Supporting libraries to programme arts experiences

Posted bychelseyeverattPosted inArts Development, Libraries, Local Authority, Policy, Professional Development, Public Funding

An edited version of a paper written in relation to the Arts Entrepreneurship unit for MA Arts and Cultural Enterprise. Through my own experience with North Lincolnshire Libraries, interviews and secondary research, I developed a proposal for a gap in the market.

For public libraries, the core universal offer states: “people enjoy a quality and diverse cultural experience in libraries” and the stretch offer related to this “people see libraries as local creative hubs where exploration, experimentation, pursuing of cultural interests and creative making are encouraged.” The goal is that “more people have access to quality and diverse cultural experiences and events through libraries, especially those less likely to access arts and culture” (Libraries Connected, 2018).

Through extensive secondary research, it is clear there is ambition for cultural programming in libraries, with funding and potential partnerships available to enable this. With over 3000 public libraries in England and more than 225 million visits per year (SCL, 2017, p.6), libraries are the most well-connected cultural spaces, providing a gateway to the wider arts and cultural offer. However, existing research shows there are some clear challenges faced by library professionals in delivering the cultural offer: capacity, funding, staffing and resources; developing an audience; physical environment of libraries/continuing to provide suitable space; staff skillset and confidence; and marketing and publicity capacity (SCL, 2017, p.28).

This project explores how libraries can be better supported and equipped to offer arts and culture, with a contributing solution proposed that works directly with library professionals to combat the issues they face to programming arts.

Through field research, nine individuals were interviewed from six library services. All those who were interviewed agreed that arts and culture were an integral part of their programme, emphasising the importance of the offer alongside literature: “Libraries have always been about arts and culture as well as information and knowledge. Literature has of course been at the core of what libraries are about since the beginning, but forward-thinking library services have also embraced other art forms.”

In line with the secondary research, the primary research also showed that libraries have a wider reach than many arts organisations, “libraries act as an important bridge or gateway to accessing arts and culture for people who may not feel comfortable in traditional arts venues”, emphasised by another librarians thoughts “in an area of low arts engagement, libraries provide access to cultural activities that enrich the lives of our customers in a safe neutral space” and perhaps diversity is the reason for this reach, “Libraries are about celebrating the culture of the local community, the diverse culture of nation and the world”.

However, the closure of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and merge with Arts Council England has led to many library services feeling their strategy is confused, with a lack of library expertise at a national level and arts expertise at a local level, generating a juxtaposed alignment of colleagues with a lack of shared vocabulary.

From the interviews, the challenges faced by library services and the needs of library professionals were mapped and can be seen in figure 1:

Library Challenges

From the challenges facing libraries in exploring arts and cultural projects, there is a clear problem: library professionals need a way to develop expert knowledge of programming arts and cultural experiences in a way that makes libraries relevant to communities and in line with national strategies.

Within this market of supporting libraries, the national body of Libraries Connected leads the strategy for public libraries. At an operational level, the main contributors to arts and culture is libraries are: Fun Palaces, an annual weekend promoting culture at the heart of community, with many library spaces opening their doors to activities that combine arts and science (Fun Palaces, 2018); and Get in Loud in Libraries programming live music events in libraries throughout the UK (Get in Loud in Libraries, 2018). On a more regional level, the South Western Regional Library Services support the cultural and community engagement role of libraries as part of their work (SWRLS, 2018) and The Spark in Leicester commissions children’s theatre which tours East Midlands libraries (The Spark, 2018).

Another relevant organisation with some aligning agenda is the National Rural Touring Forum, supporting a national network of touring schemes that work collaboratively with communities to programme theatre, dance and music in community spaces (NRTF, 2018).

The gap within the market shows a need for a service that aims to support libraries to programme arts experiences. This would be achieved by collaborating with arts organisations and theatre companies, including Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations, gaining external support from funders and national partners (e.g. Arts Council England, Libraries Connected), to commission artists to create work for library spaces. There is a need to also provide expert knowledge on audience engagement, recruiting volunteers and local partners, and advocating for culture within the library agenda. In essence, the formation of creative producers, working with artists to generate specialist work for library spaces.

 

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Published by chelseyeveratt

Chelsey Everatt works in Arts and Cultural Development, until recently in North Lincolnshire and now in Nottingham. She is passionate about working with people and inspiring places, through arts and culture, and thrives on building partnerships and creating sustainable projects that increase engagement and participation. With a degree in Architecture, Chelsey’s varied background has included: working on the first Lincoln Frequency Festival of Digital Culture; the Paul Hamlyn funded Young People’s Programme with Lincolnshire One Venues; and leading community engagement for the Heritage Lottery funded Boultham Park Restoration Project. She is passionate about developing audiences, working with young people, and improving the quality of engagement for people with disabilities, all across a range of art forms including theatre and dance. Chelsey is now studying MA Arts and Cultural Enterprise at Central Saint Martins to explore new business models, policy, markets and innovation. She is also an Artistic and Quality Assessor for Arts Council England, specialising in Combined Arts and Contemporary Dance. Until recently, she was a Board Member for LEVEL, in Derbyshire, a National Portfolio Organisation creating high quality arts projects with learning disabled people. In her spare time, Chelsey is an avid amateur ballet and tap dancer, and board game enthusiast.

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