Annex
REGIONAL CULTURAL CONSORTIUMS
INTRODUCTION
1. Regional Cultural Consortiums were established
by the Government in the eight English regions outside London
in late 1999 and early 2000. In the context of the Consortiums,
the term "culture" is used as shorthand for the whole
range of artistic, creative, leisure and recreational aspects
of life, including the arts, creative industries, archives, libraries,
museums, historic environment, sport and tourism. The aims of
the Consortiums are to:
— champion the whole spectrum of cultural
and creative interests in each region, including sport and tourism;
— forge links across this spectrum;
and
— create a common vision expressed
in a cultural strategy for each region.
MEMBERSHIP
2. The Chairs of the Consortiums were appointed
by the Secretary of State and are prominent members of their local
and regional community. The members of the Consortiums are drawn
from across the cultural and creative sectors. The regional agencies
for archives, arts, heritage, libraries, museums, sport and tourism
and the Regional Development Agencies each nominate a representative
to each Consortium. Other interests are invited to join the Consortiums
by the chairs and may include representatives from film, broadcasting,
architecture and design, countryside, recreation and education.
In addition, between one quarter and one third of the membership
of each Consortium is drawn from local government.
ACTIVITIES
3. During 2001 all eight Consortiums published
their regional cultural strategies. These strategies are specific
to each region and reflect the diversity of cultural life. They
identify priorities and objectives at a regional level and include
action plans to implement the strategies and achieve the objectives.
4. The Consortiums have engaged widely with
regional agencies, local authorities, Regional Development Agencies,
Regional Chambers and other regional partners, raising the profile
of culture by building on existing links and creating new ones.
They have used these links to ensure that the role of culture
is reflected in a range of other regional strategies and that
the contribution of culture and creativity to other agendas, such
as economic development, regeneration, social inclusion and education
and training is recognised. Working with their partners, they
have taken forward a range of initiatives including sponsoring
research into the cultural and creative sectors and the collection
of relevant data and statistics, developing measures to support
the creative industries and businesses in the cultural and tourism
sectors, and disseminating information about sources of funding
for individuals and organisations in the cultural and creative
sectors.
FUNDING
5. The Consortiums were allocated start-up
costs in 1999-01 and benefited from a three year funding programme
from Spending Review 2000 provision. Details are set out in the
table below:
GRANT-IN-AID FOR REGIONAL CULTURAL CONSORTIUMS
| 1999-00
| 2000-01 | 2001-02
| 2002-03 | 2003-04
| Total |
| £35k | £5k
| £50k | £125k
| £62.5k | £277.5
|
6. In addition to this core funding from DCMS all of
the Consortiums have secured additional funds from their regional
partners for specific tasks, programmes or activities.
7. Over the first three years, the funding available
to the Consortiums has been used mainly to fund the work associated
with the development of the regional cultural strategies. However,
with the support of regional partners, most of the Consortiums
have now employed, or are in the process of recruiting, their
own staff to manage Consortium business and support the task of
taking forward the implementation of the strategies. The Department
recognises that the limited funding available to the Consortiums
is one factor which inhibits their ability to drive forward the
cultural agenda in the region.
REVIEW
8. In November 2001 the Department announced that it
was bringing forward a stock-taking review of the Consortiums,
which had been planned for mid-2002, so that their future could
be considered in the context of the discussions taking place about
elected regional government in England. A wide range of individuals
and regional and national organisations were invited to comment
on the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the Consortiums and
on the relevance of their current structures to the cultural needs
of the English regions. The conclusions of the review will be
announced shortly.
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