Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Smalley, Councillor Pryor, Councillor Ferriby, Halima Khan, Leigh-Anne Stradeski, Caroline Cooper Charles, Philippa Childs, and Wieke Eringa.

In relation to item 8, Sam Nichols declared that he worked for an organisation that provided support to the music sector.

There were no items on the agenda that required the exemption of the press and public.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 July be approved.

The mayor thanked the Piece Hall for hosting the committee and provided an update on the cultural sectors since the last meeting:

·       The 30^th anniversary of Eureka! And the 15^th anniversary of the partnership between the University of Leeds and Opera North working on the DARE partnership.

·       That Sam Nicholls had been nominated for a Local Hero award by BBC Music Introducing at the AIM awards.

·       The appointment of an Executive Director and a Creative Director at Bradford 2025.

·       That the National Literacy Trust had been appointed to deliver the West Yorkshire Poet Laureate project.

·       That the Combined Authority was unsuccessful in its application to the DCMS Create Growth Programme.

Members considered a report that provided the latest economic data for the sector.

The committee discussed the cost of living crisis and its impact on the sector, which threatened participation as consumers had less disposable income. Increased energy prices were identified as an area of concern across the sector. Members discussed the impact on the creative offer provided by schools which were vulnerable to being cut to save resources to cover increased energy prices.

Members noted the response to a query raised at the July meeting of the committee regarding the ending of kickstarter funding and the undertaking of an online survey of West Yorkshire businesses.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

Members received a presentation from Calderdale Council on their plans for a year of culture.

Members thanked Bobsie Robson for her presentation and particularly liked the emphasis on a larger creative life to inspire happier and healthier lives. Members discussed the need for social prescribing and to link culture and sport activities to promoted by front line workers to embolden the link between culture/sport and mental physical wellbeing.

The Committee praised the approach to creative citizens and the data driven to the communities in Calderdale to the cultural offer. 

Members noted that Calderdale’s sport offer was part of a different strategy but would be aligned closely with the year of culture.

Resolved: That the presentation be noted.

Resolved: That the Committee notes the update on the Cultural, Heritage and Sport Framework, advises of any final amendments, and approves the Framework for publication.

Members considered a report which set out the development of the Culture, Heritage, and Sport Framework since the last meeting.

Members were supportive of the framework and emphasised the importance of aligning with the Local Authority cultural offer to strengthen and not duplicate interventions.

The Committee discussed that the framework would enable the Combined Authority to take a strategic longer term approach to culture policy in the region, for example in skills and talent pipeline in the region. Members also discussed the possibility for the Combined Authority to take a pilot ideas and test interventions that Local Authorities would be unable to do.

Members had a discussion around a suggested approach to the music industry and the best way to target support within the cultural framework. It was suggested that a working group could be established to build assets and map against the framework to enable a more targeted approach to the sector.

The Culture, Heritage, and Sports Framework would be taken to a future meeting of the Combined Authority for approval and a programme for delivery would be development and brought to the next meeting of the Committee.

Resolved: That the Committee notes the update on the Cultural, Heritage and Sport Framework, advises of any final amendments, and approves the Framework for publication.

The Committee received a presentation from Wakefield Council on their plan for the year of culture in 2024.

Members thanked Julie Russell from Wakefield Council for the presentation.

Resolved: That the presentation be noted.

Members considered a report that provided an update on schemes in delivery and development as part of the Creative Catalyst programme.

The Committee noted that Accelerator and Export Labs delivered by Indielab are both in delivery and performing well and that the Mentoring scheme and funding to help community events, Creative Collectives, were both being finalised

The Creative Industries Showcase document was attached at appendix 1 to the submitted report and contained over 30 case studies to highlight investment and partnership opportunities in the region. The launch was planned for late November and further information would be provided to the committee.

Resolved: That the update on the Creative Catalyst programme be noted.

The date of the next meeting is 26 January 2023.

The date of the next meeting is the 26 January 2023