Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1        The purpose of this report is to request approval from Members to financially support a range of music Events and Festivals within the current financial year and during the financial year 18/19 only, pending the outcome of the current strategic review of Events and Festivals.  The events are as follows: 

 

-       BBC Music Events 2018/19 (BBC Big Music Weekend, Radio 2 Folk Awards & Proms)

-       GradamCeoil 2017/18 & 2018/19

-       Féile an Phobail 2018/19

-       Other Voices 2018/19

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

 

-       Approve, in principle, provision of a financial contribution towards some of the costs associated with the following Events & Festivals as part of a potential year of music. 

-       GradamCeoil 17/18 - £50,000

-       GradamCeoil 18/19 - £50,000

-       Féile an Phobail 18/19 - £180,000

-       Other Voices 18/19 - £40,000

-       BBC Music Events 18/19 (BBC Big Music Weekend, Radio 2 Folk Awards & Proms) - £200,000

 

2.2       Based on the 2017/18 City Events Unit budget £200,000 would be available to support these events in 2018/19. (During 2017/18 City Events Unit have funded the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the World B Ice Hockey Championships, the UEFA U-19 Women’s Football Championships and the World 24 hour Endurance Race, totalling £200,000.  None of these events will take place in Belfast during 2018/19).

 

2.3       Given the timescales required for the planning of the BBC Music Events it is recommended that the available £200,000 is allocated by Committee to the BBC events. Members should note that if approved, the funding of £50,000 for Gradam Ceoil 2017/18 would come from within existing departmental budgets. This would leave a shortfall in funding of £270,000.

 

2.4       The Committee is therefore further asked to:

 

·        Agree to refer the remainder of the funding requirement to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in September with a request to give priority to the remaining events and festivals when it is considering in-year re-allocations at the half year or year end.

 

 

3.0       Main Report

 

            Strategic Context

 

3.1       As Members will be aware, Festivals and Events International Consultants have been appointed to develop an Events and Festival Strategy, this will be completed in December 2017.  This Strategy will set the direction of travel in relation to the future decisions on Council’s funding of Belfast’s Events and Festivals for 2019/20 and beyond. 

 

3.2       Investment in Events and Festivals strengthens the profile of the City as a culturally vibrant destination, thus supporting the Belfast Agenda and also aligning well with the current bid for European Capital of Culture in 2023.  They also reinforce the commitment to build the city’s cultural profile and showcase its creative talent.  It is considered that support for the Events & Festivals noted in this report will make an overwhelmingly positive contribution towards the promotion of Belfast and its cultural offer.

 

3.3       In the interim period, 2018/19 will effectively be a transition year with regard to funding of Events and Festivals.  As a consequence, Members are asked to approve funding towards a range of events and festivals in 2017/18 and 2018/19.

 

3.4       The proposals tie in with the Council’s Cultural Framework Action Plan and the four strands which are: Distinctly Belfast, Inspiring Communities, Attracting Audiences, and Strengthening the Sector.  Additionally, they are also in keeping with the emerging Place Positioning brand.

 

3.5       The Events and Festivals in this report contribute to the use of public space, key conference and cultural venues, community cohesion, tourism, and the Belfast Agenda pillars.  The ‘City Development’ theme of the Belfast Agenda focuses on supporting the cultural regeneration of the City as a means of supporting inclusive growth and profiling Belfast as a dynamic business location. 

 

3.6       It is worth highlighting that the Council has already approved £180,000 in 2018/19 towards the UK National Pipe Bands Championships.  This demonstrates the Council’s ongoing commitment towards innovative and iconic music events throughout the city.  The Council also provides funding through a variety of grant schemes for a range of other exciting Events and Festivals throughout the city.  As mentioned previously, decisions regarding funding decisions for 2019/20 onwards will be informed by the outcomes in the Events and Festival Strategy.

 

3.7       The UK National Pipe Bands Championships and the other events noted in this report will all help position Belfast as a unique musical destination, and will undoubtedly have great appeal for both local residents, tourists, and people across the region.

 

            Key Issues

 

            BBC Music Events

 

3.8       Officers have been in discussion with the BBC (BBC NI and BBC national) in relation to staging three significant music events for Belfast during 2018. 

 

3.9       The three potential events are as follows:

 

-       BBC Six Music Festival as part of BBC’s Big Music Weekend, Titanic Slipways, 25th and 26th May, 2018;

-       BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Ulster Hall, date tbc; and

-       BBC Proms in the Park, Titanic Slipways, 8th September, 2018.

 

3.10     The first of these would be BBC Radio 2’s National Folk Awards.  The Awards celebrate outstanding achievement within the field of folk music, with the overarching aim of raising the profile of folk and acoustic music. The awards have been given annually since 2000.  Previous Award recipients have included: Joan Baez, Cat Stevens, John Martyn, Steve Earle, The Dubliners, Kate Rusby, Cara Dillon, Don McLean, The Chieftains, Joan Armatrading and James Taylor.

 

3.11     The event attracts significant national and international media attention and is broadcast live on BBC Radio 2 and via the BBC online TV service.  The Awards normally take place in April, however, if approved, Officers would seek to move the event to May 2018 so it could be intertwined with the proposed BBC Big Music Weekend inclusive of the BBC Six Music Festival and the city’s annual Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival.    

 

3.12     The second of the proposed events is the BBC Six Music Festival.  This would be part of the BBC Big Music Weekend.  This would see four days of music across the four Home Nations, with events at: Scone Castle (Scotland); Coventry; Swansea and if approved by Members at the Titanic Slipways on the 25th and 26th May, 2018.  In 2017, Glasgow hosted the Six Music Festival which included the following line up:  Goldfrapp, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Shins, Bonobo, Belle & Sebastian, Depeche Mode and another twenty artists.  The event is comparable to the BBC Radio One Big Weekend which was held as part of the Derry~Londonderry Year of Culture in 2013. 

 

3.13     The third event would see the return of the BBC’s Proms in the Park concert to Belfast.  This event has previously attracted and audience of over 11,000 people with up to 75,000 applications for tickets.  It is proposed that the live broadcast concert would be staged at the Titanic Slipways and the event would link to national and international audiences across multiple BBC broadcast platforms.

 

3.14     It is envisaged that the three BBC events would generate extensive economic value for the city as well as extensive positive media coverage.

 

            Gradam Ceoil

 

3.15     Gradam Ceoil is an annual awards ceremony which celebrates the best of traditional Irish music and song.  It comprises a gala event as well as an extensive outreach and engagement programme before the event to maximise impact and economic benefit.

 

3.16     Gradam Ceoil organisers have approached the Council to explore the opportunity to host the 2018 event.  To date, it has been held in cities such as Galway and Cork and it is broadcast live on TG4 and also live-streamed.  The overall cost of the event is circa £200,000 with a proposed council contribution of £50,000.  It is likely to take place at end of February 2018 in the Belfast Waterfront however there is some flexibility on this date.  If the Council supports the event this year, the organisers would be keen to explore the opportunity for a multi-annual engagement (potentially to 2021).

 

3.17     Based on the experience of the city of Cork, it is estimated that Gradam Ceoil will have a direct economic impact in the region of £300,000 over the weekend, in terms of visitor spend.  Furthermore, the live coverage on TG4 and the potential engagement of BBC (particularly BBC radio and online) and BBC Alba (Scottish channel), as well as PBS in USA (broadcast as recorded coverage), will all provide meaningful opportunities to showcase Belfast as a city of music, arts and culture.   

 

3.18     There will be excellent opportunities to advertise and promote the city over the weekend.  Gradam Ceoil will help attract new visitors to Belfast and make more people aware of the city’s cultural offer.

 

            Other Voices

 

3.19     Members will recall that Committee approved financial support of £40,000 towards the ‘Other Voices’ event, in Belfast in October 2017, following a report in June 2017. Since this, the organisers have established the Duncairn Centre for Culture and Arts as the hub for the October 2017 events.  As noted in the previous Committee report, it is intended that the 2017 event will be a precursor to a larger Belfast event in 2018 and onwards. 

 

3.20     Other Voices has attracted a range of well-known acts since its inception in 2002.  These have included Willie Nelson, Ellie Goulding, Gregory Porter, Amy Winehouse and Mumford and Sons.  In addition, it has attracted many indigenous acts and has provided a platform to highlight up-and-coming talent.  The event is currently broadcast on RTE’s television and digital platforms.  It also involves a wide range of outreach and engagement activity with local residents and those involved in the culture and arts sector. 

 

3.21     The Other Voices team is currently exploring potential funding partners as well as building the local networks at community level to create a solid foundation for future activities. Experience from previous events suggests that it can have a significant economic, social and cultural impact on the local area.  Other Voices continues to present an opportunity to demonstrate Belfast as city of musical prowess and to attract excellent media coverage.  As a result, it is recommended that Belfast City Council continues to support this unique initiative in 2018/19.   

 

            Féile an Phobail 2018

 

3.22     2018 marks the 30th anniversary / birthday of Féile an Phobail.  It is marketed as Ireland’s biggest community arts festival and summer school. Féile was established in 1988, as a direct response to the turbulence and conflict at the time.  The purpose of the festival has always been to celebrate the positive side of the community - its creativity, energy, passion for arts, culture and sport.

 

3.23     Féile is recognised for its collaborative community approach and it is intended that its 30th anniversary year festival will bring an inclusive programme of events which will demonstrate good relations in action, attracting more tourism and visitor spend and building increased social and cultural capital.

 

3.24     The organisers are presently undertaking a stakeholder engagement strategy and have commenced consultation and planning for 2018 events.  Since July 2017, workshops have been held with over 30 arts, cultural and tourism organisations from across the City. One of the key themes that has emerged from these workshops is ‘ambition’. Taking this theme and the new event space at the Falls Park, they are aiming to attract some of the biggest artists from across the globe in 2018.

 

3.25     For 2018/19, Féile aims to create a year-round programme of inclusive and accessible arts and cultural events, delivered across the City with four specific festivals during the year. This will include 400+ events with an audience reach of up to 100,000 people.

 

3.26     We have committed to support Féile with £39,000 per annum under the Core Multi Annual Fund 2016-2020.  However as this is its 30th anniversary, the festival will comprise a much broader scope and audience reach, so Féile has requested support from Belfast City Council totalling £180,000.  The festival presents a wonderful opportunity to showcase Belfast as a centre of music, culture and arts, it will increase visitor numbers to the city and will enhance the city’s reputation.

 

            Equality and Good Relations Implications

 

3.27     The Events and Festivals will all be equality proofed and there will be a significant complementary suite of outreach and engagement programmes open to all communities.

 

            Financial and Resource Implications

 

3.28     The financial support required from Belfast City Council for each initiative is as follows:

·        BBC Music Events 2018/19 - £200,000 – as noted, from within existing departmental budgets

·        GradamCeoil 2017/18 – £50,000 – as noted, from within existing departmental budgets.

·        GradamCeoil 2018/19- £50,000

·        Féile an Phobail 2018/19 - £180,000

·        Other Voices 2018/19 - £40,000

 

3.29     In total £470,000 additional funding is required to support these Events. Based on the 2017/18 City Events Unit budget level, £200,000 would be available to support the BBC events in 2018/19. The Gradam Ceoil event requiring a £50,000 would also be funded from within existing departmental budgets. This would leave a shortfall of £270,000. It is further recommended that the Committee agree to refer the remainder of the funding requirement to the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee in September as a request to give priority to the funding of the remaining events and festivals when it is considering in-year re-allocations at the half year or year-end.”

 

            During discussion, it was

 

            Moved by Alderman Kingston,

            Seconded by Councillor Dorrian,

 

      That the Committee agrees to remove the wording ‘to give priority to the remaining events and festivals’ under 2.4 of the recommendations, to read: ‘That the Committee agrees to refer the remainder of the funding requirement to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in September, when it is considering in-year re-allocations at the half year or year end’.  

 

            On a vote by show of hands eight Members voted for the proposal and eight against. 

 

            As there was an equality of votes, the Chairperson exercised her second and casting vote against the Motion and it was accordingly declared lost.

In response to a Member’s question regarding the projected benefits for the City, through hosting the BBC music events, the Director of Development agreed to submit a report to a future meeting.

 

            A Member expressed concerns that the EastSide Arts festival operated on a significantly smaller budget than Féile an Phobail and that the Committee needed to be mindful that it was fair in its funding allocations. 

 

In response to a Member’s question, the Director also agreed to submit a report outlining Féile an Phobail’s rationale for requesting the additional funding for the festival’s 30th anniversary in 2018/2019.

 

After further discussion, the Committee:

1.     adopted the recommendations as outlined in the report; in particular, given the timescales required for the planning of the BBC Music Events, recommended that the available £200,000 was allocated by Committee to the BBC events;

2.     agreed that organisers from both the Eastside Arts Festival and Féile an Phobail be invited to present to a future meeting of the Committee; and

3.     agreed that Festivals and Events International (FEI) be invited to present to a future meeting of the Committee to provide it with an overview of the Events and Festival Strategy.