REGIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE FUNDING ALLOCATION SUBCOMMITTEE

Transcription

1 NOTICE OF INAUGURAL MEETING REGIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE FUNDING ALLOCATION SUBCOMMITTEE I hereby give notice that an Inaugural Meeting will be held on:- DATE: Monday, 22 April 2002 TIME: 7.00 pm VENUE: Civic Centre, 6 Waipareira Avenue, Lincoln, Waitakere City to consider the business as set out herein and to take any necessary action connected therewith. 17 April 2002 Audrey Chan COMMITTEE SECRETARY Telephone (09) extn 8603 MEMBERSHIP: Councillor DA Yates, JP (Chairperson) Ms Anna Crighton (Professional Artist) Ms Jocelyn Reece (Titirangi Community Arts Council) Mr Grant King (Waitakere Central Community Arts Council) Mr Te Warena Taua (Maori Community) Mrs Mihi Te Huia (Maori Community) Mr Taha Fasi (Pacific Islands Communities) Mr Daniel Greig (Business Sector) (Quorum 5 members) (The reports and recommendations contained in all agendas are reports and recommendations only and are not to be construed, in any way, as Council policy until adopted.)

2 W A I T A K E R E C I T Y C O U N C I L AGENDA FOR AN INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE REGIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE FUNDING ALLOCATION SUBCOMMITTEE TO BE HELD IN THE CIVIC CENTRE, 6 WAIPAREIRA AVENUE, LINCOLN, WAITAKERE CITY, ON MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2002, COMMENCING AT 7.00 PM. TABLE OF CONTENTS ITEM PAGE NO. 1 APOLOGIES 1 2 URGENT BUSINESS 1 3 GENERAL BRIEFING 1 4 THE AUCKLAND REGIONAL SERVICES TRUST FUND - BRIEFING AND CURRENT STATE 2 5 CREATIVE CITIES BRIEFING AND CURRENT ISSUES 6

3 W A I T A K E R E C I T Y C O U N C I L AGENDA FOR AN INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE REGIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE FUNDING ALLOCATION SUBCOMMITTEE TO BE HELD IN THE CIVIC CENTRE, 6 WAIPAREIRA AVENUE, LINCOLN, WAITAKERE CITY, ON MONDAY, 22 APRIL 2002, COMMENCING AT 7.00 PM. 1 APOLOGIES 2 URGENT BUSINESS Section 46A(7) and (7A) of the Local Government Official Information Act and Meetings Act 1987 provides that where an item of business is not on the agenda, it may only be dealt with at the meeting if: (i) (ii) (iii) the item is a minor matter; and the Chairperson has explained at the beginning of the meeting (when open to the public) that the item will be raised for discussion, why the item is not on the agenda, and why it cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting; and the Committee resolves to deal with the item. No resolution, decision, or recommendation may be made in respect of the item except to refer the item to a subsequent meeting for further discussion. NOTE: Urgent Business need not be dealt with now and may be delayed until later in the meeting. 3 GENERAL BRIEFING The Council s powers, functions and duties are all prescribed either expressly or implied by various acts and regulations. These set a framework within which the Council must operate. An act or regulation empowering the Council to carry out a decision-making function means that the decision to act must be by way of a resolution of the full Council, unless otherwise provided for within that act, or alternatively, is lawfully delegated to a committee, subcommittee or officer specifically by resolution of the Council and, where permitted, by a further sub-delegation. A1 At its inaugural meeting held on 31 October 2001, Council adopted the document Delegations to Committees and Community Boards. A relevant extract of this document setting out the field of activity, membership and delegated powers of the Regional Arts and Culture Allocation Subcommittee is attached at page A1. Councillor Denise Yates was appointed Chairperson of this Subcommittee.

4 Agenda - Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee 2 22 April 2002 A representative of the Chief Executive will give an explanation at the meeting with respect to relevant statutory provisions and issues associated with the consideration of applications for funding support. RECOMMENDATION That the information be received. Report prepared by: Audrey Chan, Committee Secretary. 4 THE AUCKLAND REGIONAL SERVICES TRUST FUND - BRIEFING AND CURRENT STATE PURPOSE OF THE REPORT The purpose of this report is to brief the subcommittee about the fund focussing on uses to date and proposed next steps. BACKGROUND Late in the 1990 s, the Government of the day embarked on a restructure of the Auckland Regional Services Trust. This restructuring eventually led to the establishment of Infrastructure Auckland but the arts community argued that this Trust should have been providing for Arts and Cultural infrastructure for the region as well. The well organised arts and culture fraternity lobbied Government for $50million of the Trust to be set aside in a regional fund for regional arts and cultural support, with a vision that the major Auckland cultural institutions such as the Auckland Philharmonia, the National Business Review New Zealand Opera and the Auckland Symphony Orchestra would be assured of a level of financial support which was not being provided by the Government to Auckland. In the event, the Government settled on a $10 million package and shared this among the 7 local territorial authorities according to a population-based formula. The legislation, which enabled this to happen, also emphasised that the money was to be used for projects of regional significance. In late 1998, Waitakere City Council received $1.45 million, as this City s share of the Auckland Regional Services Trust. This funding is generally referred to as the Auckland Regional Services Trust Fund. The Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee is set up to make recommendations to the Finance and Operational Performance Committee as to how the Auckland Regional Services Trust funding is allocated. The previous Subcommittee commissioned research on arts and cultural needs in Waitakere City to help guide its decision-making. This research showed there is demand for resourcing for all aspects of arts and cultural practice with facilities being a particularly strong need. Respondents also emphasised the importance of allocating the funding strategically. At its meeting on 29 August 2000, the Subcommittee resolved: That it be recommended to the Community Facilities and Recreation Committee that $1 million of the fund be retained in a capital fund for growth and reviewed in one year, and further that $450,000 plus any interest already accrued be allocated during the next 12 months. 3170/2000

5 Agenda - Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee 3 22 April 2002 A2 - A5 This was subsequently agreed by the Community Facilities and Recreation Committee and the process of allocating these funds was completed in June The allocation process was advertised extensively and the Subcommittee received 82 applications. Of these, 18 applications were deemed sufficiently significant to be given grants. A copy of the relevant minutes showing names of applicants and, for the successful applicants, amounts requested and amount granted are attached at pages A2 to A5. From the scheme s inception, there has been some interest regionally in ensuring that the funds are used to further arts and cultural activities in the region as a whole. For some people, the best approach to ensure this was seen to be the establishment of a regional trust. At its 31 March 1999 meeting, Council resolved: That Council distribute Waitakere City s share of the Auckland Regional Services Trust funding primarily within Waitakere City, on arts and culture projects that are of regional significance, in line with the legislation governing the funds. 953/99 This resolution was in response to a proposal that the Waitakere fund be joined with those of other Councils to be held in a trust which would grow over time. This trust was eventually set up by Manukau and Auckland City Councils and is known as the Arts Regional Trust. It is operated independently of the Councils and the Trustees intend to grow the Fund s capital over time so that the interest on the Fund provides a permanent pool for regional arts and cultural development. In December 2001, Mayor Bob Harvey received a request from the Mayor of Manukau City, Sir Barry Curtis, that Waitakere City Council reconsider joining the Waitakere City Auckland Regional Services Trust funds with the Auckland Regional Trust. This request was considered by the Finance and Operational Performance Committee at its meeting on 14 March The results of this meeting were that the Committee reaffirmed Council s earlier decision not to join the Arts Regional Trust. During the 2001/2002 Annual Budget process, Council approved $30,000 funding for the development of an Arts and Cultural Strategy to be funded from the interest on the capital fund. This process is currently underway and it will be completed mid-year. Members of this Subcommittee will be invited to be part of an Advisory Group providing input to the Strategy. In August 2001, the previous Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee considered a range of options for use of the $1 million capital fund. The Subcommittee recommended: That it be recommended to the Community Facilities and Recreation Committee that any further allocation of the Auckland Regional Services Trust Fund capital be deferred until a draft Arts and Cultural Strategy is available to guide the Committee in its decision making. That it be recommended to the Community Facilities and Recreation Committee that the decisions reached at this meeting with respect to further allocation of the Auckland Regional Services Trust Fund be reviewed by March /2001 These recommendations were approved by the Community Facilities and Recreation Committee.

6 Agenda - Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee 4 22 April 2002 As of 31 January 2002, there is $1,049,401 in the Auckland Regional Services Trust Fund. Of this $30,000 has been allocated to the completion of the Arts and Cultural Strategy. Balance, $1, It is estimated that another $25,000 (approximately) will be accrued by the end of STRATEGIC CONTEXT Waitakere is a culturally diverse and artistically vibrant city with practitioners of almost every conceivable ilk. The Auckland Regional Services Trust funds are potentially a source of support to an enormous range of projects and the challenge for the Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee is to set priorities so that the money in the Fund achieves the maximum possible result. ISSUES The issues and options for the Auckland Regional Services Trust Fund, that were put in front of the previous Subcommittee in August 2001, remain relevant. The options considered were: keep growing the Fund through interest accumulation and review this position once the draft Strategy is available; keep the Fund as a capital fund of $1m but allocate the interest at regular intervals; hold a further funding round or rounds in the next twelve months allocating the remaining capital and accumulated interest using the same approach as for the first round; join the Auckland Regional Trust settling the balance of the Fund on this Trust and with the proviso that Council has the right to appoint (say) two trustees to ensure that this City s residents interests are considered; use the whole Fund to have a major impact on a single significant project that will provide a major city wide and regional benefit. Evaluation of Options Option Evaluation - Pros Cons Fund could then be used to meet those areas identified as highest priority. 1. Keep growing Fund until draft strategy is available 2. Allocate interest at six monthly intervals More money going to Arts and Cultural community on a regular basis. The draft strategy will be available in the middle of the year. With no effort being made to grow the Fund, its value will diminish over time. Capital is maintained intact and could be used to generate funds indefinitely. Allows for the possibility of leveraging other funding to grow the capital Fund (e.g. private sector sponsorships or bequests). At $55,000 - $60,000 interest to allocate annually, it will be difficult to achieve an even impact in terms of the whole sector; however, this problem may be overcome if a strategy was used to guide funding allocation.

7 Agenda - Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee 5 22 April 2002 Option Evaluation - Pros Cons More money into the Arts and Cultural sector to assist with development of the sector 3. Allocate Capital and Interest through further funding round(s) in the next 12 months Process likely to replicate last round and little extra advantages to be obtained; however, this problem may be overcome if a strategy was used to guide funding allocation. 4. Join the Auckland Regional Trust 5. Use all of Fund to develop a facility through a major project such as Waitakere Arts and Cultural Development Trust. May be able to nominate a trustee to consider interests of Waitakere residents. Enhances the newly growing regional co-operation over arts development as evidenced in the Regional Strengths Strategy initiated by Creative New Zealand. Likely to give a significant boost to the development of the Arts and Cultural sector in the City. Interests of Waitakere City residents may be overwhelmed by those of Auckland and Manukau cities. No link to Waitakere City Council Arts and Cultural Strategy. Option rejected by Council would need to have new information to raise again. One-off use of Fund forecloses any new opportunities that arise in the future. May not address issues of greatest priority (in the absence of a Strategy). A6 - A9 This evaluation remains current although it has been updated to recognise changes since it was last considered. The two main points are that we are much closer to having a draft strategy now and joining the Auckland Regional Trust is not acceptable to Council without circumstances changing. The key recommendation of the original analysis was that substantive decisions on allocation of the Fund should be deferred until the draft Strategy is available to help set priorities for the Fund. This recommendation is even more appropriate now that this Strategy should be available in the next two to three months. A copy of he original paper is attached for committee members information at pages A6 to A9. RESOURCES There are no funding implications with any of the options recommended for the Subcommittee s consideration. CONCLUSION There is a range of options available to the Subcommittee for the $1million capital held in the Auckland Regional Services Trust Fund. Council has decided to develop a Arts and Cultural Strategy for the City in the current year and it is considered that the best option would be for a decision on the Funds capital to be deferred until the draft strategy is available to assist with the identification of priorities.

8 Agenda - Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee 6 22 April 2002 RECOMMENDATIONS 1. That the information be received. 2. That it be recommended to the Finance and Operational Performance Committee that any further allocation of the Auckland Regional Services Trust Fund capital be deferred until a draft Arts and Cultural Strategy is available to guide the Committee in its decision-making. Report prepared by: Joy Hames, Manager Policy Development. 5 CREATIVE CITIES - BRIEFING AND CURRENT ISSUES PURPOSE OF THE REPORT This report seeks to brief the subcommittee about the Creative Cities funding scheme and issues relating to the continuation of Waitakere City s participation. BACKGROUND A10 - A11 In late 2000 Creative New Zealand approached Auckland City Council with an invitation to be the host agency for one of a series of pilot Regional Strengths Strategies. Seven of these pilot programmes were to be set up around New Zealand, each one tailored to the perceived needs of the area. Attached at pages A10 to A11 is the Creative New Zealand briefing paper on the scheme. Auckland City Council accepted the invitation and invited the other three large metropolitan cities, Waitakere, Manukau and North Shore, to join the project and to establish a sustainable, regional arts initiative. This group, which became the Regional Arts Project Team first met in February It consisted of representatives, both staff and elected, from the four cities, and a representative of Arts Advocates Auckland. A Community Arts Advisor from Auckland City joined Regional Arts Project Team as a representative for Maori. Creative New Zealand funding granted for this project was $200,000. Regional Arts Project Team decided, through a series of joint discussions, to focus on identifying gaps in service, or infrastructure, to arts at the regional level and to help address those gaps. They decided to follow a policy of funding a few significant projects adequately rather than spreading funds over many projects. The vehicle created to this end was named Creative Cities and was to take the form of an invitation to community organisations and individuals to devise projects, which would meet an identified gap in regional arts infrastructure development. These projects would be supported in several ways: by providing funding and support for selected projects; by providing support for projects not funded but assessed as having merit; by assisting other projects to identify alternative funding. The process constructed by Regional Arts Project Team was a series of workshops through which the offer was to be conveyed to interested groups and individuals. Workshop participants were invited to submit project proposals focussed on regional arts infrastructure development. The workshops were promoted throughout the region as a prerequisite to submitting proposals. Five workshops were held, one in each city and one for Maori.

9 Agenda - Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee 7 22 April 2002 Attendances were high and discussion robust. The resulting proposals went through a two-stage assessment process to: ensure they met the Regional Arts Project Team criteria; decide which were most deserving of Creative Cities funding. Fifty-seven proposals were received. A representative decision making committee directed that sixteen proposals were to be pursued and further developed by a Regional Arts Project Team assessment team. Six proposals received funding. Those proposals which did not receive funding were offered assistance to identify alternative resourcing. The main achievements identified by the Regional Arts Project Team assessment team are: there is now an established and sustainable forum through which the four cities can raise and work on regional arts issues and developments; there is enhanced dialogue amongst Territorial Local Authorities around the concept of regional arts development; the project has clearly identified a large number of gaps in regional arts infrastructure; several of these areas of deficit are now receiving funding. A12 - A17 The full benefits of Creative Cities for the region will not be fully known until the various projects are established or completed. Projects such as the comprehensive and easily accessed information resource proposed by Arts Advocates Auckland Inc will lay a foundation that has been missing so far for the region s arts economy. The full impacts of these projects are probably more than a year away. The list of projects funded is attached at pages A12 to A17. The main issue encountered in implementing this initiative was the huge amount of staff time and energy needed to carry it out. This fell most severely on the host agency, but all participants found the demands challenging. It was clearly expressed both throughout the project time, and at its conclusion, that this demand could only be seen as reasonable if the Creative Cities scheme were able to continue and grow. Creative New Zealand has always seen this initiative as one that would receive funding support for a finite period of time (maximum three years) and that it was expected that pilot teams would identify and grow other sources of funding to replace Creative New Zealand support. In this spirit they have proposed a grant of $100,000 for 2002, conditional on the region accessing matching funding from either local authority or other funding sources. Auckland City Council has approached Waitakere City, along with Manukau and North Shore, for such support with the original proposal being a request for equal contributions of $25,000 each. The matter has become complicated by the decision by Auckland Regional Trust (Auckland/Manukau Auckland Regional Services Trust) to provide $100,000 to secure this money for the region and to use Creative Cities as one of its delivery arms for funding. This effectively covers contribution from Manukau City Council and Auckland City Council using their Auckland Regional Services Trust funds although Auckland Regional Trust is independent of the actual Councils. Creative Cities is entirely independent of Auckland Regional Trust and its essence is that it is regional in its scope. This is understood by Auckland Regional Trust. While the Auckland Regional Trust funding has secured this year s contribution from Creative New Zealand, the Regional Arts Project Team considers it important to include both Waitakere and North Shore in the Creative Cities scheme. The best way to ensure this is to have contributory funding from both cities. Any contribution made by either city would boost the amount available to strengthen regional infrastructure.

10 Agenda - Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee 8 22 April 2002 It is suggested that this could be achieved for Waitakere City on a per capita basis i.e. Waitakere received 14.5% of the Auckland Regional Services Trust funds ($1.45 million) $14,500 is a comparable percentage of the $100,000 being offered by Creative New Zealand. STRATEGIC CONTEXT Waitakere City is enriched by its tradition of diverse arts and cultural activity. This tradition supports the development of an arts economy in the city, which can be seen in the increase in opportunities for arts professionals and the growth in cultural tourism. Council is instrumental in much of this growth. The wider regional perspective in arts and culture is an important part of this and is consistent with the work done in other areas of regional development. ISSUES The issues before this committee are: Waitakere City Council has been a full participant in the inaugural year of the Creative Cities Scheme; Creative New Zealand, based on the success of that first year, are offering further funding on a dollar for dollar basis. This is consistent with their initial proposal; Auckland Regional Trust has made a commitment to meet this funding criteria (i.e. $100,000) in order to secure the programme and to enlist Creative Cities as one of its delivery mechanisms; Auckland Regional Trust understands that Creative Cities is a regional initiative and has to be implemented on that basis; Auckland City Council (as the lead Council for the scheme) wishes to have the continued participation of the four cities and to have some funding contribution from each one. Manukau and Auckland City contribution has been made using Auckland Regional Services Trust monies directed through Auckland Regional Trust. North Shore has declined to contribute money to the scheme at this point. Unfortunately this issue was confused by the letter from Mayor Barry Curtis, requesting that North Shore and Waitakere City reconsider the joining of their total Auckland Regional Services Trust funds with the Auckland Regional Trust. In declining that request the second issue of a lesser contribution to Creative Cities was declined without discussion. Waitakere City staff who have been involved in the process to date, consider that continued participation in the initiative is valuable as it is laying the groundwork for the arts economy across the region. It is also taking up an opportunity to access central government funding which would not otherwise come into the region. As the funding sought is intended to provide benefits of regional significance it does seem appropriate that any contribution made by Waitakere City is sourced from the Auckland Regional Services Trust funds. It is suggested that an appropriate contribution from Waitakere would be to consider the original request and provide our share on a per capita basis. The rationale for this is that the total Auckland Regional Services Trust funds were originally distributed on this basis and if these projects are truly regional in nature, the benefits should flow back to Waitakere City proportionately (over time).

11 Agenda - Regional Arts and Culture Funding Allocation Subcommittee 9 22 April 2002 RESOURCES There is a sufficient sum of money from interest on the $1 million held by Waitakere City to make a contribution, based on the same per capita system that allocated the original Auckland Regional Services Trust $1.45 million to Waitakere, to contribute $14,500 to Creative Cities. Continued participation in Creative Cities does carry with it a requirement that staff time is available for the coming year to implement the project. CONCLUSION The Creative Cities project can be seen as a very innovative and largely successful project to date. It cannot be measured in terms of projects actually based in this city as the infrastructure it is designed to support, is regional and benefits the arts community across a spectrum of activities which impact on arts and cultural participants in this city. The continued participation of Waitakere City in this scheme can only further strengthen that impact. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. That the information be received. 2. That it be recommended to the Finance and Operational Performance Committee that a sum of $14,500 be allocated from the interest of the Auckland Regional Services Trust monies held by Waitakere City Council to the Creative Cities Scheme for Report prepared by: Naomi McCleary, Arts Project Co-Ordinator.

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