Meeting with ACE: 6th May 2008
June 2, 2008
On Tuesday, 6th 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:
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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.
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Social inclusion and a wider participation agenda
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Lottery funding
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Youth and training bands
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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.
