Written evidence from Tate Liverpool
SUMMARY
Tate Liverpool would like to make a submission
to the inquiry on behalf of the wider cultural sector in the region,
in particular in relation to the new framework and timetable for
converting RDAs to LEPs, and the arrangements for co-ordinating
tourism beyond the sub-regional level without the RDAs in place.
The visitor economy is a vital part of the wider
Northwest economy, and the North West Development Agency supports
the sector by leading a clear Tourism strategy with agreed priorities
shared across a large and diverse region. It has particularly
focused on investment in projects of international significance
to help grow the visitor economy to its current £14.3 billion
annual value to the North West; the NWDA is also critical in effective
promotion of the region on an international scale and in working
to help attract and market major events in the North West, including
some of Tate Liverpool's own exhibitions such as Picasso: Peace
and Freedom. The Agency has had a particular role in avoiding
unhelpful tourism competition between sub regions (eg it was pivotal
in ensuring that Manchester International Festival was programmed
in a different year from Liverpool's Capital of Culture) and it
has helped lever considerable extra resources from other private
and public sources through its early support for large-scale projects
(eg the 2007 Turner Prize at Tate Liverpool, where the RDA's investment
of £100,000 generated a further £350,000 public/private
partnership cash support for the project). It has then helped
these projects be collectively marketed to an international audience
through its own marketing activities, with the resulting benefit
that economic impact could be clearly measured through private
business gain (eg Tate Liverpool's Gustav Klimt exhibition
in 2008 contributed £11.1 million into the city region economy
outside the gallery. This figure excludes those for whom Tate
was not the primary reason for their visit, and local Merseyside
residents. Average spend per visitor was £111.24, of which
£22 was on shopping, £27 on eating out and £36
on accommodation. 73,000 of the 200,000 visitors were from outside
the North West and we expect a similar proportion of our Picasso
visitors this summer to have come from outside the region).
Having strategic responsibility for tourism
properly aligned at regional level with the wider economic development
agenda has been advantageous and enabled the visitor economy to
benefit from a wide range of Agency investments. There has been
particular benefit from having collaboration rather than competition
through a regionally co-ordinated approach for cultural tourism,
and an ability to spread good practice (eg the development of
a cultural tourism online portal for Manchester, with an integrated
box office, which can now be rolled out elsewhere in the region).
Keeping strategic planning aligned to larger economic goals has
been very positive for a variety of exceptional cultural events
across the region and we need this approach more than ever in
current times.
We would like to ensure that the LEP transition
period and future structures:
— have a structure which can take a regional
not just sub-regional view of tourism, which includes cultural
events;
— ensures that big aspirations operating
on an international scale can be delivered at a local level;
— provides a mechanism and motivation for
LEPs to work together on cross boundrary issues; and
— ensures there are clearly communicated
priorities for scarce resources to be used to maximum effect,
including for cultural tourism.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Tate Liverpool is one of four Tate Gallery sites
and is the most popular gallery of modern art outside London.
The gallery opened in 1988 as part of the development of the previously
derelict Albert Dock, itself the first culturally led city regeneration
project. It regularly serves an audience of over 650,000 visitors
annually, and shows both a range of changing displays from the
Tate's Collection of national and international modern art, and
a wide-ranging programme of temporary exhibitions. For further
information, please go to our website at tate.org.uk.
Andrea Nixon was appointed Executive Director,
Tate Liverpool in 2006. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of
Arts, a Trustee of the Crafts Council and Forma, a NorthWest Apprentice
Ambassador, a member of the Regional Council for Arts Council
North West and a board member of Renaissance North West. She sits
on the Workforce Development Group for UK Visual Arts for Creative
& Cultural Skills, the Visitor Economy Panel for England's
NorthWest, and the Liverpool Waterfront Partnership. She also
steers a number of initiatives for the Liverpool Arts Regeneration
Consortium (LARC), including leading the Liverpool Creative Apprenticeships
programme.
FACTUAL INFORMATION
Tate Liverpool is a member of LARC, the Liverpool
Arts Regeneration Consortium and plays a pivotal role in attracting
tourist audiences to the city. 20% of our audience now comes from
overseas, with another 20% coming from outside the City Region
and 30% from the UK outside the North West.
Tate is one of the National Museums and is funded
directly by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Government
funding accounts for between 45 and 50% of Tate's turnover.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We would recommend to the inquiry that new LEPs:
— have a structure which can take a regional
not just sub-regional view of tourism, which includes cultural
events;
— ensures that big aspirations operating
on an international scale can be delivered at a local level;
— provides a mechanism and motivation for
LEPs to work together on cross boundary issues; and
— ensures there are clearly communicated
priorities for scarce resources to be used to maximum effect,
including for cultural tourism.
12 August 2010
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