Agenda and minutes

An apology of absence was received from County Borough Councillors J Rosser and G Hughes.

The Chair, County Borough Councillor R Lewis and Cabinet Member for

Stronger Communities, Wellbeing and Cultural Services, extended a welcome

to the members of the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group. Councillor

Lewis commented on the challenging past year and confirmed that the Arts

Service staff had been re deployed to support priority services such as the

Community Resilience Centres, supporting residents who were shielding, and

later, Test, Track and Protect and Mass Testing (which had been reflected in

the report to the Panel on the progress of the Arts in RCT during the COVID-19

pandemic).

The Chair thanked the staff for their efforts over the past 12 months and referred

to the update later on in the meeting that would provide an update on activities

that have continued during the National Lockdown.

To receive disclosures of personal interest from Members in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Note:

1.     Members are requested to identify the item number and subject matter that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal interest; and

2.     Where Members withdraw from a meeting as a consequence of the disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chairman when they leave.

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, the following declarations of personal interests were made pertaining to the agenda:-

-         County Borough Councillor S Rees-Owen – In relation to Agenda Item 4 ‘Serving Our Communities during the Covid-19 Pandemic – “I have been in receipt of the Culture Recovery Fund Freelancer Funding which was administered by the Arts Service on behalf of Welsh Government’s Creative Wales department”.

-         County Borough Councillor J Brencher - In relation to Agenda Item 4 ‘Serving Our Communities during the Covid-19 Pandemic – “I am Director of the YMCA”

To approve as an accurate record, the minutes of the meeting of the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group held on the 6^th February 2020.

RESOLVED to approve the Minutes of the 6^th February 2020 as an accurate reflection of the meeting.

For Members of the Strategic Culture and Arts Steering Group to consider the Work Programme for the 2020/21 Municipal Year.

The purpose of the report was outlined to the Strategic Culture & Arts Steering Group with information on the key issues to be considered in the 2020/21 Municipal Year.

Members considered the key themes on the forward work programme for the remaining 202/21 Municipal Year and the Chair referred members to the meeting scheduled for the 17^th March 2021 at which it is intended to deliver an update on the progress of the Muni Awen Cultural Trust Invited to discuss the progress and strategy for the Muni Arts Centre. Members of the Steering also noted the future topics to be considered to include the Eisteddfod and preparations for the Cultural Arts Programme and the link with the Education curriculum for 2021/22.

In response to a query about the possibility of bringing the key players together to engage in a wider discussions around the YMCA, Pontypridd Library, the Muni all within the arts quarter of Pontypridd, the Service Director Community Services confirmed that there was an appetite for bringing organisations together and an update would be relayed to the Steering Group in respect of maximising this opportunity for key stakeholders to meet.

A member of the Steering Group praised the RCT team for its hard work which had been recognised by the Arts Council for Wales but raised a query regarding the business plan for both enterprises and the importance of having both models in place.

The Chair advised that sustainability remains at the forefront of how the Council builds for the future and he added that the Cabinet is also mindful of the revenue support which will be also required.

The Group Director Community & Children’s Services commented that it was positive to be discussing investment in the ‘Arts Quarter’ in Pontypridd and advised that although the work on the Muni had been delayed because of Covid 19, a consultation exercise is underway and the business plan has been revisited in collaboration with Anwen. The Group Director stressed that the Council has committed fully to the initiative both from a financial and supporting role. He added that an update regarding the ongoing consultation exercise, tender process and building works would be provided to the Steering Group at its next meeting in March 2021.

Following discussion, it was RESOLVED to approve the draft work programme subject to any changing priorities throughout the year.

To receive an update on the progress of the Arts in RCT during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Strategic Arts & Culture Manager presented the report of the Director, Public Health, Protection and Community Services, which outlined the progress of the RCT Arts Services in serving its communities during the covid-19 pandemic 2020.

The Strategic Arts & Culture Manager provided an overview of how the service has operated since the closure of all the RCT theatres in March 2020 with live events having been cancelled or postponed. A number of services were transferred to an online platform and have been operating and reaching out to audiences of all ages since.

The Steering Group was advised that a number of Arts Service staff, Senior Management Team and wider management were re deployed to assist with the Test, Track and Protect Service with other staff supporting the Community Resilience Centres.

As an Arts Council of Wales Arts Portfolio Wales client, the Steering Group was advised of the comprehensive free programme of arts events and activities online from April to December 2020 which has resulted in the Coliseum Theatre and Park and Dare Theatre Facebook pages having exceeded 347,356 reaches combined. In addition, the Arts and Creative Industries team has also reached out to a number of children and young people via the Families First commissioned Youth Arts and SONIG Youth Music Industries programmes, Forte (funded by the Arts Council of Wales and the PRS Foundation), and Beacons (funded by Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Government’s Creative Wales). 

The report provided a detailed account of the financial support provided to the Arts and Creative Industries such as the Culture Recovery Fund Freelancer Funding which had seen 181 eligible applicants who each received grants of £2,500.

In conclusion, the Strategic Arts & Culture Manager commented that for the Arts Services, 2021 would be a time of reflection, an opportunity for discussions to be held with staff, colleagues and the third sector and respond to the impact the pandemic has had on the Service and undertake a review of it processes and procedures. Information was also relayed with regards to the revenue funding strands such as the awards by the Arts Council of Wales.

 The Steering Group was provided with the opportunity to raise questions and did so concerning the impact of the pandemic on children and young people and whether future plans for Arts and Culture to work collaboratively with education, particularly through the medium of welsh. The Strategic Arts & Culture Manager advised that the future programme of work does include bilingual activity and highlighted particular strands of work which would be forthcoming.

Discussions centred around whether libraries could play a more prominent role in encouraging storytelling, competitions, from residents of all ages and local communities as there had been an increased interest in local history during lockdown.  In response, it was reported that a number of online projects have been undertaken, involving young people and a close relationship has been developed between the Library and Arts Services through a number of writing competitions and collection of old photographs for the annual anthologies.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.