Article
8 New Year's resolutions for 2012
The panel of our recent live chat give their New Year's resolutions and predict what might be in store for the arts and culture sector next year
The London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 will bring countless opportunities for arts anmd culture organisations. Photograph: Canadian Press / Rex Features
The London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 will bring countless opportunities for arts anmd culture organisations. Photograph: Canadian Press / Rex Features
Neil Mackinnon, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
To stay focused, as a sector, on our shared goals: We have set ourselves some very ambitious targets – ones that, to use a somewhat clunky phrase, will be game-changing by raising our international profile to an even higher level than it already is. To achieve these goals we have to maintain our focus and commitment to delivering high quality services for artists, producers, venues and of course, our audiences.
To think beyond just 2012 and to keep planning: Here at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe we have had a record-breaking year and I think we were helped by some local difficulties in 2008, which led to a major review of our structure, funding and services. The review meant that by 2010/11 we were better prepared for the harder economic times by having a well constructed business plan and an operation that was focused on delivering our priorities.
To remain focused on talent: It's also important that we continue to attract both the best creative talent and the boundary-breaking emerging talent from around the world. Our job is very much to build an attractive proposition to make artists and producers want to invest their time, talent and money in bringing their work to Edinburgh. If we have the right festival content on offer then the audience will come.
To take advantage of the Olympics: We've spent a lot of time over the past two years planning for how best to exploit the opportunities the London Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring. We have been working very closely with a range of partners including LOCOG and the Cultural Olympiad to make the most of 2012. We'll achieve this by doing more international marketing than ever before and by partnering with the Cultural Olympiad to offer some exciting world class cultural events. Here is an example of a project we've already announced.
Dany Louise, strategic arts facilitator and writer
To be more transparent and honest about arts opportunities for young creatives: So many have come to me with heartbreaking tales of being unable to find paid work, even at the minimum wage, or doing endless unpaid internships. Others talk of being burnt out in their early twenties and feeling a sense of hopelessness.
The sad truth is that there simply aren't enough jobs for the number of people who want paid positions in the arts sector. Even in the good days, sixty applicants or more for just one job was the norm. Arts professionals with high level qualifications, great experience and considerable ability often find it hard to get a decent job, or move up to the next level, because it is such an over-subscribed sector.
Andrew Davidson, senior comms officer, Creative & Cultural Skills
To continue nurturing our young creatives: A big positive for us this year has been the rise in number of creative apprenticeships – we've gone from under 600 to nearly 1,000 since January. Lots of arts organisations are seizing the opportunity to train up a young person in what can be a very cost-effective way that brings a fresh approach and new skills. Read more about it in our recent evaluation report.
Kathleen Alder, founder and managing director, WildKat PR
To be more business minded: I am still amazed that despite finances being so tight, arts and culture organisations are thinking so lightly about their spenditure. Do they really need a £15,000 micro site or a £20,000 video trailer? 2012 must be about shopping around and using students or regional talent instead of running to the big players first.
Chris Sharratt, editor, Creative Times
To keep making the case for value: Rather than talking about good and bad, the point seems to be that the ideological climate around the arts and culture in the UK has fundamentally shifted.
Although depressing, it's also unsurprising given the economic and political situation. But as Stephen Bayley said in a piece on Creative Times back in October: "Creative people just keep on trying." So a big part of what people working in the sector have to keep doing, while striving to survive, is continually make the case for the value – both economic and cultural – of the arts and creative industries.
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Christophertheoboist
19 December 2011 5:38PM
Totally agree with Kathleen. It's surprising how many arts organisations don't shop around. Perhaps they don't have the time, or have become set in their ways. Often simply reviewing a service you already pay for can result in getting more for the same money. It's easy to ignore students or more low-fi solutions to creative problems and plump for the big budget options. I don't think we should be exploiting our young creatives, but opening up small projects to them does provide them with the experience they need to get on the ladder.
Most vid footage on our website is all done in house or by a student - who uses the work as part of their coursework. Similarly, a review of the media monitoring services we have with our provider allowed us to get much more for our money.
Nowadays, you need to be able to account for where every penny is going, and feel confident when asked to account for all expenditure. Go lo-fi! Who was it who said, "We've run out of money, so now we'll have to think"?