vali [2
LETTERS «-..
Arts in Guildford
needs business
sponsorship
Sir, With reference to the
letter last week “Council
must formulate its own
arts strategy,” I would like
to endorse the unidentified writer’s view that a
new and ambitious arts
policy for Guildford could
reasonably be supported
by the town’s immensely
prosperous
commercial
sector.
New, improved and
regionally important arts
facilities will attract even
more interest in our town
and will put it on the
national
map
in
an
emphatic way.
It is true to say that all
but a tiny percentage of
the council’s £1.3 million
arts budget is spent on the
provision. of the town’s
museum,
Guildford
House,
orchestra
Civic Hall.
and
Recent additions have
been the creation of the
Electric Theatre for amateur productions and rescue funding for the professional Yvonne Arnaud
Theatre.
The current arts programme is a legacy of
many years, which the
present elected council
have been attempting to
rationalise. It is difficult to
have an innovative arts
strategy if all but a minute
fraction of the budget is
bespoken for hardy annuals.
Traditionally,
our
council
has
been
a
provider, not an enabler of
_ the arts.
Gradually, an improve--
ment is coming as they
develop partnerships with
the arts community. So
much
more
can_
be
achieved, working with
groups with energy and
access to sponsorship,
than within the council’s
own
traditional
and
restricted budget.
Guildford Arts hopes
to work in partnership
with the council to intro-
duce ways of improving
arts facilities — indeed
our vision has always been
the creation in Guildford
of a multi media arts centre of regional importance,
Rodboro would have
been great, and the council thought so too, but
consultants
felt
that
access was bad. It is close
to rail, bus and parking;
had they not heard of an
integrated
transport
approach?
I am sure that the wine
bar there will not suffer
too much.
The Civic Hall site
would be an excellent
alternative. With that in
mind,
we
invited
a
—_—
--—
a
London architect living
locally to give an illustrated talk at our forum.
exciting new building
alongside, would transform the whole site.
We asked him to bring
illustrations of what had
been achieved in arts centres across Europe, to
inspire our town with the
vision of what might be
It would be the focus of
a whole new arts strategy,
to provide the quality and
created here in Guildford.
After the vision comes
the architectural plan and
a viable financial strategy.
Guildford Arts sees its
role as ensuring the previous support offered by
South East Arts, the
British Film Institute and
similar bodies and also
helping to attract the
commercial partnership
which will assist capital
and revenue funding.
Fundamental to the
big plan is council backing to guarantee a town
site and some core funding.
We hope that their
planners will look beyond
a mere refurbishment and
modification of the Civic
Hall.
An
architecturally
breadth of arts events and
modern facilities which
Guildford’s community
deserves.
Guildford has been
chosen as the home of the
Regional
Development
Agency for South East
England. Arts provision is
a core element in enhancing the lives of the citizens
of Guildford and the
whole region.
If you believe this, why
not express your views
through our citizens’ survey forms available in the
Civic, library, Yvonne
Arnaud Theatre, Electric
Theatre
and
Guildford
House.
CAROL LEIGHTON
(Chairman,
Guildford Arts)
The Mill House,
Shalford,
Guildford.
Council does
allocate its
budgets wisely
Sir, May I take this
opportunity to correct
several erroneous conclusions drawn by your correspondentinlast week’s
edition.
1. I did not say that
nothing could be done in
terms of improving the
Civic building; I simply
said that Arts Board lottery funding was not an
available source of funds
for at least the next two
years. I stated that the
council would look to
undertake improvements
to the Civic itself, with
commercial involvement
if this was thought appro-
priate.
Architectural
advice would be sought
externally.
2. We do allocate our
budgets wisely and your
correspondent’s assertion
that £1.3 million is spent
annually in deals with
outside organisations is
totally wrong. This sum is
spent running the council’s own facilities with
onlya relatively small percentage used for grant aid
to outside bodies in the
borough.
3. I note your correspondent’s
observation
that “Guildford seems
flush with commercial
money”.
Indeed,
my
department secures well
in excess of £100,000 per
year in sponsorship deals.
Money is nevertheless
~ tightfor commerciai companies, too; such deals are
hard won and companies,
quite rightly, must justify
expenditure
to _ their
boards and shareholders.
They are not queuing up
to drop largesse into the
council’s coffers.
4. Of course the council operates to strategies
and business plans. Your
correspondent only needed to ask about this rather
than making incorrect
statements
behind
a
shield of anonymity.
I would welcome the
opportunity to discuss
our services with genuinely concerned members of
the public and should
your correspondent wish
to contact me. on 01483
444700 I would be happy
to explain any points he
may have in need of clarification.
JIM MILES
(Director of Leisure
Services, Guildford
Borough Council)
Millmead House,
Millmead,
Guildford.