2012 Cultural Olympiad: The Inspire Mark

On Wednesday, 28^th May 2008 I went to a briefing in Leeds about the new 2012 Inspire Mark. The meeting was hosted by Arts & Business Yorkshire and presentations were made by Francesca Canty, Kian Garin de Loach, both of LOCOG, and Tessa Gordziejko, the 2012 Regional Programmer for Yorkshire.

 

The briefing explained that an ‘Inspire mark’ had been produced as a part of the London 2012 brand family. It was emphasised that this branding is only for non-commercial projects. The mark will endorse the fact that a project has been ‘inspired by London 2012’ and that it reflects the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements. This is a first time a brand mark of this nature has been approved for any Olympic or Paralympic Games.

 

The LOCOG team said “The inspire mark will be awarded to exceptional non-commercial projects across culture, sport, education, environment, volunteering and business regardless of scale. Successful projects will be granted the right to use the mark on various project materials, such as posters, brochures and websites and will also be included in the Cultural Olympiad’s national publicity”. It was stressed that the mark will not be approved to appear near to commercial trade-names or logos. I asked how bands that are sponsored by commercial organisations and have the name of that organisation in their title were going to get approval for their projects. The LOCOG team were unsure of how this would affect such events and said that each project would be assessed individually.

Meeting with ACE: 6th May 2008

On Tuesday, 6^th May 2008, I attended a meeting with Mr Alan Davey, ACE Chief Executive, Mr Jeff Ennis MP, Bryan Catcheside, Musical Director of Ascot Brass and other representatives of the Brass Band sector and ACE. This was a worthwhile meeting where the following points were discussed:

• Grant applications and the nature of the complicated form. Mr Davey told the meeting that only 16 applications had been received from the brass band sector in 2007 (including BFBB’s for the 2007 European Championships) whereas there had been over 100 from small jazz groups and organisations.
• Social inclusion and a wider participation agenda
• Lottery funding
• Youth and training bands
• The ‘take it up’ scheme

 

There was a sense that the points we raised were received by ACE with sincerity and consideration. Mr Catcheside noted that ‘It is clear that there has been a legacy of suspicion regarding the funding of brass bands stemming from an impression that lottery money made available to bands in the past was squandered rather than used wisely’.  The ACE representatives recommended a central organisation, namely the BFBB, should provide a conduit for advice regarding applications for funding. BFBB is seeking further meetings with ACE to expand this proposal into a useful tool for bands.

Moreover, BFBB will need to work closely with ACE to provide a channel for applications and introducing a form of self-regulation within the brass band sector to provide evidence of wise use of allocated funds.  As with all financial initiatives, a demonstration of secure procedures is more likely to attract funding.

 

National Government & Brass Bands

(1) Arnold Tattersfield and I held a meeting with Mr J Ennis, MP for Barnsley East and Mexborough, on Friday, 7^th March 2008 at the National Office. Matters discussed included:

• The role of BFBB 
• Mr Ennis’ recent delegation meeting with the Minister for State for Culture Media & Sport 
• Funding issues for brass bands 
• The direction of further funding campaigning
• A forthcoming meeting arranged with the Director of Yorkshire Forward 
• The Voluntary Arts Network (VAN) 
• 2012 Cultural Olympiad

 

Following the successful meeting Mr Ennis asked a question in the House of Commons on Monday, 10^th March 2008, which was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 4:

 

          Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough) (Lab):

Does the Secretary of State agree that the British Federation of Brass Bands, which is based in Barnsley … will play a vital role in making a success of the Cultural Olympiad?

 

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Andy Burnham): It absolutely will … On brass bands, I am absolutely confident that the rich heritage that my hon. Friend describes – celebrated in the film “Brassed Off” – will play a very important part in our Olympic celebrations.

 

(2) I was then invited to join Mr Ennis’ delegation to meet The Director of Yorkshire Forward. The meeting was held in their offices in Leeds on Monday, 17^th March 2008. Issues discussed were:

 

• Justification for supporting bands
• Business Models for bands
• 2012 Cultural Olympiad
• Youth bands/KS2 (Barnsley’s £250,000 programme and the infrastructure required to deliver in the future)
• University selection/Fairness in higher education/Widening participation agenda
• Loss of sponsorship for Championship bands

 

Once again this was a meeting with some success. Yorkshire Forward will fund/advise (probably BFBB) on a programme of Business advice and planning for brass bands. Also funding for some events connected to 2012 Culture Olympiad (through Yorkshire Culture). In a surprise move Yorkshire Forward said they would fund Grimethorp Band to the Europeans this year at £20,000 and for a further two years if it is a Yorkshire band that represents England.

 

 

2012 Cultural Olympiad/Creative Programmer for London 2012 (Yorkshire)

On Friday, 14^th March I had a meeting with Tessa Gordziejko, the Creative Programmer for London 2012 (Yorkshire), at Yorkshire Culture offices in Leeds. Among the items discussed were:

 

• National Signature Projects (2^nd Tier) involving the central aims of Youth, Innovation & Diversity and 2012 Sounds/Youth Music
• Themes for Yorkshire, and other regions, at 3^rd Tier level; which are (i) the moving body & (ii) public space animation
• The launch of the Cultural Olympiad on 24^th August 2008. In Yorkshire Events will be centered in Bradford, Hull, Leeds (jazz music theme) & Rotherham

 

Barnsley Council and Brass Bands

On Wednesday, 12th March 2008 I had a meeting with Mr G Noble, Chief Officer for Culture Media and Sports at Barnsley Council at the council offices. Also present was Ms Helen Ball, Arts & Culture Strategy Manager for Barnsley Council. Items discussed included:

 

• The role of BFBB
• National matters for brass bands
• Local bands and their activities
• Local government funding issues for the Arts & Culture in general and for brass bands in particular
• Cultural action in schools and education and how brass bands may be involved
• The new initiative to ensure that children receive five hours of cultural education each week
• The idea of a Youth Development Plan for brass bands possibly linked to National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)
• An inclusion of brass bands/brass music education/brass band events in the Arts & Cultural Strategy of Barnsley Council (Currently under review and being re-written)

 

I was pleased to received an undertaking from Ms Ball that BFBB will be asked to all relevant meetings/events held by Barnsley Council regarding Culture, Heritage and Music in the future.