Culcha - innit

Today was the first meeting of the new Culture Board for Cornwall, followed by a consultation event about the new Culture Green Paper.

I've been appointed by the Council's scrutiny committee to attend meetings of the Board and to report back. My role is not to play a part in decision making, but I don't see it as meekly watching from the sidelines either. I will be asking questions (sometimes difficult ones) and challenging assumptions in order to make sure that the new Board (which is an excellent idea by the way) really takes the lead.

The members of the Board include the three Cabinet members with responsibility (Joan Symons who covers culture, Julian German who covers the World Heritage Site and Carolyn Rule who covers the economy and tourism), as ell as three of the key funding agencies - the Arts Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Fund, although the last of these is not going to be around for much longer.

I'm not going to report back on who said what or give details of the decisions taken, but it is appropriate to say that today's discussion centred on the new Culture Green Paper. Unlike most Green Papers, this sets out a possible vision for how the Culture Board can lead a five year plan for culture in Cornwall. This plan is out for consultation at the moment and the second meeting (with more than 90 people representing culture organisations) was the first consultation event.

Everyone will have their own views on the paper itself. There are a number of key issues that need to be decided. These include:

- should Cornwall be bidding to host big events such as the European Region of Culture, Manifesta and so on, or should we be focusing more on our own events;

- should we be seeking to showcase 'the best' including bringing some of the most famous artists and performers to Cornwall, or should we be concentrating more on homegrown talent (some of which can rightly be described as the best, of course, but much of which is developing);

- is it right to invest funds in high profile capital projects such as Tate St Ives and, if so, should we be concentrating on those in the West;

- how do we develop the cultural sector in the East of Cornwall.

Incidentally, it is notable that a number of projects have already slipped in their timescale. It was originally proposed to Cabinet that the Manifesta and Region of Culture bids should be for 2012 and 2013. Both are now being talked about for two years later. One of the tasks that the new Board acknowledges is to ensure that firm timetables are set and kept to.

There is lots to get to grips with. I would encourage people to read and comment on the Green Paper - even if you don't want to answer the set questions but would rather comment on other aspects. The consultation runs for about 6 weeks.

Culture Board

Cornwall Council has set up a new Culture Board to deliver high profile projects in the Duchy. I have been nominated to be an observer on this Board to scrutinise their work.

Cornwall is showing huge ambition in trying to promote our culture and arts to both local residents and to the wider world. This is not simply with the aim of attracting more tourists, but also to build up some of our biggest exporting industries.

Although Cornwall was not successful in winning the UK City of Culture status, we are also in line to bid to host the Manifesta event in 2014 and to be European Region of Culture in 2013. If we are to win these projects then we need a passionate and committed group to create the best possible bid and to prepare the ground for successful events. Such events cost some money to set up, but they bring huge amounts of funding to the successful bidder. When Liverpool became City of Culture in 2008, it kickstarted massive regeneration as well as drawing in huge numbers of cultural events and hundreds of thousands of extra visitors. There is a long term legacy involved as well and Liverpool will feel the benefit for years to come.

Other events will not bring the regeneration, but will still showcase our brilliant cultural sector and attract high profile arts providers to Cornwall.

The new board includes councillors and officers from Cornwall Council as well as representatives from funding bodies such as the Arts Council. If we are to be successful with our bids and our projects, we need these organisations on board as they have the experience - and they also have a say in deciding who wins!

As stated above, my position is not as a full member on the Board. As an observer on behalf of the scrutiny committee, my duties will be to keep a watching brief, to make suggestions and to report back to the wider council on progress. I also want to make sure that events encompass the whole of Cornwall wherever possible and are not simply concentrated in the West or on existing providers.

Du Maurier Festival is great - but how much subsidy should it get?

Cornwall Council has commissioned an independent survey of visitors to this year's Du Maurier Festival in Fowey to help determine the level of subsidy that the festival will get in future years.

At present, the festival gets a large subsidy in cash and officer time from the Council - more than £100,000 which comes from Cornish taxpayers. Of course it generates far more money in terms of business for local firms.

The present position for the Council is that it wants to gradually reduce the level of subsidy to longer standing festivals like Du Maurier so that they become self sufficient.

No one can consider the Council's commitment to Cornish arts and culture to be anything less than total. We are currently bidding for European Region of Culture status and hope to host the Manifesta event in the coming years. Both of these will need significant council investment but will also draw down huge amounts of matched funding from other sources and will bring thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of extra visitors to Cornwall.

There are many other events in Cornwall which currently receive no subsidy but might be able to grow with small (and short term) bit of support from the Council. In the long term, cutting the subsidy given to the Du Maurier festival is sensible and will not threaten its viability. The question is simply how soon and how fast the subsidy is withdrawn.

Cornwall fails to make City of Culture final four

The news has just come through that Cornwall has failed in its bid to become the UK City of Culture 2013. Cornwall was one of fourteen bids but has failed to make the final shortlist which is made ujp of Norwich, Sheffield, Birmingham and Derry/Londonderry.

This is undoubtedly a blow. Cornwall has been bidding for a range of cultural events including hosting the Manifesta event in 2011, European Capital of Culture in 2012 and the UK City of Culture status.

I have asked the officers in charge to share the feedback they will receive from the Government as to why Cornwall failed in this instance and what this failure might mean for the other bids.