STATES OF JERSEY

r

DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURAL STRATEGY FOR THE ISLAND

 

Lodged au Greffe on 19th July 2005
by the Education, Sport and Culture Committee

 

 

 

STATES GREFFE

PROPOSITION

 

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion -

 

            to receive the report of the Education, Sport and Culture Committee updated 5th July 2005 entitled ‘The Development of a Cultural Strategy for the Island’ as a strategy for cultural development within the Island and –

 

            (a)        to adopt the Vision and Mission as set out in Section 4 of the report and Key Aims and Objectives of the proposed cultural strategy as set out in Section 5;

 

            (b)        to approve the measures recommended by the Education, Sport and Culture Committee with regard to the relationship between cultural organisations and the Committee as set out in Section 6 of the report; and

 

            (c)        to approve the creation of a new Jersey Council for Culture as set out in Section 6 of the report.

 

 

 

EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE

REPORT

 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURAL STRATEGY FOR THE ISLAND

 

 

Contents

 

 

Executive summary

 

Section 1         Background

 

Section 2         Introduction

 

Section 3         The scope and definition of culture

 

Section 4         A proposed vision and mission statement for culture

 

Section 5         Aims and underpinning objectives

 

Section 6         Achieving the Aims and Objectives

 

Appendix        Aims and Objectives in tabulated form

SECTION 1

 

BACKGROUND

 

In December 2002, the Committees and Departments of Education and Sports, Leisure and Recreation were merged to create a new States Committee and Department with overall responsibility for Education, Sport and Culture (Education, Sport and Culture [ESC] Committee. The new ESC Committee carries responsibility for sponsorship and ‘championing’ of the Arts and Heritage in the Island, aspects of which were previously held by the Finance and Economics Committee and the Education Committee.

 

In order to fulfil its responsibilities in this respect the Committee has worked with a number of local cultural organisations, has taken expert advice, and undertaken public consultation on the development of a strategy for culture within the Island. The following report takes account of the outcomes of these processes, and sets its recommendations with regard to key aims, resource management and organisational structures for cultural development, within the context of the ESC Committee’s own published aims and the aspirations for the Island expressed in the States Strategic Plan 2005 – 2010.

SECTION 2

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The Island’s identity

 

Jersey’s culture has been shaped by its land, its landscapes, its coastlines and the surrounding seas. Its fertile soils and gentle climate has led to it being continuously farmed for 6,000 years. Parts of the Island’s landscape remain Neolithic. Much else is medieval in origin with small field plots and the sinuous road network. Elsewhere many of the hedges date from the orchard planting of the 18th century.

 

The sea, like the land, has been bountiful for Jersey, which has always been as much a maritime society as an agrarian one. Its history has been dominated by its maritime past from cod-fishing on the Newfoundland banks to trading in spices. The maritime tradition continues today with the fishing industry. It continues with the engagement of the Island with the sea – with the local production of lobsters and sea bass, the low-water fishing, the traditions of the ormer tides and with the modern seaside culture of surfing, barbecues and the beach.

 

Topographically, Jersey is a cheese-shaped wedge, with cliffs and rugged coastline in the north sloping and slipping down to the south-east where there is a massive 2-mile inter-tidal zone of crystal clear waters which have been recognised as a RAMSAR site. For its size, Jersey has an unrivalled diversity of landscapes and habitats, while its island isolation has led to unique variations in its flora and fauna.

 

The Island’s location has also impacted on its identity. Poised between the British Isles and continental Europe, it has been dwarfed by neither. It has forged its own state and political institutions. It has maintained its own individuality, its traditions of rugged self-reliance, self-help and voluntary action. There are influences from both France and England – for instance its native language, Jèrriais, a blend of Norse and Norman-French, and its tradition of Methodism. Its location between England and France and its trading history have also helped it maintain an outward perspective. Through the centuries it has risen to the challenge of external changes. This has, undoubtedly, helped Jersey to its present prosperity. The rise of the tourism and finance industries has also introduced fresh viewpoints to the Island. These have led to an increase in its diversity enriched by the different nationalities that make up the Island community. At the same time, the restaurants, clubs, arts venues, al fresco events and developing public art have given a flavour of cosmopolitanism to St. Helier.

 

Like all islands, it can be accused of being insular at times and of ‘parish pump politics’. In terms of the built environment – and in the days before the Island Plan – there are some notable blots on the urban landscape. However, this is more than offset by the amiable, ordered ambience; the cleanliness and safety of the streets; the diversity of natural habitats and the living tapestry of 6,000 years of history; the range of high quality artistic, heritage, sporting, and leisure activities, both active and passive, on offer; and the beautiful and diverse landscapes and sea horizons.

 

Jersey’s distinctive identity cannot be left to fend for itself. In the modern, global world it is constantly under threat. Pressures of development and the intensification of the agricultural industry endanger the urban and rural environment. The global ‘shopping mall’ culture with its bland uniformity threatens to squeeze local suppliers and businesses. The ever present barrage of mass produced films, music, sports and television are supplanting local initiatives leading to armchair consumption rather than active participation. Local identity needs constant husbandry if it is to survive, far less flourish, in the face of this global threat.

 

Culture and the Island’s identity

 

For Jersey, culture is the main way in which the Island’s identity is preserved, reflected on, fostered, developed, enhanced and continuously renewed and recreated.

 

The preservation and interpretation of the Island’s prehistoric and historic past, the collections amassed in museums; the records, photographs and books ordered in the Archive, Library and Société Jersiaise; the preservation of Jèrriais; the performances, recitals, readings, workshops – professional and non professional – at the Arts Centre, Opera House and other venues; the work of artists, poets, writers, crafts workers; the huge local participation in a diverse host of local societies and the voluntary efforts of hundreds of stewards, helpers, coaches, board members and other volunteers – all these sustain and are at the heart of the distinctive and unique Jersey identity, an identity which not only gives value to the lives of Jersey residents but also acts as a magnet for tourists and visitors.

 

Perhaps the lynchpin of Jersey’s identity is its myriad of voluntary clubs, teams, groups, associations. The importance of these local social groupings is emphasized by Robert Putnam in ‘Bowling Alone; the Collapse and Revival of the American Community’ (Simon and Schuster, 2000). His research shows that what makes a good, thriving society is tight community networks and a multiplicity of local associations – amateur dramatic societies, choirs, orchestras, bands, football and rugby teams, local history groups, civic societies, faith organisations, parent teacher associations, and so on. Putnam predicts that when these networks disappear, public health declines, crime increases, growth slows down.

 

For Jersey, culture – in its many forms – is the main way that these thriving community networks are continuously renewed but this needs constant work, attention, encouragement, advice, support, criticism and help.

 

To attempt to preserve yesterday’s identity without consideration of the present or future is a mistake. Identity is constantly evolving and finding new expressions – most notably in culture. The thriving club, DJ and music scene of Jersey’s younger generation or the surf scene at St. Ouen is as much part of Island culture as the more traditionally based Jersey Instrumental Music Service. The work of the Jersey Public Sculpture Trust in commissioning new and challenging works of public art or the exhibition of 4 Portuguese artists commenting on their experience of the life of the Portuguese community is as much an expression of Jersey’s cultural heritage as Mont Orgueil or Hamptonne.

 

Identity is not something that can be left to its own devices. Legislation can partly help in preserving identity, but only partly. The cultural life of the Island is at the heart of its identity and distinctiveness and, for that reason; culture is the key to maintaining the Island’s identity.

 

For this reason, the preservation, maintenance, enhancement, fostering and continuous development of the Island’s identity and distinctiveness is at the heart of the vision for culture in Jersey espoused by this strategy.

 

In economic terms, the Island’s identity and distinctiveness – allied with its existing cultural infrastructure – gives it a competitive economic advantage. A major strand of this strategy is, therefore, proposals for maintaining and increasing this competitive advantage. This is a win-win situation. There will be benefits to the Island’s economy while at the same time the Island’s identity is preserved, enhanced and fostered.

 

The economic benefits of cultural activity and provision

 

Since the 1980s, culture has been recognised as an increasingly important economic sector. It is growing fast in terms of the numbers employed in the sector. It is fundamental to the tourism industry in the U.K. and elsewhere. It is often key to urban renewal and regeneration. However, even today the sheer scale and value of the cultural sector, its rapid pace and increasing importance are often underestimated.

 

The first seminal study of the economic impact of culture was undertaken by John Myerscough in the late 80s[1]. He found that culture was a significant economic sector in its own right, that spending on culture led to spending in other sectors of the economy (such as tourism), and that this in turn enhanced wealth and job creation and made cities appear more attractive to citizens and companies. Theatres, museums, studios and other cultural facilities were a catalyst of urban renewal – they were a prime magnet drawing people to city centres. A strong cultural infrastructure was a business asset. It boosted the confidence of the business community, added vitality to city centres and, in the longer term, helped to increase property values. His research showed that there was a ‘multiplier effect’ – that, for every single job created in the cultural sector, between another 1.8 and 2.8 jobs were created in other sectors.

 

Later work by other academics and commentators has largely endorsed Myerscough’s findings. Jane O’Brien’s and Andy Feist’s “Employment in the arts and cultural industries: an analysis of the 1991 U.K. census” (Arts Council England (ACE), 1995) found that some 649,000 or 2.4% of the population were employed in the cultural sector by 1991. Between 1981 and 1991 there had been a 34% increase in the number of individuals with cultural occupations.

 

By 1998, in the U.K. ‘Creative Industries: 1998 Mapping Document’, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport estimated that the creative industries in the U.K. generated revenues approaching £60 billion and an estimated £7.5 billion exports per year. It accounted for over 1.4 million jobs and had a growth rate faster than any other sector in the economy. The later ‘Blueprint for Action for both Government and the Industries’ (DCMS, 2001) embedded creative industry development within national strategies for competitiveness and economic development. The ‘Creative Industries Mapping Document 2001’ (DCMS, 2001) estimated revenues generated by U.K. creative industries had grown to £112 billion and exports to £10.3 billion.

 

In 2002, the Greater London Authority (GLA) looked at employment in ‘personally orientated’ services, which are mainly the entertainment, leisure and creative industries. “Between 1973 and 2001 these industries created 180,000 jobs in London. It is expected that there will be a further 178,000 jobs created in this sector by 2016.” (GLA, Draft Cultural Strategy, 2002).

 

While it took almost 30 years to double in size to 2001, it will take only half that time to double again: the cultural sector is expanding at an exponential rate.

 

This is true of economies throughout the developed world generally. Culture as a central part of the ‘knowledge economy’ is the key to economic development and future prosperity but only, of course, for those cities and economies which embrace culture. The single most striking fact about culture is that cities, regions or countries ignore cultural development at their peril.

 

This basic, long-term shift in the economy is shown in how we spend our money. In 1974 the average U.K. household spent 14% of its budget on leisure. By 2001 this had risen to 25%. In other words, over the past 30 years or so, spending on leisure (i.e. culture including tourism) has almost doubled. If present trends are maintained, culture will become the major part of household spending.

 

There are many examples of regions, cities and localities which have used culture to spearhead their regeneration. Barcelona initiated a programme of 100 pocket parks linked to the development of a sophisticated public arts programme as part of the process leading to the 1992 Olympics. Bilbao cleaned up its river, built a new transportation system, redesigned its poorest neighbourhoods (some 40,000 new apartments) before opening Gehry’s magnificent Guggenheim museum. Less well-known, Muenster in Germany initiated a sculpture project involving the likes of Sol Lewitt and Jeff Koons, turning it at a stroke into a tourist destination. At a more local level, Les Halles de Schaerbeck in Brussels and the Kaapelitehdas, the old Nokia building in Helsinki, have both been taken over by groups of artists and small creative industry organisations and transformed their local neighbourhood. In London, Hoxton was transformed through the efforts of artists, architects, clubs and other cultural organisations from a slum in the 1980s to an upmarket fashionable address. It is now a victim of its own success with many of the original pioneering artists displaced as they are no longer able to afford the increasing property prices.

 

Perhaps the most striking evidence for the economic importance of culture comes in Richard Florida’s ‘The Rise of the Creative Classes’. Florida tracks the fortunes of over 200 cities of all sizes in the U.S.A. He finds that those cities, large or small, that score highest on his ‘Creativity Index’ – those cities with the greatest numbers of the creative classes, those cities that are the best fun to live in – are also those with the greatest economic prosperity. For Florida the ‘creative class’ is wider than the cultural sector. It includes scientists and engineers, for instance, but at its heart are the ‘artistic creators’ or ‘bohemians’ – artists, writers, entertainers, musicians, performers, designers and so on.

 

To attract the creative class, cities and regions must eschew the bland and the uniform. Instead they must develop an environment that attracts the creative class. They must cultivate the arts, music, night life and their historic districts, plus have space and facilities for active sport (cycling, mountaineering, water sports, and so on). Diversity, distinctiveness, authenticity, creativity, fun, a lively evening economy, a great outdoor recreation scene and tolerance of differing life styles are key to attracting the creative class and ensuring a successful local economy.

 

But, says Florida, the creative class is fickle. It will go to those cities and places that are right for them. This means that cities are increasingly in competition with each other to attract the creative class – and, thus, to be economically successful.

 

This evidence emphasizes the increasing economic importance of culture. It is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the U.K. and other economies. It is central to the economy and a powerhouse of innovation. It is key to the ‘knowledge economy’. There is increasing competition between states, cities and regions to attract cultural organisations and the creative class. Jersey has a lot going for it already – its scenery, its outdoor living, the beginnings of an evening economy, its range of cultural activities, its distinctive identity. If it is not to become a backwater, then it needs to strengthen culture through a judicious blend of investment, encouragement and deregulation. The benefits that accrue to Jersey will amply repay that investment.

 

Social benefits

 

Cultural activities also have social benefits. While the economic impact focused on the ‘macro’ level, research into the social impact of culture focused on case studies, on the ‘micro’ level. These show that, depending on the nature of the cultural activity and its aims, culture does have social benefits.

 

‘The Art of Regeneration’ (Landry, Green, Matarasso, Bianchini, 1996) and ‘Use or Ornament? The Social Impact of Participation in the Arts’ (Matarasso, 1997) published by Commedia describe case studies throughout Britain and Western Europe where cultural activity had been used as the motor for individual and community development. Their key findings include –

 

·           participation in the arts is an effective route for personal growth leading to enhanced confidence, skills and educational achievements;

 

·           it can contribute to social cohesion by developing networks and building local capacity and;

 

·           it brings benefits in areas such as environmental renewal and health promotion.

 

The European Task Force on Culture and Development (In ‘From the Margins – Summary Version’ of a report prepared for the Council of Europe, 1997) found that, amongst other benefits, culture –

 

·           contributed positively to individuals’ psychological and social well-being;

 

·           enriched the social environment;

 

·           improved the quality of life;

 

·           enhanced personal safety; and

 

·           that “works of art and cultural products are a collective ‘memory’ for a community and serve as a reservoir of creative and intellectual ideas for future generations”.

 

In Australia, a large-scale study, ‘Creating Social Capital: A study of the long term benefits from community arts funding’ (Community Arts Network of South Australia, 1996), stated: “Over 90% of respondents reported that projects delivered ongoing community development outcomes. These included the establishment of valuable networks, the development of community pride and the raising of public awareness of a community issue. Over 80% of respondents also reported a decrease in social isolation in the community.”

 

An Irish study[2] showed that the arts had benefits at individual, group and community levels. At the individual level it increased self-confidence. At the group level it increased involvement in community activities and participants’ ability to work as a group. At the community level it increased local identity and cohesion.

 

In the U.S.A., an educational study reviewing 120 community organisations and involving 30,000 young people over 10 years found that those participating in arts programmes in non-school hours were: “eight times more likely to receive a community service award; four and a half times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem; three times more likely to win an award for school attendance; twice as likely to win an award for academic achievement.”[3]

 

Closer to home, and on a regional scale, the South-West Museums Council’s ‘Strategic Framework for South West Museums’ (1999) recognised that “museums are a key part of our cultural life, a potent social and economic development force ... [and] they enhance and protect the South West ‘s distinctiveness.”

 

These and other studies underscore the value and importance of culture in terms of quality of life for individuals and its particular benefits in terms of local identity, social cohesion, environmental renewal, health and educational attainment.

 

Existing cultural activities and provision in Jersey

 

Jersey has a wide-ranging and vibrant cultural life. This section provides only a snapshot of the main features of the cultural landscape in Jersey today. More detail was given in the Burns Owen report (May 2000). This has been supplemented by a review of the voluntary arts sector researched by the Jersey Arts Trust. These, the background accounts given by the Jersey Heritage Trust, Société Jersiaise, the Jersey Arts Trust, the Jersey Opera House, and States’ officers working for the Department for Education, Sport and Culture and other departments inform the present snapshot.

 

Culture in Jersey consists of 3 main, though overlapping sectors –

 

            (1)        the voluntary or community sector;

 

            (2)        major grant-aided cultural organisations and States cultural departments; and

 

            (3)        the commercial cultural sector.

 

(1)        The voluntary or community sector

 

In 2000, Burns Owen identified 46 voluntary sector organisations dedicated to cultural activity in Jersey. After allowing for non-responses, they estimated there were 5,000 active members in total (not including the Jersey Arts Centre’s 2,000 members or the Société Jersiaise’s 5,000) and that active participation was equivalent to around one in 6 to one in 10 of the adult population.

 

In 2003 the Jersey Arts Trust’s research identified around 4,000 active members of visual arts, music, literature, performing arts and crafts groups. Given that this figure excludes the individual artists responding to the survey and does not cover non-arts organisations (e.g. local history, heritage, language), then this suggests a greater number of active members than computed by Burns Owen – perhaps around one in 5 of the adult population. There are no estimates for the numbers of visits to the productions promoted by the sector but these are likely to be substantial. The numbers of local groups and the extent of active participation is significantly greater than in other areas in the U.K. and is an undoubted strength but there are signs of strain within the sector.

 

The Jersey Arts Trust’s research reported a range of needs – for extra finance for equipment, travel and other expenses; for extra support and encouragement e.g. for specialist books in the Library or the provision of affordable studio space; and for increased recognition and profile. There is a sense that action has to be taken before it is too late.

 

Neither of these figures include the huge active participation by the Island’s children and young people through the Jersey Instrumental Music Service, the Eisteddfod and other out of school cultural and sporting activities.

 

The Burns Owen report acknowledged the importance of this sector, commenting “the absolute importance of the amateur bodies and the voluntary tradition in Jersey was everywhere recognised and endorsed”. These sentiments were echoed by the Steering Group. Their importance to the Island’s identity and to the quality of life of individuals cannot be overestimated. The importance of the Island’s identity and traditions were also emphasized in the ‘Imagine Jersey’ consultation. But, despite this, the sector receives very little funding. The Jersey Arts Trust distributes around £40,000 (with the Eisteddfod receiving £13,000 of this) to around 40 organisations and individuals (Source: Jersey Arts Trust, 2001 Accounts). In addition Jersey Tourism invests in this sector through support for festivals and events and for organisations such as ‘Art in the Frame’.

 

(2)        Major grant-aided cultural organisations and States cultural departments

 

Major grant-aided cultural organisations include the Jersey Heritage Trust, the Société Jersiaise, the Jersey Arts Trust, the Jersey Arts Centre and the Jersey Opera House. States cultural departments include the libraries, sports centres and sports development. Other departments such as Education, Sport and Culture and the Youth Service also have cultural functions, e.g. the Instrumental Music Service, Sounds Workshop and Jersey Tourism supports events and festivals, many of which are cultural activities.

 

The Jersey Heritage Trust is responsible for the preservation, care and conservation of, and promotion of access to, Jersey’s heritage. It manages museums, castles and heritage sites which are amongst the top visitor attractions in the Island; the Jersey Archive; and has extensive information, education and outreach services. The Jersey Heritage Trust’s sites attract around 200,000 visits per year though this number is falling as tourism to the Island declines. It liaises with the Société Jersiaise and collaborates with the National Trust for Jersey as well as a wide range of other organisations and States departments.

 

The Société Jersiaise promotes and encourages the study of the history, archaeology and natural history of Jersey; it has 16 separate sections covering subjects as diverse as entomology, garden history, marine biology and ornithology, and manages a library and photography archive. It has around 5,000 members.

 

The Library Service runs the Town Library, Branch Library, Mobile Library, the Nursing Homes and Housebound Service and Schools’ Resources. In 2003 there were almost 64,000 borrowers, nearly 500,000 items issued and over 120,000 enquiries across the services. Study rooms provided almost 6,000 hours of private study time, while there were 21,000 hours of user sessions in the Opening Learning Centre.

 

The Jersey Arts Trust was created by an Act of the Royal Court in 1993. Its main objectives are to develop, improve and promote the understanding of the arts and crafts. The JAT receives an annual revenue grant from the States of Jersey through the Education, Sport and Culture Committee but can also accept gifts, sponsorship and donations. The Trust provides free professional advice and financial assistance to individuals, clubs, associations, festivals and arts venues. It funds the Jersey Opera House, the Jersey Arts Centre and St. James, has responsibility for maintaining a calendar of events, carries out research and acts as an advocate for the arts. It was responsible for leading the capital projects at the Jersey Opera House and for St. James.

 

The Jersey Arts Centre is an independent membership body which manages the Arts Centre in Phillips Street and is responsible for programming St. James. It programmes and produces a wide range of concerts, plays, recitals, dance, jazz, day and evening classes, exhibitions and related events. There are around 30,000 visits to the Arts Centre annually and it has around 2,000 members. It also helps promote a range of outreach and outdoor events, including Alfresco Arts.

 

The Jersey Opera House re-opened in 2000 and is the most recent of the major cultural organisations. It presents a balanced programme, promoting touring professional productions as well as acting as a venue for local amateur societies. It has produced its own work, and undertakes a wide outreach and education programme. There are around 110,000 visits to the Opera House annually, of which around one-third are visitors, and there are 500 Friends of the Opera House. The theatre is managed by a limited company owned by the Jersey Arts Trust.

 

Art in the Frame has developed a gallery in St. Aubin’s, promotes and hosts talks and lectures, and programmes a range of arts workshops and arts and crafts activity holidays.

 

The Jersey Public Sculpture Trust is entrusted with the process of commissioning and project managing a series of public artworks which collectively are helping to transform the public realm in St. Helier.

 

Sounds Workshop, supported and maintained by the Youth Service, provides music rehearsal and recording facilities for the Island’s young people. Recent studies indicate that the resource is accessed by young people from all of the Island’s 12 parishes. The centre has attendances of between 60 and 120 young people a session and events programmed at venues around the Island in 2003 reached attendances of around 3,500. The centre is developing its own arts social space, a new venue and gallery called the Print Room which will fully open at the end of January 2004 and has a developing diverse music, arts and media programme. In general terms, Sounds Workshop can expect to have contacts with around 1,000 young people a year.

 

The Jersey Instrumental Music Service is part of the Education Service. It has over 1,000 children on its books teaching a wide range of instruments. It gives free tuition on both an individual and ensemble basis. The experience of the Instrumental Music Service is instructive: some years ago it also gave vocal tuition to children and sustained children’s choir. These were curtailed as a result of financial cuts. The impact of this was felt much wider than the statutory education service: the disappearance of the children's choir has had a knock-on effect on the Island’s adult choirs which are suffering because of the lack of new recruits. Fortunately, the Service is going to be extended to vocal tuition again.

 

Highlands College is the Island’s further education college. It has links with Plymouth University and other universities. It offers in its art school a certificate in Foundation Studies in Art and Design GNVQ, the vocational ‘A’ Level in Art and Design and a part time Foundation degree in Art providing a gateway to a career in art design. In addition the adult education programme offers well over a hundred art, craft, dance and creative programmes annually; many taught by some of the Island’s outstanding artists and offered in partnership with other cultural and arts organisation. Discussions are under way with the Jersey Opera House and others to develop a performing arts foundation course. There are also sports studies courses and a developing Media School. These provide the basis for the continuing development of the College into a 21st century ‘College of Culture’.

 

(3)        The commercial cultural sector

 

The Jersey Arts Trust has recently undertaken research to identify current activity within the creative industries in the Island. The research shows that a significant number of businesses currently operate within the creative sector, spanning: advertising, graphic design, audio-visual, new media, crafts, performance and literature. The creative industries currently employ a substantial number of people in the Island and have the potential to make a significant contribution to the economy. To enable these businesses to grow it is important to promote: export opportunities and international promotion, affordable workspace, support networks and careers advice. It will be necessary for Education, Sport and Culture to work in partnership with Economic Development and the Jersey Arts Trust to develop suitable programmes aimed at promoting and enhancing these industries locally.

 

External and Internal Issues which Impact on the Development of a Cultural Strategy for the Island

 

Jersey has been remarkably resilient and has adapted quickly to previous changes in the world economy but these changes are happening more rapidly now. At present, Jersey relies on three main sectors –

 

(1)        The Finance Industry. This suffered turbulence post-9/11 and as a result of the ending of the dot com boom. This faltering of the industry, and its subsequent rationalisation, led to decreasing sponsorship for cultural activities. The recognition of the dependence of the Island on this one sector, provides the opportunity for the development of the commercial creative industries. For the near future, these are likely to be small-scale but will help to diversify the Island’s economy. They will also attract other business sectors.

 

(2)        The Tourism Industry. This has been decreasing for some years as mass-market tourism to the Island declines in face of competition from other destinations in Europe which benefit from guaranteed sun and/or cheaper air flights. In response, Jersey Tourism is switching to a more sophisticated, higher ‘value-added’ market. This is often targeted at the benefits Jersey offers in terms of its identity and its culture. The developing brand for Jersey emphasises the close relationship between culture and tourism and the growth of a number of ‘niche offerings’.

 

            Again, the decline in tourism is hitting culture in the Island: as visitor numbers decline, so too does box office income. The ESC Committee has been able partially able to address these issues through increased support to some cultural organisations from within its own budget in recognition that to respond to these pressures by cutting cultural services will lead to a vicious downward spiral, resulting in fewer visitors coming to the Island.

 

            There are positives as well as negatives however, and the changing tourism industry today identifies even more closely with culture and with making the most of the Island’s identity. The new tourism offers many opportunities for culture in terms of both festivals and active cultural holidays from painting and craft holidays, to walking holidays, green tourism, maritime and environmental pursuits.

 

(3)        The Agricultural Industry. This is suffering even more than the finance and tourism sectors. Indeed, advances in agricultural technology, the liberalisation of markets and the huge decrease in international transport costs have effectively priced Jersey’s mainstream agricultural products out of their markets. The industry is looking to develop ‘high value’ offerings, organic produce, ‘same day delivery’, growing for local markets only, developing specialist and ornamental crops and it needs to develop other uses for agricultural land, some of which may be allied to leisure and cultural activities.

 

            There are opportunities for culture to help the agricultural sector through developing other productive uses for land and buildings. These include farm-based cultural and horticultural holidays, the development of environmental or archaeological study centres, and other countryside leisure pursuits. There are also opportunities for converting some farms to low-cost studio complexes and managed work spaces.

 

            Jersey’s cultural infrastructure already helps the Island’s economy – more so than is often realised. The grant aided sector spends much of its income (in the Jersey Heritage Trust’s case up to 90%) in the Island, a large proportion of which goes to small businesses, creative enterprises and specialist suppliers. With large operators such as the Jersey Zoo, War Tunnels and Jersey Pottery, the commercial cultural sector also generates significant income and is a source of local employment. However, the sector could be spurred on in this development so that it gives increased help to the Island to ride the global economic storms facing it. It can offer more help to the tourism and agricultural sectors and, by helping diversify the economic base, it can reduce the over dependence on the finance industry, help offset the negative image of Jersey as a ‘tax haven’ and give an added spur to attracting the creative class.

 

Ageing population

 

The Island-wide Strategy for an Ageing Society (ISAS) report (September 2003) chronicles the demographic changes that are facing Jersey. In brief, these are –

 

·           Jersey will be one of the first societies to address the needs of an ageing society;

 

·           older people will constitute a growing proportion of the total population – from 16% (14,507) now to 30% (26,830) in 2031;

 

·           this is not a demographic bulge but a permanent shift;

 

·           ageing societies affect all ages. All stages of the lifespace (childhood; paid work and raising a family; active, independent life beyond work and parenting; eventual dependence) are being stretched and within each stage there is greater diversity;

 

·           throughout their lives, the ‘baby-boom’ generation has differed markedly from earlier generations in their behaviour. Between 2010 and 2030, the baby-boomers will enter their retirement years and can be expected to continue to behave differently from their predecessors.

 

There are a number of implications for culture. Firstly, present patterns show younger people attending and participating in culture considerably more than older people. This would seem to imply that there will be fewer attendances and that the income generated by cultural organisations will drop. However, the ‘baby-boom’ generation has always behaved differently from previous generations. There is good reason to believe that it will continue to behave differently and that it will actively look to fulfil its aspirations particularly in cultural sectors once it reaches the stage of independent life beyond work and parenting. Cultural organisations – and Jersey as a whole – will need to be responsive to meet these new needs.

 

Secondly, different age groups attend and participate in different cultural activities. Younger people attend films and participate in clubbing much more than older people. Audiences for jazz, musicals and events connected with books come from all age ranges. Visits to libraries and museums are fairly evenly spread across all ages, though with lesser numbers of visits from those over the age of 75 (see ACE and re:source report above). This will impact in terms of the programmes offered by cultural providers. It may also impact in terms of increasing the tensions between providing for the differing cultural needs of the old and the young. These may be partly addressed by having different cultural organisations specifically geared to the different stages of the life cycle, particularly for youth. It will certainly mean taking steps now to value, support and develop youth activities if for no other reason than to ensure that culture is sustainable for the long term.

 

Thirdly, an extended, healthy and active period for people after full-time work and raising a family, gives opportunities for involvement in cultural activities. Individuals in this third stage of life will have increased leisure time. Many will also wish to work at least part-time both for economic return and as volunteers. This gives a great opportunity to strengthen the voluntary basis of the Island’s cultural life.

 

Finally, will this demographic change lead to people being less well-off? Not if it is planned for well ahead. Here, too, culture has a part to play by ensuring that Jersey makes the most of the positive trends and factors that will come into play with an ageing population.

 

Internal issues: sustaining the current cultural infrastructure

 

The States has financed huge capital developments in culture over the past 10 years (including the Archive, the Maritime Museum, Mont Orgueil, the Jersey Opera House and St. James) and should be applauded for this. However, the significant capital investment by the States can give the impression that the sector is well-funded on a revenue basis. This is not the case: the increase in revenue funding has not kept pace with the increase in the ‘cultural estate’ – and, as the comparisons with central London and European countries suggests, is not over-generous. There are a number of separate strands that make this issue both crucial and urgent.

 

Cultural institutions can exist on a band of funding. With the minimum funding, programming is dictated by purely commercial considerations – what will get the greatest numbers of audiences in for the least cost and risk. With relatively little extra funding, this can be balanced by artistic criteria, by aiming for greater diversity of programming including ‘cutting edge’ and ‘riskier’ programmes and by striving for better quality. Increased funding also enables education work, outreach work and work to widen access. Those education, outreach and access programmes in turn help to increase skills and attainment of school students and others, and to foster the evolution of the Island and its identity.

 

Research suggests that currently the funding levels of most of Jersey’s major cultural institutions have been set at or not much above the minimum amount necessary for their survival. This has hampered their development. It has led to blander and less distinctive programming. It will make it difficult for them to work in a meaningful way towards many of the aims and objectives set out in this section because improvements in quality and increases in access and education work cannot happen without first paying the core organisational costs – staff costs, building overheads.

 

This problem is exacerbated by 2 other factors. First, the amount of income that the cultural institutions can raise from other sources is declining. The decline in visitor numbers to the Island has led directly to a decline in visitors to cultural organisations.

 

Second, there appears to be an inadequate recognition by the States of the ‘full life costs’ of their investment in the cultural estate. Put simply, there is a lack of planning and funding for repairs and maintenance and for the costly but necessary ‘mid-life’ refits that all well-used public buildings require. This, too, impacts on the sustainability of the Island’s major cultural institutions. There also appears to be a lack of understanding that a large portion of the costs of culture are tied up with the overheads associated with the buildings rather than with the cultural activities themselves. These overheads would be a cost to the States whether or not the buildings were being used productively or lying empty.

 

The inescapable conclusion is that the States must either increase the level of funding significantly to the major cultural institutions if it wishes to ensure their sustainability or it must accept cuts in services – and the services which are most likely to be cut are precisely those which most would like to see preserved and enhanced.

 

Imbalance in current infrastructure

 

The conclusion of the first internal issue is that the States must respond to the sector’s needs for more revenue funding. The nub of this issue is that the sector has to address issues of gaps and duplications in the present provision and organisation of culture in Jersey.

 

The first strand of this issue is that current cultural provision is imbalanced with some sectors over-provided and others under-provided. This has been a result of historical accident and opportunities being seized. If capital developments had been planned and prioritised then things would have turned out differently.

 

Thus, there is an argument that Jersey is over-provided with performing arts venues (Jersey Arts Centre, Opera House, St. James) but at the same time there is no dedicated visual arts centre. While there is solid support for the major grant aided cultural organisations and the cultural departments of the States, there is little support for the creative industries and the commercial sector, while support to the community sector and individual artists is also minimal.

 

There have been long-term and widely-held aspirations for a ‘National Gallery of Jersey’ or a contemporary art gallery to redress the first of these imbalances. The Education, Sport and Culture Committee would support such a project but would not wish to repeat mistakes of earlier years. The Committee would be concerned that the demands that such a project would make on revenue funding would merely add to the problems of sustainability of the cultural estate. For this reason it would wish to secure appropriate long-term revenue resources for such a project before committing to its development.

 

In the meantime, more support should be provided to organisations like Art in the Frame and the Jersey Public Sculpture Trust developing more informal exhibition spaces, more visual arts workshops, and more public art. Investigation should be given to developing managed workspaces (both in St. Helier and in rural areas) with artists’ studios, workshops, meeting rooms and occasional exhibition space. Consideration should also be given to providing contemporary temporary art exhibitions at the art gallery in the Jersey Museum and other galleries. These steps will help to provide a foundation of support, understanding and expertise for any future project. They will also help to minimise the risk.

 

There was very strong support for more funding of local, community groups and individual artists in the Burns Owen report. That support – from Vision Jersey and the Steering Group for this strategy to the needs of the sector documented by the Jersey Arts Trust – is as strong today as it was in the past. However, support remains as meagre today as it was then. At present only around £40,000 goes to local groups and artists. This contrasts with the £420,000 (excluding overheads) spent by the Advisory Council for Sport and Leisure in grant aid to sports clubs and individuals. If support is to be given to the community sector, fostering networks, help to develop volunteers, encouragement to individual artists and groups and in growing the creativity of Jersey, then there must be a step change in the funding and help given to this sector.

 

This strategy also argues for much more focus on the Island’s creative industries and commercial sector. Here, though, support takes the form of deregulation, of a beneficent tax regime, of making it easy to rent property and of providing business support, rather than in giving grant aid.

 

As well as gaps, it can be argued that there are also duplications within the present set-up and that these lead to inefficiency and confusion. There is a perception that the Jersey Arts Centre and the Jersey Opera House both produce programmes of – in the main – performing arts. Wouldn’t there be savings if they shared some functions such as box office and marketing? The Jersey Arts Trust has undertaken valuable functions in the past but couldn’t its arts development functions be better performed if it were free of its responsibilities and concerns with regard to the Jersey Arts Centre and the Opera House.

 

There are, of course, arguments for and against each of the positions set out above. Next, there appears to be a ‘silo’ mentality amongst both the independent cultural institutions and different States’ departments. This is by no means unique to Jersey. It is prevalent throughout central and local government in the U.K. Working in partnership, different agencies and government departments are beginning to realise gains which they would not have been able to achieve if they had worked on their own but progress has been slow and uneven. Changing the ethos, culture and way that organisations do things is probably the hardest organisational task of all, and one that takes years.

 

The ‘silo’ mentality should not be overstated however. There are examples of work between different cultural organisations, and between cultural organisations and agencies/departments in other sectors, particularly at the operational level. Much more could be done, particularly at the strategic level. There is still a divide between the arts and heritage generally. There is no single focus for culture as a whole. Apart from the firm links between Tourism and the cultural sector (which, arguably, have been driven by Tourism), there is little long-term, concerted effort to work with a range of other States departments (Education, Economic Development, Environment and Public Services, Health) on a range of projects which would achieve both the aims for culture and the aims for these departments and agencies.

 

Here, the creation of the Education, Sport and Culture Committee gives an opportunity to start working together with other committees. It also gives the opportunity to help resolve the final strand in the under-performance of the Island’s cultural sector – its inability so far to advocate the benefits of culture effectively to the Island. This has led to a serious underestimate of the value of culture to Jersey and of the centrality of culture to the life of Jersey. Now more than ever Jersey needs a powerful advocate for culture, and one which is seen as an advocate for culture as a whole rather than for any one cultural organisation.

 

All the strands of this issue – the gaps in provision, the lack of support for the ‘grass roots’, the duplication of venues and functions, the relative lack of working with other cultural organisations and with agencies from other sectors, the lack of a strong advocate for culture – all point to the need to review the present structure for culture.

 

SECTION 3

 

THE SCOPE AND DEFINITION OF CULTURE

 

In view of the above, the ESC Committee recognises that ‘culture’ is at the heart of most things that we do as individuals or within communities. In developing this strategy, the Committee is aware that definitions of the term ‘culture’ can be very wide-ranging and that the term can mean very different things to different people. It comprises the core beliefs and values which establish individual and community identity. It is in our people, our landscape and our buildings, it is about ‘the way we do things’, and it is also the means by which those core values and beliefs are transmitted and developed.

 

The Committee is also aware that it is not the role of government to prescribe or attempt to control ‘culture’ or associated activities. It believes however, that a strong cultural identity and a vibrant cultural life bring benefits to a community and that government, in promoting the public good, has a role to play in supporting, encouraging and celebrating cultural awareness and activity.

 

In view of the above, for the purposes of this report, the ESC Committee has adopted a wide scope for culture in Jersey,[4] congruent with the proposals of the U.K. Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). As such, cultural activities include the arts, the use and development of libraries and museums, heritage, archaeology, archives, architecture, crafts, the creative industries, entertainments, festivals and reading. It also overlaps with many other areas of activity such as sports, tourism, gardening and horticulture, and other activities such as countryside and water based recreation and it links with sectors such as urban regeneration.