To receive petitions, comments and questions from members of the public.
Decision:
The Council was addressed by Mr Brian Foreman (Arts Council for North Hertfordshire).
The Chairman thanked Mr Foreman for his presentation.
Minutes:
The Council was addressed by Mr Brian Foreman (Arts Council for North Hertfordshire).
Mr Foreman advised that, as Chairman of the Arts Council for North Hertfordshire since 2000, his Committee was concerned that without the Arts Council’s annual grant from NHDC from April 2019, it would be unable to continue. He had come cap in hand to request that NHDC kindly reviewed this decision as they were a unique body which had been in existence for the last 50 years.
Mr Foreman stated that the Arts Council sought to distribute the money given to it by NHDC to help organisations throughout the District to put on arts events to benefit the community. Whilst this could be in the form of a grant, it was often better to make the award as a consideration against loss. In the course of a year the Arts Council handled about 30+ applications, mainly from the 21 organisations who applied on a regular basis. The events included district festivals, dramatic productions, and concerts of choral, orchestral, chamber and folk music. There were also requests for funding from film clubs, music clubs and for art and design exhibitions. New applications were sometimes received from people promoting special arts events to be held for the first time in the District.
Mr Foreman explained that the origins of the Arts Council went back to the 1960s and was the brainchild of George Thomas, the first Principal of the new Hitchin College of Further Education. He appointed Mr Foreman as an assistant lecturer, mainly to teach academic subjects, but his interests were, like Mr Thomas, in the Arts. Mr Foreman started producing plays in experimental theatre and created dance dramas, which featured in local competitions in Letchworth and Luton. He established an orchestra, together with a choir, which included general education students, secretarial and motor vehicle mechanics. Michael Markham was appointed to set up the art and pottery studies with full-time, as well as part-time, students. Mr Thomas was able to forge a partnership with the local authority and the Arts Council was created.
Mr Foreman advised that, sue to ill health, he retired in 1993 as Head of Arts, but continued on the Arts Council Committee. The Arts Council’s President was a well renowned local architect (especially in Letchworth) named Dr Mervyn Miller, who had a tremendous knowledge of music. As did Peter Hewitt, the Chief Executive of the Benslow Music Trust, who was on the Committee. Other members included for Drama, Edith Pratt, who managed the Queen Mother Theatre, and Ann Cook, Mr Foreman’s deputy, who worked with the Thespians and had a sound knowledge of musical theatre. Nigel Markham, son of Michael, also became an architect and was in charge of Art at the College.
Mr Foreman stated that the Arts Council was lucky in having Ros Allwood as its NHDC officer and 5 councillors on its committee – Alan Millard, John Booth, Steve Deakin-Davies, Elizabeth Dennis and Frank Radcliffe, making a total of 17.
Mr Foreman commented that the Arts Council was a registered charity, with a constitution which included promoting the Arts throughout the District. The Committee, which was voluntary, met every 6-8 weeks and was blessed with people who had considerable expertise in the arts. The Committee attempted to meet the criteria as laid down by NHDC, in order to endeavour to spread the money out to all parts of the District.
Mr Foreman explained that the Arts Council’s treasurer carefully counted every penny and sometimes had to play “Scrooge”, due to the reduction in funding of 8% each year in recent years. The Arts Council’s grant from NHDC, unless reviewed, would cease for the next (2019/20) financial year, and in 2018/19 it was expected that the small reserve would be used to help finance applications
Mr Foreman asked if NHDC could kindly grant the Arts Council say £10,000 per annum, like every other Hertfordshire County Councillor, then this could be good news to present to its Annual general Meeting to be held on 6 June 2018 in Mrs Howard Hall, Letchworth Garden City.
The Chairman thanked Mr Foreman for his presentation.