NEW MODELS OF GOVERNANCE

This is about supporting culture organisations and venues in their quest to become more sustainable and resilient.

With public funding increasingly uncertain, Torbay’s culture and heritage organisations have developed new approaches to governance or operation. We supported organisations in this work through the Great Place Scheme (2017-20).

Most recently, we have helped the culture and heritage sector impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, through Create To Recover (2020) and Culture Recovery Fund activity (2020/21). See those links for more details about our support for the sector’s resilience.

We delivered tailored support and development to Torbay organisations that moved into new models of governance or operation. This included community-led projects, community asset transfers, and models which attracted new sources of funding. The learning from these approaches is being shared through the resources so other organisations can benefit as well.

A number of organisations participated in this work, and we assisted the following with strategic and organisational development support:

• Paignton Picture House Trust - support for business planning and feasibility investigations into conservation work; and ensuring the historic cinema was part of the proposals for the successful Future High Streets Fund application to government

• Palace Theatre Paignton - support towards establishing Jazz Hands, a Community Interest Company (CIC) that took on the management of the historic theatre from Torbay Council

• Doorstep Arts - support during its transition into an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, the first NPO in Torbay

• Artizan Gallery - we supported the gallery so it could trial the use of an empty shop as a new exhibition space Artizan Collective on Torquay’s Fleet Walk

• Filament Works - support to test and develop a new local creative production house CIC supporting grassroots creativity and community projects

• Oldway Trust - we funded the Torbay Community Development Trust to support the charitable incorporated organisation as it developed its new governance model

• Torbay Culture and Arts Network (TCAN) - funding to clarify and develop options for the future of this network of local socially engaged practitioners

Through this work, we deliver the following impact:

• Torbay’s culture and heritage organisations are more sustainable

• Torbay’s culture and heritage sector is more resilient as a result

• Torbay residents and visitors benefit from a flourishing infrastructure

Expert consultants were engaged to meet the specific needs of each organisation. Sholeh Johnson was commissioned to support Torbay Culture and Arts Network during 2018. Other independent specialist advice was commissioned as required by the organisations.

The New Models of Governance project was part of Torbay’s Great Place Scheme, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England