Project Continuity Day 26 October 2012

Tags

Art, cities, communities, connected

Just a quick update on the Project Continuity Day, hosted at GEES, University of Birmingham on 26 October 2012. We had a good turnout of researchers and project partners, with engaged debate circling around the slippery themes of cultural intermediation and theories of cultural production. A really helpful way of conceptualising intermediation as a ‘shared territory’ was proposed by Phil Jones with recourse to Bakhtin. This seems particularly appropriate given the range of disciplines, and diversity of stakeholders and communities who will be contributing to the project.   

Along with updates on working papers by Lisa de Propis and Samuel Mwaura, Ian Grosvenor and Natasha McNab, and Dave O’ Brien, international scoping studies have been commissioned. Exciting cities that will be used to contextualise the UK-based research include Chicago, Budapest, Delhi and Guangzhou. Also present was Keri Facer who introduced her role as Leadership Fellow for the AHRC Connected Communities agenda. Keri will be helping to support coherence and synergies across the Connected Communities projects, and is keen to hear from researchers and partners on how best to do this. The next Project Continuity Day is scheduled for 27 March 2013.

October 2012 Project Continuity Day PowerPoints

• Phil Jones: Cultural intermediation: project & progress
• Lisa De Propris: Mapping cultural intermediaries
• Ian Grosvenor & Natasha Macnab: Historical evolution of cultural intermediaries
• Dave O’Brien: Governing the value of culture

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Arts and Culture Summit 2012, Bramall, University of Birmingham

Buzz, swagger and pride were three recurrent terms used by speakers at the Arts and Culture Summit 2012 to communicate their vision for the future cultural landscape of Birmingham. A lack of confidence was identified in comparison to London and Manchester, and arts professionals were called upon to lead the way in shouting ‘a bit louder’ about the rich cultural offering of Birmingham.

The benefits of culture were widely recognised by Sir Albert Bore, Leader of Birmingham City Council, in his keynote speech. Beyond economy, Bore discussed health and wellbeing, cohesive and enjoyable environments, and emphasised the need for opportunities for young people. In a potential strategy also picked up by Ruth Mackenzie, OBE, Director of Cultural Olympiad, the importance of the growth of the digital economy and its intersections with art was presented. Young people have been disproportionately disadvantaged by the economic downturn, and the digital economy was positioned as an area of the creative industries where young people could ‘fill the technological jobs we can’t yet imagine.’ According to Bore, the youngest and most diverse have the lowest uptake of engagement with the arts in Birmingham, therefore the offer needs to be made more relevant while continuing to develop tourist figures to the city (£33.5 million in 2011). ‘What will keep visitors coming?’ And (predictably) ‘what will encourage businesses to relocate?’

The important restructuring of Birmingham City Council was highlighted with Mark Barrow now responsible for culture as Strategic Director of Development and Culture. Barrow outlined the Big City Plan including the HS2 Gateway and Birmingham Library which will include an exhibition space (investment around £133million). The ‘grim beyond grim’ (Ruth Mackenzie) local government budget detailed by Jon Warlow, Director of Finances, Birmingham City Council, presented stark realities for the cultural and creative industries which has been picked up elsewhere (Twitter #brumarts and flatpackfestival.org/blog/a-view-from-the-summit/.

Andy Phillips from MarketingBirmingham, presented some findings from a recent report, snappily entitled, Research for Creative City: key issues and challenges for the cultural and creative industries in the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP area. Phillips identified 38,000 jobs in 6,000 organisations. Selected recommendations include a space to network (crucial to SMEs and sole traders) and coaching on leadership, management and fundraising skills. Other news is that Finance Birmingham is keen to promote its role in offering microfinance and loans to sustainable new businesses in the creative industries.

While finance and economy dominated discussion, the central importance of the artwork itself was maintained. To end, then, two quotes on the value of art in Birmingham:

‘Use culture as a motor for aspiration and vision’ (Ruth Mackenzie)

‘Art is the divine mystery of creation’

(Graham Vicks, Artistic Director of Birmingham Opera Company)

Scoping activities

Last Thursday we were given an exciting tour of the Heritage and Cultural Learning Hub at the University of Birmingham, where we given updates on the development of ‘The Hub’ and its potential to advance our project. Technologies will enable data tracking of audiences accessing high quality content on multi-touch, multi-user tables and walls, on mobile devices or via the Internet. Moreover in The Hub sensory tracking and video will be used to record audience behaviours as they orientate and interact within the space. Particularly innovative is the ability to trace and analyse audiences at an individual and communal level. The Hub will be launching this autumn…

Other interesting activities over the past week include a drop-in session at Warwick Bar, Digbeth, on the creative future of the Banana Warehouse. On behalf of ISIS Waterside Regeneration Cultural Programmer, Sue Ball, is leading discussions on ideas for the use of the site from the end of 2013 onwards. Meanwhile over at the Custard Factory, the excellent ‘Arts all over the place’ is taking place in Lakeside Gallery as part of the Festival of Arts in Mental Health with a program of events till Saturday 13^th October. Definitely worth visiting and to show support for an important cultural intermediary who have organised this year’s festival while dealing with large funding cuts.