An Open Invite to the Independent Arts Sector

from Cathy Agnew

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY INDEPENDENT ARTS SECTOR

OPEN MEETING

Monday 3^rd October 2011 at 4 pm at The CatStrand, New Galloway

Dear All

As you will be aware, Dumfries and Galloway Council are working with key partners, including Creative Scotland to devise a policy which will effectively and efficiently deliver art services in the region. A key part of developing this new way of working across the region is the Stakeholders Meeting on 28^th October in Dalbeattie. (details of the Dalbeattie event here)

The fact that Creative Scotland is taking a keen interest in the region is to be warmly welcomed.  However, arts providers will inevitably continue to have to lobby and campaign for adequate resources for quality projects and initiatives to be delivered across the region.  In order to be more successful in both securing funding and maximising the benefit from scarce resources in these difficult economic times, it is vital that the region’s artists, arts organisations, arts groups and communities can find effective ways of working together collaboratively. 

This is obviously something that we are all talking and thinking about already and it has been suggested that it might be a good idea for interested groups and individuals to meet in advance of the consultation session in Dalbeattie to start to develop ideas and share experience/aspirations without the pressure to deliver a ‘result’ by the end of the day.   For instance:

·      ‘How should arts development be delivered across the region?’

·       ‘Should there be a centralised ‘voice of the arts’ for D+G?’

·       ‘Can we pool our marketing?’

·      ‘How can we co-ordinate programming…or should we?’

·      ‘How do we cater for practitioners, commissioners and audiences….separately, geographically or centrally?’

If you are interested in the future of arts provision across the region, please come to this open meeting in order to share and discuss your thoughts and ideas. There is currently a great opportunity for us all to influence and help shape the way in which the arts might best be delivered in Dumfries and Galloway over the next few years.

For catering purposes (tea and coffee) please could you email your acceptance to info@catstrand.com by Friday 30^th September.

Best wishes

CATHY AGNEW

on behalf of

Glenkens Community & Arts Trust (GCAT)