Agenda item

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information

1.1    As Members will be aware, the Cultural Framework for Belfast 2012–15 was agreed at September Development Committee and published in October 2012.  Its vision is that by 2020, everyone in Belfast experiences and is inspired by our city’s diverse and distinctive culture and arts. Arts and heritage are valued for enriching quality of life and creating wealth, and the city’s culture and creativity is renowned throughout the world. 

1.2    The Cultural Framework includes a commitment to introduce a Flagship Fund, an additional funding scheme for large-scale arts and heritage projects that respond to a specific need or challenge in the city.    

1.3    £150,000 has been ring-fenced towards the Flagship Fund in the 2013/14 budget, with the same level of support projected for 2014/15 and 2015/16 subject to approval of draft budget estimates.  The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has provisionally agreed to provide match funding of £150,000 per year for three years, bringing the total available budget for the Flagship Fund to £900,000.

2    Key Issues

2.1    Officers from the Tourism, Culture, Heritage and Arts Unit held a workshop with Members on 5 June 2013 to discuss the terms of reference of the Flagship Fund.  The following terms of reference were discussed.  

2.2    Criteria for decision making

         It was agreed that projects must use arts and heritage to address the challenge of social inclusion.  Applicants must demonstrate how projects will support, at least, the Cultural Framework’s Distinctly Belfast and Inspiring communities themes and be cross-community, cross-city, delivered in partnership between arts and community organisations, and benefit hard-to-reach areas and communities

         Staff resources

         The management of the Flagship Fund would be included in the TCH&A Unit work programme.  However, additional administrative and communications support is required from the Central Grants Unit (CGU), and it is therefore recommended that £9,000 per year, or 3 per cent of the total budget, is ring fenced for administration. The total amount of funding available to be given out under the Flagship Fund is therefore £873,000.

         Level of funding  

         Members preferred the option to award a small number of medium-sized grants each year, rather than one high-risk project or a larger number of small grants, which would spread the impact too thinly.

         It is therefore recommended that in 2013/14, three projects are awarded funding up to the value of £97,000.  The projects are expected to run for up to 18 months to allow for extensive development and consultation. The same model would be rolled out in years 2 and 3 subject to approval of budget estimates and a review of quality and performance.

         Members requested that Officers explore the option to renew year-1 contracts in year 2 and year 3, subject to performance reviews.  This would be difficult for organisations to plan and manage the expectations of their partners and would substantially change the terms and conditions of the original grant offer.  However, applicants will have the option to re-apply in years 2 and 3.  

         Communications

         Members stressed that the fund should benefit a range of organisations of different sizes, expertise and track record in order to develop capacity and spread the benefit of funding.  The TCH&A Unit will work with Members, the Community Arts Partnership and other stakeholders to put together a communications plan to ensure that the opportunity is communicated widely across the city.  This will include networking sessions for arts and community organisations. 

         Next steps

         The Flagship Fund criteria will be further developed and draft criteria presented to the Development Committee in August 2013.  It is anticipated that the first round of funding will open in September, with the first projects commencing in January 2014.

         Recommendations

The Committee is requested to agree the terms of reference for the Flagship Fund and to ringfence 3 per cent of the annual budget for administrative costs”

The Committee adopted the recommendation.