Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1          Relevant Background Information

1.1       Legacy Trust UK

            The purpose of this paper is to seek direction from Members on issues of funding and personnel input to the Land of Giants event, which been successful in securing  £750,000 from the Legacy Trust (see attached Land of Giants Project Plan in Appendix 1). This event will be a significant part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.  In February 2010 the Legacy

            Trust UK publicly announced the Community Celebrations programme.  This programme provided an opportunity for four projects to access up to £4 million of finance and to link with other cities, regions, festivals to create unique celebrations building up to the 2012 Games. The Legacy Trust’s vision is to support community celebrations that identify a moment that deserves enhancing – a chance to do something spectacular, extraordinary and innovative connected to the staging of the Olympic Games.

1.2       Belfast Consortium

            In September 2010 Council approved that Officers should provide administrative support for the locally based consortium which consists of: Belfast Circus School; the Beat Initiative and Belfast Children’s Festival in their bid to secure £750k to stage a large scale community focused cultural event in Belfast in 2012.  This bid has now been successfully made, and the Belfast consortium is now in the position to access up to £750,000 from the Legacy Trust, but this is subject to securing both BCC and NITB financial contributions to the project.

1.3       The proposed event would combine carnival, circus, music and spectacle with local and international artists, underpinned by a substantial 18 month community engagement and education programme.  The proposal has the potential to build the capacity and confidence of the creative industries in Belfast by harnessing indigenous talent for future work on a regional, national and international scale. The Belfast project also has the prospect to create jobs and grow the creative industries in the city. It presents a unique tourism offer, tying in with Northern Ireland’s signature projects, the Giant’s Causeway and Titanic in 2012, while generating substantial visitor numbers, bed nights, employment and generating a positive international profile for Belfast and contributing to the growth of cultural tourism.  The successful project draws its inspiration from the many Giants of our regions shared and diverse history e.g. Jonathon Swift’s Gulliver & Cave Hill, Finn MacCool, Cuchulainn, Samson and Goliath, Titanic and Giant’s Causeway.  The project is designed to capture a vision of the city and its population as being ‘giant’ in our ideas, our talent and our heritage.

2          Key Issues

2.1       Project/Business Plan

            In order to obtain a release of the first tranche of Legacy Trust finances, it is a condition that a definite commitment of financial support from key stakeholders is obtained.  BCC has been identified by the consortium as a potential key funder, alongside DCAL/ACNI & DETI/NITB.  A full breakdown of costs is contained in the Project Plan attached to this Committee Report as Appendix 1, to which BCC is now being asked to consider a contribution of £80,000 to the project.

2.2       Delivery Vehicle

            The consortium has now been formed into a special purpose vehicle limited company.  The establishment of this not?for?profit organisation will manage the project, with an oversight body comprising representation from key funders, similar to the model adopted the Tall Ships in 2009.  It is requested that there is Councillor representation on the Board of the Land of Giants company in addition to Council officer(s) input, although the proposed limited entity would be separate and have no legal connection to the Council.  Details of the management and governance of the project are contained in the appendix to this report.

2.3       Potential Benefits

            It is envisaged that the project would engage an estimated 60,000 people; have the potential to generate an estimated £2 million return for the local economy; generate positive international profile and build capacity in the arts and events management to deliver future large-scale events, such as the Derry/Londonderry City of Culture, the World Police and Fire Games, and the Commonwealth Games.

3          Resource Implications

3.1       Financial

            There are two financial models being put forward by the group for consideration to deliver the Land of Giants project, one with a minimum required budget of £1.010m  and the other requiring a maximum budget of £1.3m.  BCC are being asked to consider a contribution of £80,000 in either scenario.

            The total funding for the project would consist of the following elements, all of which are subject to confirmation.

3.2       Option One

            Maximum – Budget 1

3.3       Option Two

            Minimum – Budget 2

            As stated, the maximum amount in either case that is being requested from Belfast City Council would be £80,000.

3.4       Given current budgetary constraints it is proposed that this could be sourced from the Council’s similar level of current contribution to the annual Belfast Carnival that traditionally introduces the new Lord Mayor to the city.  However, if Members were inclined to authorise this use of finance, it would be conditional that the Land of Giants project recognise the Lord Mayor’s input into the planning of the project, and integrating the role into the celebrations.

3.5       Personnel

            It is requested that Members agree that Officers continue to assist with the project within the various work strands, and that two Councillors be nominated to the Board of the Land of Giants Company.

4          Equality and Good Relations Considerations

            There are no equality or good relations considerations attached to this report

5          Recommendations

            Members are recommended to give approval that:

1.   BCC fund the project to the maximum level of £80,000 on the basis of existing Council finances being sourced for this project, within the context of planned 2012 activity.  It is proposed that this finance would come from the Council’s existing contribution to the annual Belfast Carnival, that traditionally introduces the new Lord Mayor to Belfast 

2.   The Committee nominate two Councillors to the Board of the Land of Giants

3.   Officers are permitted to continue to provide input and guidance to the Land of Giants project and advise the company within the various work strands created to deliver the event

6          Decision Tracking

            Further to approval, officers will monitor funding and evaluate the outcomes of the project and provide post-project details as part of the Department’s annual review.  These outcomes will be presented to Members as part of the City Events Unit key performance indicators. 

            Timeline:  March 2013      Reporting Officer:  Gerry Copeland”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations and noted that the nominees to the Board of the Land of the Giants would be appointed under the current d’Hondt system for determining appointments to outside bodies.