The need to link cultural projects to social outcomes, including tackling poverty, is more pressing than ever, according to Ken Skates, the cabinet secretary for economy and infrastructure in the National Assembly for Wales.
The politician’s comments come after the Welsh launch in May of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Great Place Scheme, which offers grants of £100,000 to £500,000 for those using culture to address issues including poverty, inequality and employment.
The Great Place Scheme complements the country’s Fusion Pioneer Area programme, which uses cultural activity to tackle poverty, health, education and prosperity issues.
Applications for the related Fusion Challenge Grants (annual grants of £25,000 for two years) closed in late March, with the winning schemes due to be announced as Museums Journal went to press.
“In challenging times, where many communities are really struggling, social outcomes must underpin what all our cultural bodies do,” says Skates. “I do not want this to be seen as an imposition on the cultural sector. The approach is about aligning what we already have to alleviate poverty.
With modest funding, it is important the resources of partners are pooled.” Skates says that previously “most cultural bodies in Wales” had a sense of social responsibility but hadn’t known where to prioritise their resources. He adds that too many short-term projects have hampered progress.
Ashleigh Taylor, the community heritage development officer at Torfaen County Borough Council, in one of the Fusion Pioneer Areas, says the Fusion programme has allowed the council to further support deprived communities.
But she adds that the programme has been more difficult to implement successfully in some areas.
“Outside the Swansea area, which already had an effective cultural infrastructure, it
was more challenging to join services up,” says Taylor. “However, the principles
of using culture to tackle poverty have been embraced.”
Torfaen’s World Heritage Youth Ambassadors programme has given 13- to 25-year-olds the opportunity to participate in the management of Blaenavon World Heritage Site.
“The programme makes heritage and culture fun, by using a youth work approach and focusing on the needs of the young people primarily,” says Taylor.
“The heritage, as important as it is, comes second. It’s an approach that most organisations need to take. A problem the heritage sector faces when dealing with disadvantaged audiences is that our primary purpose is to promote our own heritage, and it’s easy to forget to put the needs of people and our audiences at the heart of our services.
“For individuals who are not sure where their next meal is coming from, coming to see and engage with a museum is not high on their agenda, even if it will give skills to help them.”
Morwenna Lewis, the curator at Pontypridd Museum, says her institution, which is outside the Fusion Pioneer Areas, is considering applying for the Great Place Scheme with partners such as housing associations.
“There’s a lot of potential here,” she says. “We could work with other community arts organisations and we’ve got a strong link with the local authority arts department, so there’s a lot of cross-agency working that’s possible.
“You have to build a legacy and hope it helps retain investment in the sector, and keeps impact going.”
The politician’s comments come after the Welsh launch in May of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Great Place Scheme, which offers grants of £100,000 to £500,000 for those using culture to address issues including poverty, inequality and employment.
The Great Place Scheme complements the country’s Fusion Pioneer Area programme, which uses cultural activity to tackle poverty, health, education and prosperity issues.
Applications for the related Fusion Challenge Grants (annual grants of £25,000 for two years) closed in late March, with the winning schemes due to be announced as Museums Journal went to press.
“In challenging times, where many communities are really struggling, social outcomes must underpin what all our cultural bodies do,” says Skates. “I do not want this to be seen as an imposition on the cultural sector. The approach is about aligning what we already have to alleviate poverty.
With modest funding, it is important the resources of partners are pooled.” Skates says that previously “most cultural bodies in Wales” had a sense of social responsibility but hadn’t known where to prioritise their resources. He adds that too many short-term projects have hampered progress.
Ashleigh Taylor, the community heritage development officer at Torfaen County Borough Council, in one of the Fusion Pioneer Areas, says the Fusion programme has allowed the council to further support deprived communities.
But she adds that the programme has been more difficult to implement successfully in some areas.
“Outside the Swansea area, which already had an effective cultural infrastructure, it
was more challenging to join services up,” says Taylor. “However, the principles
of using culture to tackle poverty have been embraced.”
Torfaen’s World Heritage Youth Ambassadors programme has given 13- to 25-year-olds the opportunity to participate in the management of Blaenavon World Heritage Site.
“The programme makes heritage and culture fun, by using a youth work approach and focusing on the needs of the young people primarily,” says Taylor.
“The heritage, as important as it is, comes second. It’s an approach that most organisations need to take. A problem the heritage sector faces when dealing with disadvantaged audiences is that our primary purpose is to promote our own heritage, and it’s easy to forget to put the needs of people and our audiences at the heart of our services.
“For individuals who are not sure where their next meal is coming from, coming to see and engage with a museum is not high on their agenda, even if it will give skills to help them.”
Morwenna Lewis, the curator at Pontypridd Museum, says her institution, which is outside the Fusion Pioneer Areas, is considering applying for the Great Place Scheme with partners such as housing associations.
“There’s a lot of potential here,” she says. “We could work with other community arts organisations and we’ve got a strong link with the local authority arts department, so there’s a lot of cross-agency working that’s possible.
“You have to build a legacy and hope it helps retain investment in the sector, and keeps impact going.”