5.2 A strong focus is given to Gaelic Cultural Heritage within the events programme, leading acclaimed piper Fred Morrison, in his introduction to a performance, to thank An Lanntair for “not just keeping traditional music, but traditional musicians alive over all these years.” A number of An Lanntair traditional musical productions have successfully toured to Celtic Connections in Glasgow - Lewis Women, Dhachaigh (Murdo Macfarlane Songbook) and Atlantic Blast – helping to promote the musical traditions of the Outer Hebrides to an international audience. 5.3 Faclan – the annual Hebridean Book Festival followed up on the success of the 2011 festival with an increase in attendance figures from 684 in 2011 to 1,434 in 2012. Taking place between 30th October – 3rd November it helped to extend the festival market and tourist visitors into the Winter months. In 2012 Faclan was themed around ‘Creideamh: Belief’ and provided a forum for a stimulating range of world views from the thoughts and opinions of Professor Richard Dawkins, scientist and author of ‘The God Delusion’ to Free Church minister David Robertson’s response in his book ‘The Dawkins Letters’. 5.4 In addition to An Lanntair’s own programmed events. The facilities are hired by external promoters and community groups. In 2012 this included a high profile performance by popular Scottish indie band “Frightened Rabbit”, the BT Gaelic debate, the showcase concert for Feis Eilean na Fraoich and the Stornoway Thespians children’s panto. During the Hebridean Celtic Festival An Lanntair hosts afternoon and evening concerts, workshops and acts as the festival club. EXHIBITIONS 6.1 An annual programme of 7 - 11 exhibitions are programmed in the main gallery space, with additional shows in display areas in the foyer, bar and upper corridor. The exhibition programme aims to provide access to national and international art, to promote and support Gaelic Language and culture and to provide opportunities for artists based in the Outer Hebrides to exhibit their work. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 7.1 An Lanntair have delivered an extensive Education and Outreach Programme since 2000. Strong working relationships have been built with CnES Education and Social Work and Western Isles Health Services. Service users at the Grianan and Ardseileach Centres have benefited from an annual programme of arts activity, regularly taking part in workshops with artists and making their own art works. In 2005 Hi-tech digital photography and video editing equipment was purchased for a one year digital artist in residence project at the Grianan Centre and has been well utilised since. 7.2 Around 2000 school pupils per annum participate in arts activities at An Lanntair. These tie in with the Exhibition and Events programme and include workshops with organisations such as Scottish Opera, visits to gallery exhibitions, participatory art workshops in a variety of art forms – dance, literature, visual arts, music. An Lanntair offers the CnES Education Dept a significant resource and many opportunities to enhance school and pre-school curriculums for children and young people in the Western Isles. In 2012-13 pupils from Laxdale, Tong, Bernera, Breasclete, Lionacleit, Uig, Sir E. Scott, Leverhulme, Stornoway, Lionel, Sgoil nan Loch, Shawbost, the Nicolson Institute, Sandwick, Tong and Westside Schools all benefited from participation in An Lanntair’s Education programme. Out of school hours activity is also programmed e.g. Saturday Art Clubs, Film Club for older teenagers, regular Saturday art sessions for children with disabilities delivered in partnership with the Occupational Health Service and CnES - Sports. Holiday activities are programmed at outlying community centres, during the summer and October breaks. 7.3 The Education Room has become an established resource used by local creative industry businesses to teach adult classes. Subjects have included figure drawing, acting, basket weaving, Japanese textiles, music/song composition, design and weave for tweed, digital photo and video editing. 7.4 The total annual attendance figure for Education and Outreach Activities will be around 4274 in 2012-13, showing the significant impact that An Lanntair has in providing cultural learning and recreational experiences which enhance self-confidence, build employability skills, have positive health benefits and help adults and children in the Outer Hebrides to achieve their potential and maximise their creativity. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 8.1 An Lanntair’s efforts over many years resulted in the organisation being awarded Foundation status by Creative Scotland until March 2015.