Welcome to World within the City, the first cultural strategy for the City
of Southampton. It has been developed by a broad range of individuals
and organizations active in culture and informed by extensive public
consultation. At its heart has been the Cultural Consortium, whose 25
members are supported by 10 Task Groups drawn from public, private
and voluntary organisations.
Culture matters. We define it as all of the activities, events and
opportunities which allow people to enjoy life in the City. It gives us a sense
of identity and defines us as individuals, whilst distinguishing Southampton
from all other cities. It is vital to the city’s economic well-being and can be a
significant factor in regeneration. It establishes our place within the world
and is fundamental to each of us, to our neighbourhoods and communities
and to our City. It is the World within the City
For this first issue, the Strategy concentrates on the following
Arts
performing, visual, craft, fashion, community arts
Media
film, television, video, language
Heritage
artefacts, archives, design
Built Heritage
architecture, landscape, archaeology
Libraries
literature, writing, publishing
Sport
events, facilities, development
Parks/Open Spaces
parks. wildlife habitats, water environments
Play
playgrounds, play activities
Tourism
attractions
Events
major events, festivals
The Strategy tells us where we are now, where we want to be, and
how we are going to get there over the next five years. We celebrate
the great things about living in Southampton. We acknowledge the issues
we have to face and we set ourselves a challenging vision for the future.
This is the first Strategy. It is a starting point not the final destination.
Whether it is achieved and where it goes next will be down to all of us citizens; the public, our educational institutions, the voluntary, business
and commercial sectors; community groups and professional
organizations alike - working in partnership.
On behalf of the Cultural Consortium, I invite you to join us in making
our World within the City grow. For more information on how you
could get involved contact David Baldwin at the Central Library, Civic,
Centre, Southampton SO14 7LW. Telephone 023 8083 2595
Email [email protected]
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The culture of the city
Southampton is a modern commercial city, a port, with large parks and
open spaces and a rich concentration and diversity of learning
institutions. Historically the city has strong associations with the Titanic
and the Spitfire. Its medieval town walls are some of the finest in Britain
and it has a rich Saxon and Roman heritage. The green and tree-lined
appearance of many streets and suburbs and the rich history of the
medieval town walls, the historic town and many beautiful buildings
make Southampton an attractive place
Southampton offers some opportunities and experiences comparable to
the best in the country. On the smaller, local scale, the culture of the city
is vibrant and flourishing. However, too often, we do not recognise and
appreciate the richness and diversity the city offers.
• The city hosts major international maritime events on a regular basis.
• It is a regional centre for leisure and shopping, theatre, arts and sports
facilities and events.
• Southampton Football Club brings Premiership football to the city and the
Eddie Read Swimming and Diving Complex is a national centre for diving.
• Southampton has a significant number of major art galleries for a city of its
size: the internationally known Southampton City Art Gallery (funded by
SCC), the nationally important John Hansard Gallery (funded by South
and South Eastern Arts (SSEA) and Southampton University) and the
Millais Gallery (funded by Southampton Institute).
• The Mayflower is a major regional touring centre for shows, musicals,
opera and ballets. The Nuffield Theatre is nationally and internationally
recognised as a production theatre. The city’s youth music is amongst the
best in the country.
• The city has a broad expanse of parks and open spaces. These include
two internationally important chalk rivers and their estuaries, the
magnificent Southampton Common and Central Parks and local parks and
open spaces throughout the city. These open spaces support a wealth of
wildlife, including internationally protected species..
• A public art policy started by the University and adopted by the city in
the 1980s has given rise to some imaginative and distinctive local
features.
• The city is diverse with 14 faiths and 40 languages.
• A significant investment is taking place in improving the city’s schools,
including the building of three brand new schools.
• One in five people in the city in term time are students. This brings
dynamism and vitality to cultural life, particularly in the city centre, and
plays its part in attracting the cinemas, bowling, night clubs and live pub
music, which have transformed the city’s nightlife.
• Across the city there are many thriving voluntary and not-for-profit
community arts, play, youth, church and other faith organisations as well as
a wide range of sports and fitness clubs. The city has a strong tradition of
participatory and community arts enabling people to be involved as
Participation in Culture in the City
In our market research we found that:
• local history was the only activity that prompted a response
suggesting that more people would like to take part than currently do
so. There is particular interest in this pursuit amongst the 55+ age
group;
• a higher percentage of visitors than residents take part in many of the
activities on offer;
• there is generally little difference between the responses of ethnic
minorities and white British groups;
• there are no clear patterns across the different wards of the city;
• at least 9% of the sample expressed an interest in participating in
each of the activities on offer;
• five activities were identified by more than 30% of the sample as
activities that they would like to participate more in or start to
participate in:
- visiting the theatre (41%);
- taking part in sport (36%);
- eating out (36%);
- visiting art galleries (34%);
- visiting cinemas (34%).
performers, technicians, and as audience. Major sources of participatory
arts include Mount Pleasant Media Workshop, City Eye, Solent Peoples
Theatre and Art Asia.
• Almost a third of Southampton’s population lives in an area designated for
regeneration and neighbourhood renewal. The City Council has been at
the cutting edge in creating cultural community programmes.
• The nationally recognised Active Options programme in leisure centres,
works in partnership with health agencies in improving the physical health
of people, mainly elderly with medical conditions, through carefully
planned and supervised activity programmes
• The siting of major new leisure developments in deprived areas, bringing
jobs and improvements to the quality of life of residents, subsidised use of
leisure facilities through Leisure Card and a programme of free events, all
contribute to tackling deprivation and inequalities.
Children responded that they would like to participate more than
they currently do in half of the activities they were asked about:
• Going to youth clubs
• Taking part in dance
• Going to after-school clubs
• Taking part in drama
• Taking part in music
• Watching theatre
• Taking part in arts and crafts activities
• Watching live sport
• Going to big Southampton events
• Playing at indoor play areas
• Going swimming
Their high frequency activities included:
• Playing outside in street or garden (72% of those participating did so
on at least six occasions during the last year)
• Attending Brownies, Guides, Scouts etc. (64%)
• Playing with computers (59%)
• Playing sport (55%)
Overall, there is considerable participation in cultural activities across
the city and there is a strong wish to participate more.
Southampton offers some opportunities and experiences comparable to the best in the country. On the smaller, local
scale, the culture of the city is vibrant and flourishing
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The culture of the city
The key cultural challenges for the city
Inclusion: everyone must be able to take part.
We need to:
• secure greater participation in cultural activities by all, especially young
and older people; socially disadvantaged communities, those with
disabilities and others who might feel themselves excluded;
• close the gap between the most deprived areas and others;
• increase participation and audiences from all sectors of the community.
• provide opportunities for every one to live fulfilled and healthy lives and
to realise their full potential.
A shared vision:
Learning: live more - learn more; learn more - live more
We need to:
• promote the cultural curriculum at all levels, e.g. school, FE, HE and in
lifelong learning;
• accredit training for volunteers across the cultural sectors;
• open up museums; archives, libraries, schools and other cultural and
sporting services to support informal learning;
• support professional development
Partnership: working together makes more happen
Excellence: aspirations, expectations and standards must be
higher
We need to:
• improve the quality of life and economic prosperity of citizens;
• Increase support for individuals and groups at the cutting edge of
innovation and practice;
• enhance standards of artistic, sporting and general cultural
performance;
• generate a culture of continuous improvement;
• identify and share best practice across all areas;
• develop centres of excellence.
Recognition: culture matters
We need to:
• make sure everyone knows about the cultural opportunities in the city;
• raise the profile of culture in the city region;
• foster creative industries and show how they contribute to the
economic, social and environmental well-being of those who live,
work, study in or visit the city;
• engage with young people’s cultural activities and interests;
• secure cultural representation in local strategic partnerships and
community regeneration;
• promote nationally and internationally the cultural activities of the city
and region.
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We need to:
• develop successful partnership schemes with a cultural element, such
as Sports Actions Zones, New Deal for Communities, and Creative
Partnerships;
• work closely with national and regional agencies to build cultural
capacity.
Sustainable development: build to last
We need to:
• foster a skilled, motivated and productive workforce to support the
cultural economy;
• encourage those who compose, create and perform as well as those
who spectate;
• create sustainable development through effective partnerships;
• increase the stability and effectiveness of arts organisations;
• ensure that all the area’s cultural activities are well managed;
• invest in culture and cultural facilities;
• maximise resources and funding for regional sector activity;
• support communities in developing their own capacity to participate in
cultural life.
Southampton will be recognised as a City of Culture locally,
regionally, nationally and, ultimately, internationally. People will
readily think of Southampton as a place which has a deep
appreciation of culture.
To achieve this vision and address the key challenges, we will
pursue the following principles:We shall:
• progressively remove barriers to access so that we deepen and
broaden in ever increasing numbers the range of people enjoying
and benefiting from culture in the city - Participation;
• offer a full range of exciting, attractive and imaginative cultural
opportunities, meeting every need, providing a broad base of
community opportunity and leading to pinnacles of excellence Infrastructure;
• promote culture in dynamic and accessible ways through the
maximum availability of comprehensive information and publicity Profile;
• assert and pursue the principle that the culture of the city is the
responsibility of the whole community - its citizens; the public,
voluntary, business and commercial sectors; community groups
and professional organizations alike - all working in innovative
partnership- Partnership;
• maximise the potential of informal and formal learning to
enhance, enrich and sustain the experience of culture for people
at every stage of their lives - Learning.
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Participation
Infrastructure
Participation is about taking part in cultural activity and in the development
of culture in the City. This is a matter of equality of opportunity; it is often
also a question of cost. Culture makes a critical contribution to the city’s
priority to counter deprivation and disadvantage. Cultural activity is at the
heart of community regeneration.
The culture of the City and each of its constituent sectors require a range
of services and facilities to provide for needs at all levels. It is useful to think
of the range of provision as a pyramid with services and performance of
the highest quality at the apex of the pyramid, and a broad base of local
opportunity and participation at the bottom.
Culture is for everyone; it needs a strong community base. The city needs
to foster and celebrate its rich diversity of different cultures. The Strategy
proposes a variety of innovative projects to encourage participation particularly by individuals and groups not normally reached by cultural
activity.
In the visual arts, for example, not all the city’s prestigious art galleries are
currently underpinned by a sound pyramid of participatory visual arts.
Moreover, although there are many students in the City studying Fine Arts,
the City lacks workshops and studios to enable them to remain in the City
as working artists.
Performance measures need to be put in place to record levels of
involvement and user satisfaction. There is a key role for the Smart Card
in the delivery of discounted services.
The Strategy seeks to attract investment for cultural facilities and to attract
major leisure providers and events to the city, both by creating new sites
or venues and by enhancing existing ones. Similarly, people with creative
ideas and initiative must be enabled and facilitated in the development of
their business and enterprise. It is of crucial importance that development
must be sustainable – the pyramids must be built to last.
Culture is key to the quality of life for the elderly – it makes a critical
contribution to the city’s priority for independent living – without cultural
content, people’s lives are empty. Equally, culture is a key to the quality of
life for young people – it makes a critical contribution to the city’s priority
for community safety.
The Strategy identifies the various elements missing from the infrastructure
across all key cultural sectors. It also draws attention to those existing
elements which do not provide a standard of service appropriate to local
needs or aspirations. In building the infrastructure the Strategy is seeking to
achieve continuous improvement across all sectors, services and
providers.
A secure infrastructure requires strong networks, good accommodation, a
pool of well trained volunteers and lead staff, a steady flow of creativity and
talent and the confidence of future funding.
Profile
The profile of culture needs to be raised within the City. It needs to be
more highly valued. Culture needs selling - both in a general way and
specific opportunities. People need to think more positively about culture
and lose some of their prejudices against it.
The quality of publicity needs to be enhanced both in terms of
presentation and content. Existing publicity tends to focus on specific
events or organizations and rarely aims to be comprehensive. With the
possible exception of “Schools Out”, there are few significant attempts to
integrate opportunities and look across the entirety of the cultural
environment in the city.
Information about what is available is extremely sketchy. There should be
a commitment to covering the full range of opportunities in the City and
ensuring that information is up to date. Currently information is provided
from a large number of different outlets, publications, web sites, and
leaflets. Similarly, ticket selling is fragmented and lacks co-ordination. We
need well publicised gateways to the whole range of information available.
Information technology must be better harnessed to deliver seamless
access to information.
Nothing succeeds like success: there are countless examples of successful
cultural activity in the city and its region; people need to be confronted by
the evidence of excellence and community involvement.
Partnership
This strategy is the work of the Cultural Consortium – a partnership of
cultural providers and participants.
Working in partnership with other cultural providers and supporters
ensures that there is a balance of provision across the City and that cultural
activities are mutually complementary. Partnership with the private sector
has been instrumental in attracting major new leisure services to the City.
At the same time the need to offer ever wider opportunities for public
engagement and consultation has been embraced.
If the strategy is to be realised successfully, we need partnerships with the
regional and national agencies, such as: South East England Development
Agency; the South East England Regional Assembly; Arts Council England South East; South East Museums Library and Archives Consortium; South
East England Regional Consortium Regional Sports Board: South East
England Cultural Consortium; the Government Office of the South East;
English Heritage; Sport England, Artswork. Locally we need to develop
fully the potential of voluntary, religious and community organisations to
deliver the Strategy.
Future development will depend on the continuing involvement of the
Cultural Consortium’s Task Groups drawn from all sections of the cultural
community
Learning
The city’s cultural and educational agendas are inextricably intertwined.
Both are central to positive citizenship and lifelong learning. The
relationship has been expressed succinctly by the Lifelong Learning and
Leisure Directorate as: live more - learn more; learn more - live more
Schools and other educational institutions are vital elements in the City’s
cultural network as places where culture is transmitted formally and
informally. They train people in a broad of cultural techniques from the
ability to write and read to the achievement of formal qualifications in the
leisure and cultural industries. The resources used in support of education
- from gymnasia to language laboratories- are there for the benefit of the
wider community. The Strategy should capitalise on these rich cultural
assets and develop the engagement of formal educational providers in the
cultural agenda.
The research leadership of the University of Southampton will create an
international hub in a City increasingly based on the exploitation of
knowledge, which directly stimulates learning aspirations. The Consortium
will promote partnerships with schools, FE and HE institutions to provide
learning environments which fulfil the aspirations of all citizens.
Informal learning is offered throughout the city in a variety of settings and
through diverse and often highly innovative projects. Often the best
opportunity for people to learn is through participation in arts, sports and
other cultural pursuits. We need to increase the number, reach and range
of such initiatives to bring increasing numbers of people into contact with
culture and learning. Museums, archives, libraries and other cultural
services are open doors to informal learning.
Participation Infrastructure Profile Partnership Learning
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Key Priorities
Secure a distinctive Southampton identity - an iconic structure
Consultation has confirmed that the city needs to celebrate the richness and
diversity of culture and cultures which it already has and create a springboard
for future development. It needs a symbol which will broadcast its identity,
capturing its status as a major port, a city of learning, and city of green
spaces. It is recommended that this proposal be linked to the next priority.
and conferences. It is proposed to work with partners to establish a
multi-purpose facility in the city which will provide a popular music
venue, an Olympic size ice-skating and hockey rink, exhibitions, trade
shows and conferences. The minimum capacity would be 4,500 people.
The achievement of a rink in Southampton is a long held ambition of the
city and apart from letting people pursue skating as a sport and for fun,
will enable ice hockey and ice dance to be offered for spectators. It is
expected that the facility will open in 2006/7
Tell the Story of Southampton - past, present and future - in
a major heritage visitor attraction
Develop the cultural infrastructure of the city
There is a need to draw the dispersed elements of the city’s collections
together in a sizeable visitor attraction, possibly linked by water with
attractions in Portsmouth and Cowes. To pay its way, such a visitor
attraction would need to be interactive and exciting-looking forwards as
well as backwards.
i) a cultural quarter in Northern Above Bar
Northern Above Bar is well placed to create a dense, lively and viable
cluster of arts and cultural facilities, bolstered by the proximity of the
Guildhall, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton City Art Gallery, the
Central Library and the Millais Gallery.
It would be best located on the waterfront which would make it
possible to exhibit waterborn exhibits; to include an observation deck
housing a port interpretation centre; and to emphasise the maritime
aspects of the story of Southampton. It could eventually be linked by
tram to the Bargate and the cultural quarter in Northern Above Bar. An
observation deck would give the added advantage of providing a
birdseye view of the mediaeval walls and give coherence to the city’s
built heritage. There is potential for such an observation deck to be part
of a tower which also serves as the iconic structure in priority 1.
Northern Above Bar could include:
• A place where young people, new audiences and the wider
communities of Southampton can gather for education, engagement
and enjoyment.
• A centre for Performing to fill the gap created by the closure of The
Gantry.
• The co-location of a number of arts and media agencies and
organisations committed to exploring new media, new audiences and
the diversity of Southampton’s culture, including the development of a
small scale multi-purpose performance space and facilities for Art Asia,
and studio space for City Eye, a photography and digital media
organisation.
• The possible relocation of the John Hansard Gallery to enable the
gallery to expand significantly, improve its accessibility, and broaden its
capacity for programming, research and education.
Secure a performing community arts facility
The closure of the Gantry has weakened the city’s infrastructure for
community arts and undermined the levels of participation to a point
where they cannot be fully sustained by other providers. The city lacks a
small to medium size venue which would offer performance, rehearsal
and project space to support community and youth arts across the
broad range of cultural activity.Securing a performing and community arts
facility is included in the proposals for a Cultural Quarter dealt with
below. However, it remains a high priority in its own right.
Create a multi-purpose venue in the city
Southampton lacks a large scale facility for the staging of major events
ii) a visual arts pyramid to underpin the excellence of the city’s
galleries
Although the city has an enviable range of art galleries this is not underpinned by an infrastructure which supports people actively engaging in
the visual arts on a personal or professional basis. There is a lack of
workshop and studio space and limited employment opportunities. We
also need to broaden the ways in which people across the city can be
drawn into an appreciation of the riches offered within the city’s
galleries. The partnership between galleries and schools to enhance
the school art curriculum needs to be strengthened.
like Southampton, where such businesses require little space, can be
conducted digitally and have the potential to generate high turnovers.
iii) strategies and action plans for each of the different cultural groups
If the momentum which has been created during the preparation of
the Cultural Strategy is to be maintained, each of the task groups
needs to consolidate its work into a clear strategy for future action.
Three groups - those for sport; play and parks have already started to
work on specific strategies. They will be based on comprehensive
audits of what already exists; further consultation about what is
needed and wanted; and clear action plans to deploy existing
resources and to attract new resources.
The regional economic significance of the Media sector is being
promoted through SEEDA’s regional economic strategy (RES), which
promotes the development of economic ‘hubs’. Southampton’s hub is
identified with Media and digital technologies, currently delivered
thorough the Chilworth Enterprise Centre which promotes and
develops complex IT related technology from Southampton University
research programmes. There is a proposal currently with SEEDA to
develop a media business centre in the heart of the city, which would
include start up units, housing and social facilities.
iv) investment in renewing ageing buildings and facilities
Across all sectors and activities there is a need to safeguard what
already exists and keep it in good repair. There are, for instance,
several library buildings which are well past their best and there are
several facilities which need to offer better access for the disabled.
Provide comprehensive information on cultural opportunity
across the City
v) using the planning framework to support culture
The planning development framework should be used to secure
explicit cultural benefits in the form of enhanced facilities and
opportunities. Developments that only implicitly enhance the well
being of an area will not meet this requirement.
vi) create the Charlotte Place Healthy Living Centre
The Charlotte Place Healthy Living Centre aims to help people of all
ages to improve their well being, both physically and mentally by
providing a range of leisure and health facilities and services linked
together within the same building.Potential partners include
Regeneration Boards, Southampton Institute, Southampton City
Primary Care Trust and the City Council.
Develop the creative and media industries to complement
the knowledge industries of the region
The Media sector in Southampton is very broad, and includes the largest
cluster in the region of TV and radio broadcasters, community
production facilities and training, a fine art video collection, commercial
film and video producers for the editorial and advertising sectors, and a
significant number of students of traditional and new media technology.
The sector has major economic potential for a densely populated city
The lack of comprehensive information on cultural opportunities in the
City is a major barrier to participation. No attempt has ever been made
to identify all of the services available and there is no single point of
access to those information resources which have been compiled.
Furthermore, there has been no attempt to integrate existing
information even where there are obvious links between areas of
activity. It is a fundamental that comprehensive and integrated
information be provided to residents, visitors and providers of cultural
opportunities.
Secure an ongoing programme of international, national,
regional and local events
The colour and excitement of events– from annual events such as the
Boat Show, the Balloon and Flower Festival, Power in the Park, and
international yacht races such as the BT Global Challenge and Volvo
Ocean races to the full range of other community events such as the
Kite Festival and Thornhill Community Festival - make the City a vibrant
place in which to live and work. Events are fundamental in the economic
and social development of the City and are a key element of the City’s
Tourism Strategy. It has been estimated that an international event such
as the boat show will attract over 1 million visitors and bring £4-5 million
into the local economy. To maintain this level of inward investment and
provide a diverse range of exciting events it is essential that an ongoing
programme of events is supported.
Southampton will be recognised as a City of Culture locally, regionally, nationally and, ultimately, internationally.
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The Consortium is the key cultural partnership in the City.
The Consortium and its associated Task Groups will provide
a mechanism for ensuring widespread involvement in the
development and promotion of the Cultural Vision and the
exploration of partnership potential.
The information that follows only relates to priorities which are of
importance to more than one sector or of city-wide importance. Other
key priorities are dealt with under their specific sector headings which
follow.
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The Way Ahead
Steps on the Way
Additional Priorities
• Secure a distinctive Southampton identityan iconic structure (A)
• Creation of a Multi-Purpose Facility in the
City (B)
• Develop the cultural infrastructure of the
City: Creation of a Cultural Quarter in
Northern Above Bar (C)
• Develop the cultural infrastructure of the
City: Investment in renewing ageing
buildings and facilities (D)
• Develop the cultural infrastructure of the
City: Using the planning framework to
support culture (E)
• Develop the cultural infrastructure of the
City: Create the Charlotte Place Healthy
Living Centre (F)
• Provide comprehensive information on
cultural opportunity across the City (G)
• To integrate planning with the Story of
Southampton (A)
• Secure a multipurpose venue in the heart
of the City (B)
• To encourage developers of Northern
Above Bar to include a mixed
development including the provision of an
Art Centre and the relocation of the John
Hansard Gallery. (C)
• Identification of funding requirements (D)
• Watching brief with City Planning to
identify development proposals (E)
• Continue to develop project with partners
(F)
• With the lead taken by the Library Service.
the creation of a comprehensive database
of cultural opportunities which is freely
and widely accessible across the City (G)
• Promote participation and social inclusion,
specifically through the development of a
city-wide discount scheme
• Incorporation of the Cultural Strategy
Business Plan into Council business
planning
• To evaluate service delivery options to
provide the most effective means of
delivering on the Council’s cultural agenda
• To establish a co-ordinated internal
Council infrastructure for delivering
cultural opportunities
• Implementation of the Cultural Strategy
• Cultural Strategy reviewed and updated
annually
• The City Council to ensure the
sustainability of the Consortium and Task
Groups
• Task Groups formally constituted to
represent specific cultural sectors
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Southampton has a significant number of major galleries for a city of its
size, attracting in total over 90,000 visits each year. The Southampton
City Art Gallery, the John Hansard Gallery and the Millais Gallery
provide contemporary, historical and collection based exhibitions and
opportunities for younger and local artists, and collaborate on major
projects - e.g. British Art Show 5. The collection at the City Art Gallery
is designated as being of national importance. The John Hansard Gallery
is one of the Arts Council’s ten key providers of contemporary art
exhibitions in the country.
The city has a well-established Public Art policy which promotes new art
works by significant artists in public and private locations around the city.
A number of the city’s schools are applying for, or have gained
accreditation in visual art as a specialism.
Key Issues
The Way Ahead
Additional Priorities
• Difficulty in accessing European funds, in
particular structural funds, (which have
benefited many visual arts developments in
the north of England), for capital and
revenue initiatives.
• Lack of studio spaces and artists’
organisations in the city, leading to loss of
recent graduates and established artists to
other locations. Appropriate facilities would
support growth of self-employment in the
sector.
• Lack of visibility, the state of the current
building, and daytime parking facilities at the
University affecting John Hansard Gallery
visitor figures.
• Lack of storage for the Southampton City
Art Gallery collection, which has outgrown
its dedicated storage facilities, compromising
capacity to accept new bequests and
acquisitions.
• Insufficient exhibition space for younger and
non-professional artists
• Loss of retail activity at northern end of
Above Bar affecting visitor figures for the
City Art Gallery and the Millais Gallery.
• Staff and budget reductions leading to loss of
visual arts services.
• Unmet demand for after-school and holiday
visual arts activities for children and young
people.
• Inconsistent revenue support for grant aided
organisations leading to loss of morale and
employment and planning uncertainties.
Develop the cultural infrastructure of
the City: Creation of a visual arts
pyramid
• Ensure that the Cultural Strategy provides
focus and leadership, and encourages
participation
Steps on the Way
• In co-operation with the city council,
develop better ways of making the sector
more visible through better marketing.
• Achieve more investment in the sector
• Create better underpinning through
increased revenue support for life-longlearning opportunities.
• Support the relocation of the John
Hansard Gallery to the Cultural Quarter
• Support employment and business
development in the creative industries
Develop the cultural infrastructure of the City: Creation of a visual arts pyramid
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Southampton is the entertainment capital of the South with the
following major venues attracting over 750,000 attendances a year
between them:
• The Mayflower Theatre presenting opera, ballet and national musical
shows;
• The Turner Sims Concert Hall providing a wide ranging programme
of l concerts throughout the year;
• The Nuffield Theatre a producing, performing and touring theatre for
adults and children;
• The Guildhall, one of the south coast’s leading multi purpose venues.
There is a strong and vibrant amateur and voluntary sector; a breadth of
diverse provision across art forms with organisations such as Art Asia
taking a leading role regionally; and exciting collaborations between
professional companies and the community. Within education, provision
for music is recognised nationally as being excellent. The six
Southampton Youth Orchestras, four brass bands, youth jazz orchestra,
wind band and pops orchestra are recognised as amongst the finest in
the U.K. There is a growing range of small-scale venues, such as The
Brook, providing performance space for rock music. Recent successes
by Craig David and the Artful Dodger have created considerable
recognition for the City internationally and a sense of pride for the youth
of Southampton.
Key Issues
The Way Ahead
Additional Priorities
• Need for secure, stable funding
• Improved venues and facilities for
performing arts work, especially for small
scale touring and experimental work, with
links between educational, community and
professional performance venues
• Strategic leadership articulating a vision for
the performing arts in the City and Region
• Recognition and acknowledgement of the
long term potential of the performing arts
as a tool of regeneration and economic
prosperity
• Access to a broad range of performing arts
activities of international and national
repute
• To encourage active and successful arts
learners.
• Liaison between community, training and
qualification providers and the professional
sector
• Sophisticated, accurate and up to date
central information, promotion and
ticketing facilities for professional, amateur
and community performing arts
• Lack of dance and drama for children and
young people
• Lack of local arts broadcasting and media
coverage
Key Priority: Secure a performing and
community arts facility
• Provide leadership and secure funding and
resources for the city’s performing arts
infrastructure and activities through
building partnerships.
• Plan for the use, renewal and
refurbishment of the city’s performing arts
infrastructure
• Ensure that barriers to participation are
addressed, whether physical, financial or
geographical
• Work in co-operation with the
commercial arts sector to support
enterprise in the city and enhance the
sector’s profile
• Encourage more performing arts
graduates to stay in the city and develop
careers here.
• Promote arts in the city and the city’s
local, regional and national profile through
a performing arts marketing and PR
strategy
Steps on the Way
• Secure an enhanced replacement for the
Gantry Arts Centre venue, with formal
and informal performance spaces,
participation, production and exhibition
facilities
Key Priority: Secure a performing and community arts facility
14
15
The Media sector in Southampton is very broad, and includes the
largest cluster in the region of TV and radio broadcasters, community
production facilities and training, a fine art video collection, commercial
film and video producers for the editorial and advertising sectors, a
range of local cinemas, including Harbour Lights Picture House, and a
significant number of students of traditional and new media technology.
Southampton is recognised as a media “hub” by the South East England
Development Agency (SEEDA) because of the presence of major media
organisations such as BBC South, Meridian Television and City Eye.
There is a proposal currently with SEEDA to develop a media business
centre in the heart of the city, which would include start up units,
housing and social facilities. Southampton TV, a local station, started to
broadcast during the autumn of 2002.
Key Issues
The Way Ahead
Additional Priorities
• We need to ensure that the skills base
stays in Southampton rather than migrating
to another regional centre.
• The speed with which broad band
services can be introduced in the city - if
the introduction is slow it will inhibit
businesses’ ability to compete nationally.
• Hardware and software digital applications
requiring costly upgrading on a regular
basis create cost barriers to community
participation and training
• Training and accreditation are required for
community initiatives – and need to be
acceptable to local HE institutions.
• Recognition and support is needed for the
international development potential of
Southampton’s ethnic minority
communities in the IT/media sector
• Lack of opportunities to liase informally
within and across the sector
• Competition from Slough, Reading and
Winchester for regional profile and
investment.
• Need to ensure that SCC’s Economic
Development, Regeneration and Culture
sections are working co-operatively with
partners in Education, business and the
arts, to maximise inward investment and
minimise wasted effort.
Key Priority: Develop the creative
and media industries to complement
the knowledge industries of the
region
• Develop co-located facilities to improve
impact and business
• Develop educational resources for media
in the city
• Promote the range of media activity in the
city
Steps on the Way
• Ensure the future of the range of media
organisations in the city
• Promote the economic profile of the
sector and the opportunities within it
Key Priority: Develop the creative and media industries to complement the knowledge industries of the region
16
17
The city has unearthed evidence of human occupation dating back some
10,000 years, and has been continuously occupied for at least the last
2,000 years. There are examples of buildings dating back to the Roman
occupation, through to examples of medieval timber-framed structures,
medieval stone buildings, Georgian town houses, Victorian commercial
buildings and the post-war reconstruction of the town. .
There are nineteen Conservation Areas in the city, and over 450
individually listed buildings. Archaeological remains have been found in
all areas of the city, with concentrations in Bitterne Manor (Roman), St
Mary’s/Newtown/ Nicholstown (Saxon) and the Old Town (Saxon,
Medieval and post-Medieval).
The City has:
• The Maritime Museum, which houses the story of maritime history
from before the Pilgrim Fathers to the age of the liners, including the
Titanic;
• The Archaeology Museum, which displays highlights from the city’s
extensive archaeology collection, designated as being of national
importance, including recent important Saxon finds from the St Mary’s
Stadium excavation;
• The City Archives Service, which holds the national Merchant
Seamen’s Registration Cards archive;
• An internationally recognised and respected Oral History Unit which
since 1982 has interviewed 700 local people for the archive;
• The Southampton Hall of Aviation contains aircraft of national
significance and tells the story of 26 local aircraft companies, the
largest flying boat operation in the world and how the legendary
Spitfire was born in this city.;
• The Sheildhall and the Hovercraft Museum Trust;
• A number of other museums, groups and trusts celebrating aspects of
the city’s heritage.
18
Key Issues
• The museum service has been subject to
constant financial pressure. Two museums
have been closed and another under
possible threat, the service has no proper
conservation facilities and no spare storage
capacity. Further financial pressure would
threaten the existence of the service and
in particular the designated status of the
Archaeological Collection.
• The City Archives Service which collects
and makes available the rich documented
history of the City is housed in premises in
the Civic Centre which do not comply
with Historical Manuscripts Commission
specifications.
• The “T.T.Calshot” “the “SS Shieldhall,”
“Medusa,”and the steam tug “Challenge”
rely on grace and favour berths with no
permanency.
• The Southampton Hall of Aviation relies
on grant aid from the County Council and
revenue from visitors to cover running
costs. Since the closure of Ocean Village
and the concentration of visitors to West
Quay, numbers visiting the Hall of Aviation
have dropped dramatically.
• The Tram 57 Group workshops are once
again loaned by grace and favour.
• The Southampton Bus Group has two
buses kept under cover at the City
Collections Department but other fine
examples are deteriorating in the open.
• The understanding and conservation of
the built heritage must make a positive
impact on new development in the city.
Well-designed modern architecture that
learns the lessons of the past will be
encouraged.
The Way Ahead
Additional Priorities
Key Priority: To tell the Story of
Southampton
• Develop a federation to be known as
Southampton Heritage to represent all the
heritage interests within the city.
• Ensure Heritage Groups and Industries
within Southampton have stable funding
• Maintain existing Heritage Buildings and
attractions within Southampton to an
appropriate standard
• Maintain collections to national standards
and maximise public access
• Provide Educational and Outreach
activities for children and adults
• Engage more people in the conservation
of archaeology and the built environment.
• Promote the uniqueness of Southampton’s
heritage, to develop and reinforce the
identity of the city for residents and
visitors.
• Provide more accessible information,
about the heritage of the city, in
partnership with national and local groups,
schools, colleges and the university.
• Enhance the appreciation of the built
environment through the creation and
maintenance of appropriate, high-quality
streetscape.
• Promote physical access to the heritage of
the city, and in particular the whole of the
waterfront.
Steps on the way
• The Council to set up a cross party
working group to explore future
possibilities in consultation with interested
groups and organisations
• To establish a plan to provide a Heritage
Centre which includes other partnership
organisations – Aviation Museum, Dunkirk
Small Ships, T.T Calshot, Sheildhall, Tram
Group and heritage buses.
• Develop a brief to deliver a feasibility
study into the Story of Southampton, to
establish what it should be, where it
should be, who the partners might be and
how it might be delivered
• To develop a wider group that represents
all the heritage industries within the city
who may wish to contribute to a Story of
Southampton attraction
Key Priority: To tell the Story of Southampton
19
Southampton has 11 libraries and 2 mobiles providing reading and
information across the city. Over 1 million visits are made to the city’s
libraries each year with almost 2 million issues. Public Libraries cooperate with the University sector libraries and with City College to
offer their combined information resources to anyone who works, lives
or studies in the city. The Peoples Network, designed to bring the
information society to public library users in the UK is currently being
installed in Southampton. This will result in free Internet access via 125
PCs placed in libraries across the city.
Reading in the city’s schools has improved dramatically over recent
years as part of the city’s ongoing strategy to improve standards of
literacy and numeracy.
20
Key Issues
The Way ahead
• The written word has a low profile in the
City. Despite the high levels of readership
in the city reading the written word is
under-appreciated. As an example the
impact of libraries on city life is not
reflected in key Council policies.
• Currently, library readership is falling and
the replenishment of book stock is
inadequate.
• Many libraries are in poor condition, in
unsuitable locations, or are too small.
Opening hours are inadequate. There has
been limited investment in library
refurbishment
• Staff lack the skills fully to exploit
technology and learning materials.
• Use of libraries for community purposes is
under-developed.
• Within three years the Service has to
comply with Standards for Modern Public
Libraries issued by the DCMS in 2001.
• Over 50% of potential learners say that
time is the greatest barrier to taking part in
learning to read and write. This needs to
be addressed through delivering flexible
learning opportunities for literacy, and
ensuring that the learning is accessible at a
time, in a place, at a pace and in a format
which meets the individual learner’s
needs.
• A partnership will be established by the
Library service drawing together any
organisation or individuals committed to
the value of the written word in enhancing
city life
• The City Council should promote and
support the written word in all its forms
assigning a leading role to the public library
service.
• The pleasure and value of reading and
writing will be extended to ever increasing
numbers of people
• The potential for writing and reading to
strengthen, and, where necessary,
regenerate communities and
neighbourhoods should be exploited
• The City will offer residents and visitors
facilities and services of the highest quality
21
The City benefits from various private, public and voluntary controlled
sports facilities.
The Council’s sport provision includes three swimming venues, notably
the Eddie Read ‘Quays’ Swimming and Diving Complex; several leisure
centres, of which the Chamberlayne Leisure Centre is the most recent,
the Sports Centre Complex - which provides facilities for a wide range
of outdoor sports, including an excellent municipal golf course and a dry
ski slope and the Southampton Outdoor Activities Centres.
The David Lloyd Racquets and Fitness Centre is one of the most
successful in the Country and with other private health and fitness clubs
attracts members from all sectors of the community.
Professional sport in the city includes the Saints premier league soccer
team in a brand new 32,000-seat stadium and there is a multitude of
well-established sports clubs. A number of education establishments also
provide facilities and opportunities to take part in sport and recreation.
The University is currently building a multi-purpose indoor sports
complex at Highfield, which will also be available to local residents and
schools. City Council facilities alone attract over 2 million visitors each
year.
Key Issues
• Sport and Recreation activities can positively
help tackle social exclusion, promote
community safety, contribute to
employment, enhance the environment,
promote active citizenship and help people
learn valuable lessons for life.
• The City cannot sustain a pyramid of
excellence across all Sports and recognises
the need to concentrate resources on
pathways for sports development.. It may
be advantageous to concentrate
development on specific sports and achieve
greater quality of provision in depth. Such
sports might include those with which the
City is already closely identified
• Significant growth in the supply and diversity
of leisure and cultural opportunities for the
next five years (e.g. health and fitness)
represents business development
opportunities. Such opportunities,
however, require a partnership approach
with capital investment.
• An ageing population with potential leisure
time and disposable income – sport can
help people remain healthy both physically
and mentally.
• Increasing expectations of consumers
including use of new technology
• Increasingly inactive populations with
associated health problems – we want to
ensure that all residents and visitors,
particularly, young people can take part in
activities of their choice in venues that
match their expectations.
• We also want to reverse the loss of physical
education time from the school curriculum
and to establish and maintain an effective
link between schools, further and higher
education institutions and sports clubs.
• Increasing polarity between residents with
and residents without the ability to pay for
sporting and recreation activity
The Way Ahead
Additional Priorities
Key Priority: Develop the cultural
infrastructure of the City: Partnerships
for Sports Development
• Promote and raise the profile of
Southampton as a leading UK sporting city
through high quality, safe and enjoyable
facilities and events.
• Develop and promote access to sport for all
• Encourage active lifestyles to improve health
and well-being
• In partnership with education institutions
and others to maximise the use of facilities
and support the development of local clubs
and physical activities
• Further develop and sustain the network of
volunteers in sports clubs
• Actively engage the local community and
government agencies in addressing local,
regional and sporting needs
• Establish a user friendly internet based
booking and information system
• Create partnerships and strategic alliances to
develop and promote sport and recreation
in Southampton.
• Develop, support and sustain sports
development with appropriate resources
• Encourage Council Services to engage with
each other to ensure the health, crime
reduction and social benefits of sport and
recreation are recognised and incorporated
into strategic planning.
• Monitor, review, complete and circulate the
Sport and Recreation Strategy
• Develop leisure schemes with the private
sector, to include a sporting arena capable of
facilitating large high quality events.
• Achieve excellence in specific sports
Steps on the way
• To Promote and raise the profile of
Southampton as a leading UK sporting
City through high quality, safe and
enjoyable facilities and events
• Link the Sport and Recreation Strategy
with a dynamic events programme
• Develop programming and marketing to
raise profile of events and facilities
• Improvements to Southampton Sports
Centre
• Development of Southampton Golf
Course
• Extension to Bitterne Leisure Centre
Fitness Suite
• Development of Whitewater Course at
Woodmill Activity Centre
• Implementation of the Quest Scheme
• Implementation of the Playing Pitch
Strategy
• Secure funding for Woodmill Activity
Centre and Southampton Water Activity
Centre
• Develop, support and sustain Sports
Development with appropriate resources
Key Priority: Develop the cultural infrastructure of the City: Partnerships for Sports Development
22
23
The “green city” offers in excess of 100 hectares of parks and open
spaces, with areas for recreation, children’s play, woodlands, common
and waterside. 21 hectares of Grade II listed parkland in the heart of
Southampton have recently been restored and improved using the
second largest heritage lottery fund urban parks award in the country.
The nature conservation importance of Southampton’s largest open
spaces are recognised by national and international legislation and
include 4 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), a Special Area of
Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) and a site designated
of international importance under the International Convention on
Wetlands as Waterfowl Habitat.
Greenways aim to create walking corridors along historic stream valleys
which link some of the open spaces. Further improvements to the city’s
environment are being advanced through various regeneration
schemes.
Key Issues
The Way Ahead
Additional Priorities
• Southampton’s Parks and Open Spaces
are very popular, but sadly the quality and
bio-diversity of significant numbers of the
City’s Parks and Open Spaces are in
decline.
• There is a national trend of under
investment in parks and green spaces
within the past 15- 20 years
• Loss of priority status and resources and
historically a slow response to the
changing demands of today’s society to
provide facilities for all age groups.
• Parks with a declining infrastructure do not
feel welcoming and give local people a
poor perception of the value of their
neighbourhood and fall well short of
Government targets for access to natural
green space in some wards.
• Parks are perceived to be dangerous
places partly as a result of negative
behaviour, and partly because of a lack of
any supervisory presence.
Key Priority: Develop the cultural
infrastructure of the City:
Development of a Parks and Open
Spaces Strategy
• Raise the profile of parks and open spaces
through leadership at the highest level with
a clearly designated cabinet member to
promote Parks and Open spaces.
• The Standards set for each Park and Open
Space should aspire to the levels of
excellence within the Central Parks
although of a type, and at a level,
appropriate to each open space.
• Ensure we meet biodiversity legislation by
unified open space planning linked to the
City Nature Conservation Strategy and
Local Biodiversity Action Plans.
• Increase local involvement through the
adoption of a streamlined and accessible
management structure and the
development of partnership with local
people and communities.
• Provide parks and open spaces that are
appropriate and accessible to all
• Make parks feel safer and more welcoming
by providing well maintained and clean
environments and by providing an
increased presence within the parks either
through ranger schemes or incorporating
the work of the neighbourhood wardens.
Steps on the way
• Develop a strategy for the long-term
development of parks and open spaces
that aims to improve customer
enjoyment.
• Establish Badge Branded Teams and a
single point of contact clearly advertised in
all parks and open spaces
• A new approach to area based joint
working by cleansing and grounds
maintenance teams.
• Develop an Open Spaces Framework
• Start making improvements/repairs to the
district parks that local people want to see.
• Planning for Sustainable Targeted
Improvement
Key Priority: Develop the cultural infrastructure of the City: Development of a Parks and Open Spaces Strategy
24
25
The city recognises the importance of play to children’s lives. Play
enables children to:
• Develop and learn
• Keep healthy and active
• Find out about themselves, their abilities, interests and
individuality
• Understand the people and places in their lives, learn about the
environment and develop a sense of community
Key Issues
The Way Ahead
Additional Priorities
• Deal with difficult or painful circumstances
• To establish a common understanding of
the value of play and its fundamental
relationship with the culture of children.
• To develop a play vision for Southampton
and agree underpinning play values and
principles, policy and strategy to support
that vision.
• To secure outcome based play objectives
that will create a framework of priorities to
deliver the vision.
• To integrate play aspect of Cultural
Strategy within the complex children and
young people’s planning framework.
• To identify the gaps in play provision using
information from the strategic planning
framework, providers and children and
their families.
• To prioritise resources to close the gaps
through building upon the existing
strengths of play provision, maximising the
opportunities presented, diminishing the
existing weaknesses and minimising the
threats to play.
• To safeguard a non-statutory service and
secure sustainable revenue and capital
funding.
• To build the capacity of the Play
Development Team to deliver the outputs
of the Early Years Development and
Childcare Plan and to support voluntary
sector play providers.
Key Priority: Develop the cultural
infrastructure of the City:
Development of a Play Strategy
• Rationalise the management and
commissioning of play and play areas
within the City Council to secure more
effective management in such projects as
the Sure Start Central Play Learning and
Care Projects;
• Develop and Extend the City’s Children’s
Play Policy Statement to include the wider
perspective of schools, education, health,
social services, planning and other
agencies.
• Extend people’s perception of the value of
play and relate it to the current levels of
play provision
• To develop Play Strategy
• Provide a pilot multi-agency regeneration
play project
• Let off steam
• Use their imagination and be creative
• Above all to have fun
Southampton provides creative, stimulating, adventurous, safe and
mainly free play opportunities for all children based in their
neighbourhoods so that children can play safely, near home and with
their friends. The wide nature of play services include Adventure
Playgrounds, Play Centres, Play schemes, Playgroups, Play Projects, Toy
Libraries, Come and Play sessions and over 100 fixed site play areas.
Steps on the way
• Identify peoples perception of Play and
relate it to the current levels of Play
service
• To Develop Play Strategy to cover the city
and consult on as part of the Cultural
Strategy (based upon draft consultation
project from Playlink)
Key Priority: Develop the cultural infrastructure of the City: Development of a Play Strategy
26
27
Southampton is developing as a tourist destination for both day and
staying visitors attracted by the retail and catering base, major maritime
& aviation events base, the historic waterfront and buoyant night time
economy.
Tourism and the visitor play a significant role in the city’s economy.
Recent research showed that visitors contribute £165 million each year
to the local economy, supporting over 4000 full time equivalent jobs for
local people.
There is an expanding conference and exhibition sector which will be
enhanced by the development of a multi purpose facility on the West
Quay phase 3 site.
28
Key Issues
The Way Ahead
• Heritage and culture do not appear to be
a stated corporate priority for the city
(unlike Portsmouth and Winchester).
Tourism is also not considered as a priority
and there has been a reduction in tourism
funding by the Authority.
• There has been a lack of research carried
out to identify the ‘worth’ of the city’s
culture to the local economy. There is
little data on visitor likes and dislikes.
• The city presently lacks an identity as a
destination for leisure-based tourism,
although it is strongly perceived amongst
business and conference markets.
• The city has few visitor attractions of
regional significance compared with most
immediate competing destinations). These
destinations are continuing to invest in
tourism product widening the perceived
gap.
• There is a lack of public resources for
investment, i.e. no European
Union/Department of Trade and Industry
Assisted Area Status and there is also a
squeeze on local authority spending.
• Southampton is in competition for ‘visitor
time/spend from a vast array of attractions
in the region and beyond.
• To organise effectively for tourism
• To develop a market focus, increasing
quality and competitiveness
• To invest in tourism people, skills and
enterprise
• To better understand the visitor and the
tourism market place
• To communicate more effectively with
visitors and stakeholders
• To enhance and care for the city’s tourism
resources
• Develop a city for all visitors
• Develop the local image of tourism
amongst the host community
• Reduce the barrier of cost to greater
participation in tourism
• Enhance the appeal of tourism as an
activity competing for people’s time
• Increase participation and enjoyment in
tourism for children
• Increase participation and enjoyment in
tourism for young people
• Increase participation and enjoyment in
tourism for older people
• Enabling everyone to have access to a
diverse range of learning activities through
tourism throughout their lives
• Increase participation in tourism, which
have a positive effect on physical and
mental health
29
The city is enriched by annual events such as the Boat
Show, the Balloon and Flower Festival, Power in the Park
and a full range of other community events such as Carnival,
Kite Festival and Thornhill Community Festival.
It is also renowned for international yacht races and major aviation
events, such as the BT Global Challenge, Volvo Ocean Race and the
Seawings air displays.
It has been estimated that an international event such as the boat show
will attract over 1 million visitors and bring £4-5 million into the local
economy.
Key Issues
The Way Ahead
Additional Priorities
• To develop and encourage innovative
partnerships with the private sector.
• The re-development of Ocean Village
may adversely affect ability to deliver
maritime events successfully. Conversely,
developments such as those proposed for
Mayflower Park, Weston Shore, the
Cultural Quarter and the City Plaza would
provide new opportunities.
• More forward planning is needed to
ensure that events in the City are
programmed at the most appropriate time
to benefit the local economy. Such longterm planning would assist with securing
revenue from sponsorship and grant aid.
• Independent research is required to
establish if the current events programme
is satisfying the needs of the established
target groups.
Key Priority: Secure an ongoing
programme of international, national,
regional and local events
• To establish and measure the “worth” of
Special Events to the local community and
the City’s Commercial Sector
• To research and develop alternative means
of funding
• To investigate the options available for the
future management of events
• To further develop links and partnerships
with the community
• To advise and recommend upon the
design and infrastructure required for
event provision in the City’s new building
developments
• To reduce the barrier of cost to greater
participation in events
• To enhance the appeal of events as an
activity competing for people’s time
• To increase participation and enjoyment in
events for children, young people and
older people
• Realisepotential for events to regenerate
communities and neighbourhoods
• Enable everyone to have access to a
diverse range of learning activities
• Enabling residents and visitors to be fully
aware of evens within the City
• Increase participation in events, which
have a positive effect on health
• Enable all sections of the community to
have equal access to events
• Maximise the economic benefit of events
• Ensure the range of events to be found in
a fine European City
Key Priority Milestones
• To create a focused dynamic events
programme based upon the City’s
strengths and its history
Key Priority: Secure an ongoing programme of international, national, regional and local events
30
31
31
Assert and pursue the principle that culture of the city is the
responsibility of the whole community - citizens; the public, voluntary,
business and commercial sectors; community groups and professional
organizations alike - working in innovative partnership is one of the fiver
component parts of the Cultural Vision for the City.
This Section identifies the ways in which the principle of comprehensive
partnership will be translated into action. The Strategy is emphatically
not the responsibility of any one agency – it is for and owned by the
City. There are key roles for the Cultural Consortium as the umbrella
body covering culture in the city and for the City Council as the largest
player on the local scene. There is also a need for the Strategy to be
informed and developed by local people and communities.
comprise 22 nominated representatives from key interest groups in each
of the following core areas of activity drawn from community, voluntary,
commercial and public sectors:
Performing Arts; Visual Arts; Media; Heritage; Libraries; Built Heritage;
Sport; Parks; Play; Tourism; Events.
Executive Member (Leisure and Tourism)
Executive Director (Lifelong Learning and Leisure)
Head of Leisure, Culture and Tourism
The Cultural Consortium
• To champion the whole spectrum of cultural/creative interests in the
City and forge links
• To create a common vision and a plan for its realisation expressed in a
Cultural Strategy
• To secure a representative, cohesive and sustainable city cultural
partnership
• To monitor, review, revise and enhance the Cultural Strategy
Purpose of the Consortium
• To draw together all those with an interest in developing the quality
and quantity of cultural provision in the city.
• To draw up, implement and monitor plans and policies for such
development
• To adopt an integrated and collaborative approach between voluntary,
private and maintained providers, encouraging a spirit of co-operation
and genuine partnership.
• To consult with the wider community in developing its work.
• To be aware of and guided by the diverse needs and aspirations of
local people, whilst also recognising Southampton’s wider regional role.
• To take into account the impact of national policies on local provision.
Representation on the Consortium
The Cultural Consortium must include representatives from the whole
community of cultural stakeholders.
The membership of the Southampton Cultural Consortium will
32
In addition, the Council should provide co-ordination in the delivery of
the Cultural Strategy Business Plan.
The need for co-ordination is particularly acute given the diverse nature
of culture and the extensive Business Plan.
and the following City Council representatives:
Task Groups
Role of the Consortium
The Cultural Strategy
The ten Task Groups formed to develop objectives for specific cultural
sectors have been very successful, given the pressures they faced. Many
have proposed that they should continue to operate and this Strategy
endorses that view.
The Role and Purpose of Task Groups is to assist the Consortium in
carrying out the roles and purposes outlined above from the perspective
of a specific cultural sector. Each Task Group will particularly seek to
broaden membership and develop collaborative approaches to working.
The City Council
The Council is the largest direct provider of culture in the City. It also
provides an infrastructure of regulation, facilities, advice, co-operation,
financial and other forms of support, vital to the well being of a large
number of other providers.
As a result of the consultation with stakeholders carried out as a part of
the development of this Strategy the following key roles for the Council
are identified by this Strategy:
• a direct provider of existing and new resources - buildings, staff,
services, etc
• an enabler in the form of support for cultural activity.
• a facilitator in making available, or securing funding for new resources
for cultural purposes and the setting up and co-ordination of
partnerships, consortia, etc.
• a regulator ensuring compliance with legal requirements
• an exemplar of best practice particularly in relation to statutory and
quasi-statutory functions, equal opportunities legislation.
• a moderniser in seeking to achieve joined up thinking and working
between council departments and the provision of electronic forms of
government.
Widening participation by local people
One of the key elements of the Cultural Strategy is the desire to
increase the number of local residents who benefit from cultural
activities, particularly among those who live in the 11 most deprived
areas of the city. These areas have been identified in the Local
Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy (LNRS), and are called “priority
neighbourhoods”.
There are two principle ways of achieving this, both of which need to
be progressed at the same time.
Firstly, ensuring that culture is including in plans for the improvement
of different areas. The enjoyment to be gained through participating
in cultural activities, and the contribution it can make to promoting
harmonious communities need to be firmly established in the
detailed Action Plans for each of the Priority Neighbourhoods. It is
proposed that in the preparation of each Action Plan the Consortium
will bring forward relevant aspects of this Strategy for discussion, and
individual cultural service providers will investigate ways of delivering
more and different services to the residents of the 11 Priority
Neighbourhoods.
The importance of culture also needs to be included in the
Improvement Plans for the 5 Neighbourhoods Partnerships.
Secondly, action is needed to increase and improve the quality of cultural
activities delivered in local communities, starting with the residents of the
Priority Neighbourhoods.
The 11 Priority Neighbourhoods are:
Central (including Bevois Town, Newtown, St Marys, Northam,
Holyrood and Kingsland); Portswood/St Denys; Thornhill; Outer
Shirley; Weston; Lordshill; Freemantle/Polygon; Flower
Roads/Hampton Park/Mansbridge; Townhill Park; Harefield: Shirley
Estate.
Specific strategic objectives with potential to effect regeneration are
identified in the Cultural Strategy Business Plan where the LNRS is listed
as a linked Plan.
33
Cultural Consortium
Task Group Members
Brown, Mark Hartley Library, University of Southampton Chaney,
Edward Southampton Institute Chorley, Richard Ocean Terminal Film
Company Davidson, George City Youth Service , Southampton City
Council Davis, Stella Poet Foster, Stephen (Chair) John Hansard Gallery
Graham, Trevor Slipstream Hand, Lin Natural Environment Manager,
Southampton City Council Harris,.Bill Harris Director Sports and
Recreation, University of Southampton Hubble, Mrs M. City of
Southampton Society Jones, Alan (Vice-Chair) Director, Southampton
Hall of Aviation Knight, Michele Southampton Running Sisters Lewis,
Paul Mayflower Theatre Trust Martin, Kate Southampton Commons and
Park Protection Society Morgan, David Solicitor (rep. Transport Trust &
Solent Steam Packet Co.) Musker, Bob Hoteliers Association Russell,
Richard Southern Arts Trevelyan, Humfrey Southampton Institute
Watson, John Marina Developments Ltd. Young, Anne-Marie
(until March 2002) Southampton Children’s Play Association
Associate Members
Adamson, Debbie Moorlands Infant School Adamson, George City of
Southampton Swimming Club Ahmed, Zahir Southampton Mosque
Trust Allen, Liz Childcare Facilities Manager, Royal South Hants Hospital
Amin, Mohammed Newtown Nicholston Asian Association Anderson,
Kate Nuffield Theatre Annas, Reverend G St Christopher’s Church,
Thornhill Appleby, Kevin Turner-Sims Concert Hall Arnott, Alastair
Curator of Local Collections, Southampton city Council Bailey,
Genevieve Local Historian and Broadcaster Bailey, Sara Health
Development Officer, Southampton City Council Baker, Rodney World
Ship Society Baker-Caton, Michele Operations Manager, Southampton
City Council Ballantine, Maureen Play Coordinator, Southampton
General Hospital Bannon, Maureen Barlow, John Faculty of Media,
Arts and Society, Southampton Institute Bartlett, Graham Faculty of
Media, Arts and Society, Southampton Institute Bartum, Thomas
Southampton University of the Third Age Baxter, Bill Bell, Yvonne
Southampton Art Society Bound, Derek Southampton Civic Sociey
Bowie, Gavin Bursledon Windmill Brown, David Peartree Community
Action Forum Brown, Duncan Curator of Archaeological Collections,
Southampton City Council Brown, Kay City Design Manager,
Southampton City Council Brown, Richard Southampton Water Sailing
Association Brown, Roy Artist Burge, David Cantell School Burge,
Richard WebMap Ltd Butcher, Ken Southampton City Sports Council
Carpenter, Susan Solent Peoples Theatre Caulton, Jaquie Cheema,
Kiran Southamption Unifencing Club Coe, Nick AC Delco Bowmen
Archery Club Cooke, Susan Craven, Tim Curator of Art Collection,
Southampton City Council Cropp, Alan Southampton City Sports
Council Crowe, Stewart Fareham Nomads Dalton, Robert Romsey
Youth Mini Rugby Club Davis, Bridget Millais Gallery Dennett, Elaine
Oaklands School Diaper, Ron Southampton Jaguars Dilnot, Dave
Events and Tourism Manager, Southampton City Council DouglasClose, Adrian Mainfeature International Drummond, Maldwin The
Munn, Stephen Chair, Destination Southampton Trigger, Susan Head
Teacher, Bitterne Park School
City Council Members of the Cultural Strategy Steering Group
Burke, Derek Councillor Cheriton, Sue
(until November 2002) Sport, Recreation, Events and Tourism Manager
Gausden, Mike Councillor Hannides, John Councillor Keys, Stephen
Head of Corporate Management Mawson, Paul Head of Leisure,
Culture and Tourism Sandbrook, Ian Executive Director(Lifelong
Learning and Leisure Wakeford, Peter Councillor
Clerk to the Consortium/Cultural Strategy Project Manager
Baldwin, David Assistant City Librarian, Southampton City Council
34
Maritime Trust Ducker, Paul Lifelong Learning and Leisure, Southampton
City Council Ember, Richard City of Southampton Sunday Football Club
Escott, Gill Cantell School Fulford, Stewart Gage, Roy Southampton
Recorded Music Club Gillen, Jerry Bassett and Highfield Community
Action Forum Gooch, Tracie Dance Teacher Gray, Jacqueline The Point
Dance and Arts Centre Green, Phil Head of Sports, Southampton
Institute Grewal, Daljit Hyde Housing Association Griffiths, Joy
Southampton Arts Council Guilmant, Brian Southampton District
Transport Heritage Trust Guire, Nor Hampshire Somali Welfare
Association Hall, Gavin City Design Planner, Southampton City Council
Hall, Martin Mayflower Singers Hamilton, Ian Douglas Department of
Sport, Culture and IT, University of Southampton Hammond, Chris
Southampton Voluntary Service Hann, Ken Maskers Theatre Company
Hardy, Simon Harnett, Chris MITV Ltd Hill, Jan Senior Sports
Development Officer, Southampton City Council Hill, Jeremy Grounds
and Trees Team Leader, Southampton City Council Holehouse, Sean
Play Service Manager, Southampton City Council Honeyset, John
Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society Horne, John Tram 75 Group
Hosey, Kerry Iliffe, Rob Theatre in a Bag Isley, Vicky Artist Jarvis, Mike
Old Edwardians HC Nicky Jefferson Tanners Brook Junior School
Jevanjee, Anver Cultural Diversity Advisory Group to the Media Jolly,
Emma Lintott, Craig Special Events Officer, Southampton City Council
Litchfield, Philip Music and Arts Inspector and Music Director,
Southampton City Council Mackenzie, Graham Solent Steam Packet Ltd
Major, Carl Waterstones Book Shop Marks, Clive Southampton
Philharmonic Choir Marsh, John Southampton Scrapstore
Matuszewska, Julia Just For Ladies McCormick, R Photographer
McGavin, Joan Poet Merrifield, Adam Nuffield Theatre Middleton,
Peter Mion-Jones, Esta Art Gallery Exhibition and Marketing,
Southampton City Council Mitchell, Deborah Southampton
Philharmonic Society Moore, John Librarian, Southampton Institute
Morton, Pat Mullan, Sue European and International Manager,
Southampton City Council Nyland, Paul Southampton Heritage Junior
Golf Club O’Riordan, Tim Video Production Supervisor, University of
Southampton Parkes, Lesley Ordnance Survey Parnell, Margaret
Leisure Development Officer, Southampton City Council Peel, Philip
City Eye Phillips, Simon David Lloyd Leisure Phipps, Alison Out of
School Development Worker,
Southampton City Council Pickup, Teresa Cantell School Poswall,
Saeed Housing Strategy and Development,
Southampton City Council Prosser, Neil Total Coverage PrugelBennett, Doris Coma South Rackham, Caroline Mount Pleasant Media
Workshop Rawnsley, Christine Arts Development Officer, Southampton
City Council Robert, David Robins, Mr V Rose, Penelope
Southampton Tourist Guides Rowles, Jennie Southampton Scrapstore
Ryecroft, Jeremy Cantell School Sandford, Patrick Nuffield Theatre
Sharpen, Alan Cycling Time Trials Shirley, Rosemary Artist Simpkin, Jake
Southampton City Guides Smith, Angela Tram 57 Project / Ind.
Archaeology Society Smith, Joanne Senior Archivist, Southampton City
Council Smith, Kay WEA Southampton Smith, Mike Team Solent
Smith, Nigel Tram 57 Project Smith, Rebecca Author Snowden, Mrs.C
Thornhill Community Action Forum Sullivan, Diannh Conservation
Officer, Southampton City Council Taylor, Prof. Brandon University of
Southampton Taylor, D.M. Solent Area Basketball Association Ian Taylor
Tanners Brook Junior School Thomas, Gill Periwinkle productions Troke,
Diana Watson, Mrs J Rythmic South Gym Club Webb, Georgette
Librarian, Southampton City Council Welham, Kay Friends of
Southampton Museums and Galleries White, Bill Hampshire Industrial
Archaeology Society White, Kevin Conservation Manager, Southampton
City Council White, Sandy Southern and South East Arts Whitehead,
Mr R Wiczkowski, Richard Trust Arts Coordinator, Southampton
General Hospital Williams, Robert English Heritage Woods, Lewis
Southampton Geology Field Study Group Woolgar, Sue City Archives
Manager, Southampton City Council Wright, David Yarwood, Terry Tug
Tender Calshot Trust
35