Cultural shift…….
With Arts Council England support we have developed a two year plan to create a cultural shift within the Liverpool arts sector, to give it adaptability and flexibility, to enable it to be more resilient to the challenges the future will bring, be they economic or cultural. LARC is considering ways to enhance the existing collaborative infrastructure within the Liverpool to support more cohesive strategic working across the whole City without compromising the strength and focus of individual collaborations. LARC believes that arts, culture and heritage organisations have a significant role to play in tackling the economic and social challenges that exist in many of our large towns and cities – they shape the identity of cities, provide direct and indirect employment and generate income for our communities. In difficult times and in an increasingly competitive world the places that will prosper and become desired locations in which to work, live, play, study and invest are those that can demonstrate a unique combination of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ factors: combining a robust economic argument with a sense of place, quality of life, creative and cultural opportunities. LARC appreciates this, and by working collaboratively will rise and respond to this wider, shared...
Read MoreMaking the case
Making the case for support of the arts in Liverpool can only be undertaken through thorough research, evaluation and appropriate advocacy. LARC partners have a long history of engaging in collaborative research and evaluation work pioneered during the successful European Capital of Culture year with “Impacts 08”. We have built on this foundation undertaking a robust economic impact study, an innovative intrinsic impacts study, (among the first of its kind to be conducted in the UK) and a wide ranging investigation into audience development focussing on non-traditional attendees and family friendly approaches We have supported this work through partnerships with Higher Education Institutions (through Impacts 08, Culture Campus and the recently established Institute for Cultural Capital at the University of Liverpool) and with other partners, most notably the City Council and the PCT. As arts practitioners we fully understand the need to demonstrate the differences that we make, not just in economic terms but also to the well being and health of our citizens. We also know that delivering an excellent product is dependent on us fully understanding our audiences and what works and why. To help us make this case we will continue our research into the public value and impact of the cultural sector in the Liverpool City Region and improve understanding of the role of culture within regeneration. We will also be exploring how the added value of a collaborative approach might be measured in areas where cost reduction is not the primary business driver. Social Impact – LARC partners are committed to developing a robust research and evaluation project around the social impact and the social return on investment of arts engagement and participation work. This will include ensuring that the proposed Young People’s Festival is supported by an appropriate longitudinal study of social impact and...
Read MoreCreative opportunity…
LARC is committed to a programme of workforce development across the whole cultural sector that will implement new models of partnership engagement with the education providers in the City Region (Schools, Colleges and Universities) to ensure both the sustainability of the sector and to grow and develop future practitioners and artists One of the successes of the LARC collaborative work to date has been the Liverpool Creative Apprenticeship scheme. The programme was initiated in 2007 and through the programme creative and cultural organisations have been supported to develop the skills and expertise to provide high quality training and development for young people. The Liverpool creative apprenticeship programme continues to operate and now runs on a rolling recruitment basis. Since the inception of the programme 24 separate organisations, covering the public, private and voluntary sectors have recruited a total of 34 apprentices. Working in partnership with Liverpool City Council, Arts Council England and Creative and Cultural Skills LARC will be developing a new programme of employment support and workforce development for the sector, including implementing a programme of paid apprenticeships and internships and has been successful in attracting funding from the Creative Employment programme to deliver to deliver a package of up to 35 apprenticeships and internships over the next 2 years. All partners are committed to the implementation of a coherent apprenticeship programme across LARC, COoL and the wider arts sector (both public and commercial) to ensure that Liverpool develops a strong apprenticeship, training and employment offer that bridges the gap from school and HE/FE into employment within the cultural...
Read MoreMore Bang…..
The long term ambition of LARC and the participating partners is to create a sustainable method of working together, both across the arts and culture sector and in partnership with others. We’re looking to; Develop new ways of realising the programming, funding and delivery of an arts and cultural offer of national and international quality and reach. Enable and support the diverse range of arts and cultural organisations and activities as well as programming the very best in international culture Implement new models of partnership engagement to ensure both the sustainability of the sector and to grow and develop future practitioners and audiences Ensure that all audiences are engaged with and benefit from expertise and excellence by exploring a collaborative and coherent evaluation, research and learning and participation offer. Assess how the sector currently does business and to explore how things could be done differently and more efficiently in order prioritise investment and put more resources into the arts and cultural programmes Over the next 2 years we will be working collaboratively to develop an opportunity to celebrate and nurture the creativity, ideas, knowledge and skills of young people. Although initial discussions have branded this a Young Persons “Festival” the ambition for this event (or period of time) is that it is not simply a festival but rather a wider opportunity to learn from, harness and celebrate the creativity and capability of young people. However, partners envisage that at the heart of the offer could be a biennial Young People’s International Arts and Cultural event or showcase embedded into the cultural offer of LARC and other partners taking place during the summer holidays. LARC and its partners will also be supporting other key projects such as the UNESCO City of Music initiative plus supporting the development of joint audience development activities, culture hack days and digital development programmes. More bang for your buck – Through developing collaborative programmes LARC and the COoL members are ensuring that the city’s taxpayer is receiving value for money in how we present the city’s cultural activities. By having a collaborative programming approach when presenting spectacular events such as Open Culture’s Light Night, where our glorious city becomes the venue for fun and easy to access cultural activities, we are ensuring that a maximum number of people are engaged in quality arts activities across Liverpool’s venues, galleries, theatres and public...
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