Wiltshire Arts Promoters: Notes from Conference call Friday 22 October 10am – 10.50am approx. Taking part: Maria, Carrie, Ian, Peter Ursem and Keith – Tracy joined call around 10.35am The key theme of this discussion was how to focus WAP’s objectives for the next year or two, develop a clear plan of action, and resource it - recognising that:
there will be a very difficult public funding climate (ACE and Wiltshire Council)
this is likely to have a big impact on the arts in Wiltshire
this is precisely the sort of situation where WAP could and should show its worth and metal, helping to make the best of what public investment and PR opportunities are available for the arts
It’s not just the member organisations that will need WAP, the public funders need WAP too
WAP members will be under great pressure dealing with their own organisations’ issues
WAP needs a strong ‘centre’ i.e. a clear programme of work = a Business Plan, and a strong well managed central resource to hold and progress the plan The discussion was prompted by Tracy’s email of 21 October. We agreed that there’s an important job for Tracy to do going forward and we want her to do it. The approach she proposes in her email could work in principle, but should we not try for more funding through G4A? We all agreed WAP now needs to refocus its priorities and think and act more strategically. That’s not to set aside opportunities like Automatic Transition where there’s the capacity to pursue them, but WAP’s own strategic agenda should be uppermost. A strategic Business Plan would support a G4A bid. The group discussed likely elements informing WAP’s next Business plan: Preparation
Revisit, pick up on actions from and update the Communication Strategy
Research the strongest networks elsewhere e.g. LARC in Liverpool http://www.larc.uk.com/
What did they find works best that could readily translate to Wiltshire and WAP?
What can we learn from the problems they encountered on route?
How did they do it – how were they resourced?
Wiltshire Arts Promoters, Development Manager, Tracy Sullivan, C/O Arc Theatre Trowbridge, College Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 0ES Tel: 07540 938936 email wiltshireartspromoters@gmail.com
Understanding our own context and network better Prepare a WAP map – areas of joint interest and clear distinctiveness between WAP organisations Map the territory ripe for collaboration – both between members and between WAP as a whole and the public funders Map territory that organisations are likely to have to develop working on their own or with partners outside WAP – both what we can do together and what we can’t helps bring clarity to WAP’s role and transparency between its member organisations Talk with a) Peter Tyas and b) Caroline Corfe for their view of the priorities for Wiltshire, what are others doing, what is WAP best placed to do, what resources it needs to do it and how to fund that Other elements for consideration in the updated WAP plan (not exhaustive – others to input)
Cultural Olympiad / Paralympiad
Jointly managed, interactive Wiltshire Arts Website (not discussed but arises from Communications Strategy and proposals Peter Tyas has raised) Once more work has been done on the plan with the benefit of research and guidance, all agreed it would be helpful to have an awayday to develop it further. Next steps It was clarified that a WAP bid is separate from and does not in any way cut across a feasibility G4A bid being prepared by Wiltshire Dancing and Theatre Works. It was agreed therefore that WAP needs further funding going forward – probably through G4A. It was noted that under 10K is a 6 week turn around and over 10k takes 3 months. If Peter Tyas can join us for the meeting planned for 11am at The Arc, Trowbridge on Wednesday 27 October, let us seek his advice then. If he can’t, let us rearrange the date to suit him.
Wiltshire Arts Promoters, Development Manager, Tracy Sullivan, C/O Arc Theatre Trowbridge, College Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 0ES Tel: 07540 938936 email wiltshireartspromoters@gmail.com