The long-term vision for Jersey’s arts, and its role in the Island, has been unveiled by Jersey’s Government
The Arts Strategy, which sets long-term objectives for arts in Jersey, will be launched at an event for stakeholders this evening (3rd March). The event also heralds the launch of The Creative Island Partnership.
The Creative Island Partnership has been established to provide a space for knowledge exchange, ideas generation and direct engagement with Government. It is a network which includes leaders from arts and cultural organisations, anyone directly engaged and involved with the arts, and lead partners in sport, education, business, health, tourism and environment.
The Assistant Minister with responsibility for arts, Deputy Kirsten Morel, said: “Government has committed to devoting 1% of spending to arts, heritage and culture every year from 2022. The importance of that investment cannot be underestimated, it enables arts and culture organisations to move from a short-term strategy, to long-term sustainable partnership.
“The strategy provides a blueprint which will not only help the arts to flourish for arts sake, but also as part of the wider community. The arts could boost mental health and wellbeing, an improved tourism offering, improve public realm, create rewarding careers, and help in education.”
The strategy aims to support the Island in four key areas which will be used to assess initiatives being considered for Government support:
- arts, education and personal development
- arts, health and sustainable wellbeing
- arts, environment and place-making
- arts, economic prosperity and inclusive growth
The document confirms that the current regularly funded arts organisations (ArtHouse Jersey, Jersey Arts Centre and Jersey Opera House) will continue to be part of a regularly funded portfolio which receives ‘in principle’ revenue funding over a three-year period.
The Art in the Frame charity (operating as the Harbour Gallery) is described as a ‘micro gallery’, despite it displaying art from over 100 local artists, plus the workshops is holds for the community, including handicapped people.
The strategy document details a new government team to ‘champion and advocate the arts’, with 2 to 3 staff.
Deputy Morel said: “While drafting the Arts Strategy, we engaged with many stakeholders to understand what was actually needed, and part of the conclusion was that a network to encourage cross-sector collaboration and to act as a forum for engagement with Government was an important element.
“The Arts Strategy is the framework within which all projects and initiatives sit and will be measured, but the implementation will be led by community needs, and the Creative Island Partnership will be the means by which we achieve that, and I would hope that Islanders get involved. The partnership is the first of a number of initiatives which will be announced as we begin to implement the strategy.”
