Agenda item

A Care introduced the Hertfordshire Year of Culture 2020 report and A Smith presented on the details of the events/projects and asked Committee for any questions.

Cllr Douris confirmed that he attending as the HCC Cabinet Member for education and localism and he is the county lead for the Herts Lifestyle and Legacy partnership.  It’s being led by Hertfordshire Association of Cultural Officers (HACO) and looking at what’s been presented both verbally and in the paper, he thinks that Dacorum have done a splendid job in developing this so far.  Cllr Douris met with the two lead officers from HACO to talk about the involvement of Town and Parish Councils and all the various levels of public participation across the county.  Cllr Douris said he was very pleased to hear what we are doing in the presentation and he felt this is an exemplar of what’s been done and he will be very interested to see how the other local authorities prepare their efforts.  Cllr Douris mentioned that Cllr Banks is the lead Member for the Year of Culture for Dacorum along with Alex and Annie and he said he was very pleased to be associated with it.  We will be looking at an event to start the year and part-way through the year and then an event to round it off.  The year of physical activity was a huge success and we aim to build on this and make it even better.

L Roberts mentioned the approach to the work and that Annie had brought a lot of vigour and enthusiasm which we are very grateful for and has given us these ideas but effectively will then turn an action plan, so we are mirroring the approach to sports and leisure, this is the other side of the health and wellbeing, which is cultural.  We will be adapting a similar approach and will be monitoring it in the same way.

Cllr Adeleke was very impressed with this initiative and he looks forward to it.  The first question was asked if there were plans to have a proper timetable of events so that Member can get involved in events in their area. The second question is that we have the cycle tour and other events, is there going to be an event where we can have something big for the town to do at the end of the event, will something be put into the plan where you can have a big community event, where perhaps the Mayor can open it, bring some feel good factor to the town.  Third question is for the Portfolio Holder, as the Member Champion, please can you explain to us your role and interaction with Members.  Cllr Banks replied that her role is to support the officers to deliver a fantastic year.  A Smith said that in response to question one, the programme of events, there is also going to be a County programme board, so there is a lot of countywide events and there will be a programme for that which will be published.  On a local level we will publish events in advance, we won’t necessarily be able to do the whole year, because a lot of events will be happening and confirmed as the year goes on, which is what Herts Year of Culture is about, it’s not having all the events there and we’re doing events at people all year, it’s about using the momentum of Herts Year of Culture for a more long term way of working in the future.  I expect we will have some events and a lot of activities that will be ready to go ahead next year, but I hope that we will also gain momentum, that it will plant new activities and new ideas through next beyond 2020.  Where possible with events that we know that are happening and also to promote existing events that we know that areas put on, such as the carnivals, the festivals that happen, we will be promoting those all under the Herts Year of Culture umbrella.  A Smith confirmed she is working with Comms on a framework for the communication for next year, we want as many people to know about it as possible, so we will get the information out.

L Roberts confirmed that Comms sit in our area and they are very much imbedded in what we do, they also have responsibility for Members News and pushing that out, so at the very least we will do is to make sure that Members News we tell you about things that are imminent or very soon.

Cllr Mahmood said that the list was quite impressive and the way that the whole things been developed, you can actually follow, it’s very good, well done.  Cllr Mahmood highlighted that there’s nothing about food in there, I’ve seen a music festival, there’s a book festival, which may be something to look at as there is quite a lot of cultural diversity in the town.  A Smith advised she had been in touch with the Housing Engagement team and we are looking at possibly doing a cultural cookery course within their tenant engagement scheme, but absolutely food and drink is an area we would like to celebrate.

Cllr Mahmood asked about possible grants or funding, if people want to do something do they contact Annie.  A Smith confirmed that they should contact her, we are supporting with funding information and where people can go to access funding, we are working with Community Action Dacorum on that, because they offer a lot of funding support.  M Rawdon mentioned that as part of the community grants pot, people that apply for projects for cultural events get more points as part of the scoring mechanisms.

Cllr Mahmood said he was looking forward to it and it would be nice to have a calendar on the website of what’s happening.  A Smith said that there’s a Herts Year of Culture webpage which has gone live and you can subscribe to the newsletter and updates.  They will be putting a programme of county events on there and also the local events in the areas.

Cllr Friedman echoed colleagues comments that it’s an impressive list and programme and asked if there is concentration on promoting any of the less used venues that can be used in community engagement, like school halls.  A Smith said that we would be looking at getting events in some of the community centres, the schools have just had the summer break but the intention is to contact them once they’ve settled into the term about further involvement in Herts Year of Culture as well as offering them a resource pack.  They will be involved in some of the projects on the list.  With regards to opening up spaces and venues for activities to happen we will want to promote that.

Cllr Friedman asked if there is anything targeting disabled or with learning needs getting involved in projects.  A Smith replied that one of the months themes is access to the arts and we are keen to promote them.  An idea at the moment is having a debate around access and barriers to the arts and how they may be overcome.  I’ve been touch with Herts Inclusive Theatre and Electric Umbrella about activities and events for next year to make sure that we’re being inclusive.

Cllr Friedman mentioned that the list contained profit venture and not for profit community engagement and asked if there is a risk this is too popular that there will be support given for commercial events at the cost of some smaller community not for profit events.  A Care said that from the point of view that we are using the for profit sector, Annie’s role is more about partnership working and bringing partnerships together rather than us getting involved in the activity or promotion.  Our focus is heavily involved around the community sector but we don’t want to leave out those, because it’s such an opportunity to involve the business sector, that we don’t want to ignore them.  A Smith added it’s also about linking businesses and the community, for example, the Marlowes Centre are going to be offering space and empty shop units for activities next year to the community organisations.

Cllr Oguchi said this was a great initiative and it’s going to be exciting, she doesn’t have a question, more like a suggestion that’s been echoed around the room, around diversity and inclusion.  There are some aspects of diversity already included but hoping that it could be made more broad, like the event for women, celebrating pioneering women or around accessibility.  Cllr Oguchi would like diversity talked about in every single event, for example the dance programme, different types of dances, not just street dancing, but something like bangra or some African cultural dance, just something to reflect all the diverse culture within Dacorum.  A Smith mentioned that there is Dacorum Community Dance who work a lot with older people and that’s included a variety of dance from contemporary to Indian dance, suggestions are certainly welcome and we are trying to cover and be as broad as much as possible.

Cllr Durrant asked if all the events are free.  A Smith replied that some of the events are about raising the profile of some existing activities and events that organisations put on in the Borough, they are not normally expensive but they do incorporate some minimal costs, because the organisations need to cover that.  There will be some free events, we will be adding the cultural arts creative activities to our inflatable pop events next year.  The projects that we are applying to the Arts Council for, the joint applications, so the large cross-county projects, are going to be free.  It will be a mixture, some will be free and some will chargeable.

Cllr Johnson wanted to point out that in terms of some of the activities that DBC are involved with, he felt it would be useful given the motion that the Council passed last month that there is some explicit commitment or reference to climate change in the Borough, he thought maybe a painting competition or photography competition. 

The Chairman mentioned that as someone with an arts background, she is really excited about this and asked how early advertising will commence for 2020, from a point of view of getting as much support and buy-in as you can.  There is one of Walt Disney suppliers based in Apsley, maybe if they know about it soon enough they could give you some support, also Harrods accounting office was in Maylands and if you tell people early enough perhaps you’ll get some support or funding or additional buy-in from the various creative agencies that are around Dacorum.  A Smith said that we would want more of the creative industries and agencies involved, it is a matter of getting word out there.  A Smith confirmed it’s just her on 3 and a bit days a week, as much as she has quite a lot of contacts, any help with spreading the word would be hugely helpful and invaluable. 

Cllr Adeleke asked is Cllr Douris at County going to start it at County level separate from the Borough, will there be a big opening or closing event.  Cllr Douris said first of all the vast majority of support to make the Hertfordshire Year of Culture happen is being done with the support of the Districts in terms of providing the Officer support and the Officer resources to enable these things to take place.  The vast majority of them are at no or low cost and we are looking at partnerships and people getting involved.  In terms of the Hertfordshire one, we have also done exactly the same thing in terms of resource, if you think of an umbrella and the individual segments being gathered together, Hertfordshire is the glue that binds all the segments of the umbrellas.  There will be some cross fertilisation, so if Watford are doing a particular event or Three Rivers it might be that Dacorum would attach itself to it and do a joint event.  There will be a discussion early October, bringing all the participants together and will include the Hertfordshire Lifestyle and Legacy Partnership.  He had mentioned the essence of the Olympic games was one of diversity and sportsmanship and alongside the Olympic Games was the Paralympics, that’s the legacy, and the legacy of the Year of Culture will be ongoing in years to come.  It will be very exciting and terms of the Year of Culture it will run from the 01 January to 31 December. 

A Smith confirmed there will be a County press launch.  Cllr Douris mentioned that throughout the year the Mayor will be actively promoting events.