Agenda item

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee Policy Committee:-

•       Note the progress made in commissioning a wider, refreshed city Culture Strategy with the sector and partners, for completion in Autumn 2023.

•       Note the outcomes of three Expressions of Interest and work being undertaken on other funding opportunities.

•       Note the progress made in establishing a Cultural Pipeline Fund supported by SYMCA resources.

Reasons for Decision

1.    This report provides a progress update on the actions and recommendations in the September 2022 report. The Economic Development and Skills Committee is recommended to:

• Note the progress made in commissioning a wider, refreshed city Cultural Strategy with the sector and partners, for completion in Autumn 2023.

• Note the outcomes of three Expressions of Interest and work being undertaken on other funding opportunities.

• Note the progress made in establishing a Cultural Pipeline Fund supported by SYMCA resources.

2.    As set out in the original report, the continuation of these actions will help to create a context where Sheffield’s cultural sector can develop further and SCC can show cultural leadership.

• The development of a refreshed Cultural Strategy will give ownership and encouragement to our diverse cultural sector, plus clarity and confidence to funders.

• SCC’s ongoing support with external funding bids will, over time, improve the likelihood of success.

• A Cultural Pipeline Fund will start to create a cultural project stream, and will begin to address inequalities in provision and access to resources.

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

1.    Do nothing

By undertaking none of the proposed actions, the cultural sector in Sheffield will continue to experience under-investment from external funders and SCC will suffer ongoing reputational damage in its cultural leadership

2.    Do not commission a renewed city Cultural Strategy, and retain the Culture Collective Strategy as a finished product.

The Sheffield Culture Collective Strategy is an excellent document but was developed for a particular purpose with 19 local organisations and individuals, and does not include all the elements (e.g Net Zero) or methodology (co-creation) which would ideally feature in a city Cultural Strategy. While the general approach and priorities of the Collective Strategy are in line with Council policy, and provide a valuable immediate strategic hook for strengthening the cultural landscape in the city, a longer-term Cultural Strategy needs to be built on the views, needs and mandate of the wider cultural sector. With the support of the University of Sheffield and the Arts Council, we have an opportunity to co-create an inclusive, well-grounded and diverse strategy which will provide a blueprint for the next 10 years.

9.1

The Head of Business Development (Culture) introduced an update following the Council’s decision in September 2022 to adopt the Sheffield Culture Collective Strategy as an interim measure. The update would outline the work being undertaken to create the new strategy, how the Council could better support cultural organisations in the city and look at the establishment of a Cultural Pipeline Fund. 

9.2

The Vice-Chair of the Sheffield Culture Collective presented an overview of the work done to build on the Sheffield Culture Collective Strategy and progress made so far. The policy was launched in 2021 and adopted by Sheffield City Council in September 2022. The intention had always been to broaden and develop the strategy to represent the breadth and depth of organisations in the sector.

The interim strategy had demonstrated Sheffield’s seriousness to funders including the Arts Fund and its discussion at this committee illustrated that it was considered an economic driver and a factor that contributes to a city’s liveability.

A paper had been put out to tender with a plan to develop the new strategy and the intention was to bring the proposed strategy back to the committee in the autumn of 2023. There had been investment from Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield and the Arts Council, so far, and a portion of the work had been completed.

The Sheffield Culture Collective had planned an event in the Winter Gardens 14^th March, 2023 to showcase new and small National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs). Representatives of the business community had been invited to get a taste of Sheffield culture. The aim of the event was to create a dialogue between businesses and the arts.

The importance of the new strategy, to demonstrate Sheffield’s ambition to compete with other major cities, was highlighted. It was also noted that the work carried out by officers in the last year had brought extra money into the city to support cultural activity.

Officers agreed to provide Members with further information in respect of: a report produced by the SYMCA in 2022 on employment figures in the cultural sector in Sheffield and a toolkit for the LACs to assist them in moving the strategy forwards.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee:-

•      Note the progress made in commissioning a wider, refreshed city Culture Strategy with the sector and partners, for completion in Autumn 2023.

•      Note the outcomes of three Expressions of Interest and work being undertaken on other funding opportunities.

•      Note the progress made in establishing a Cultural Pipeline Fund supported by SYMCA resources.

•       Formally record its thanks to Council officers and external partners, in particular the Sheffield Culture Collective and Sheffield Culture Consortium, for the work carried out in the development of the strategy.

Reasons for Decision

1.    This report provides a progress update on the actions and recommendations in the September 2022 report. The Economic Development and Skills Committee is recommended to:

• Note the progress made in commissioning a wider, refreshed city Cultural Strategy with the sector and partners, for completion in Autumn 2023.

• Note the outcomes of three Expressions of Interest and work being undertaken on other funding opportunities.

• Note the progress made in establishing a Cultural Pipeline Fund supported by SYMCA resources.

2.    As set out in the original report, the continuation of these actions will help to create a context where Sheffield’s cultural sector can develop further and SCC can show cultural leadership.

• The development of a refreshed Cultural Strategy will give ownership and encouragement to our diverse cultural sector, plus clarity and confidence to funders.

• SCC’s ongoing support with external funding bids will, over time, improve the likelihood of success.

• A Cultural Pipeline Fund will start to create a cultural project stream, and will begin to address inequalities in provision and access to resources.

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

1.    Do nothing

By undertaking none of the proposed actions, the cultural sector in Sheffield will continue to experience under-investment from external funders and SCC will suffer ongoing reputational damage in its cultural leadership

2.    Do not commission a renewed city Cultural Strategy, and retain the Culture Collective Strategy as a finished product.

The Sheffield Culture Collective Strategy is an excellent document but was developed for a particular purpose with 19 local organisations and individuals, and does not include all the elements (e.g Net Zero) or methodology (co-creation) which would ideally feature in a city Cultural Strategy. While the general approach and priorities of the Collective Strategy are in line with Council policy, and provide a valuable immediate strategic hook for strengthening the cultural landscape in the city, a longer-term Cultural Strategy needs to be built on the views, needs and mandate of the wider cultural sector. With the support of the University of Sheffield and the Arts Council, we have an opportunity to co-create an inclusive, well-grounded and diverse strategy which will provide a blueprint for the next 10 years.