Message from Chairman

The past year has been a busy and exciting one for Down Arts Forum, following the first public election of an executive committee at the last AGM in December 2003. The new committee has entered into their new responsibilities with great enthusiasm and commitment, using the year to get a feel for the work of the Forum and most importantly, to begin to map out the work that needs to be done to support the development and promotion of Arts and culture in Down District.

In September 2004 the committee engaged in a planning process that has resulted in a new action plan that will help the Forum achieve the objectives that have been endorsed in the constitution that was publicly adopted at the AGM in December 2003. Copies of the new action plan, which focuses the work of the Forum for the next 2 years are available on-line through the Forum?s new web-site www.downartsforum.com

I would like to thank everyone who has helped during the year, not least Down District Council?s Arts Service for the crucial set-up and secretarial support they have provided the Forum. I would especially like to thank our members for turning out to our events and for their patience during the year as we pulled together our plan of action. I would also like to thank the committee. It is incredible to look at what has been achieved, remembering that everyone involved is working on a voluntary basis and giving up their free time to support the work of Down Arts Forum. We are lucky to have such a committed and talented team of people working on our behalf. Their commitment, and the commitment of all our members is creating a bedrock of support and action that will make a real difference to future Arts and Cultural provision and to the quality of life and experience for people living, working and visiting the Down District area.

I hope you take much heart from the following summary of achievements, and if you haven?t already, make haste, and become a member of Down Arts Forum!

Best Wishes

Mairead Doris Chairman, Down Arts Forum

ACHIEVEMENTS JANUARY 2004-2005

1. Election of new Committee

At the Forum?s first AGM on 3 December 2003, a new management committee was elected to take forward the work of Down Arts Forum. The committee spent the early part of 2004 getting to grips with the objectives of the Forum and thinking through the best possible way of achieving these. After the summer break, the Forum undertook a planning day to pull together an action plan that embodied the core aims and objectives of the Forum, and linked into other strategic priorities that impacted on the district. Fuller details of this planning day are contained in section 7 of this report.

In accordance with the constitution, 50% of the committee has stepped down for the election on 10 February 2005. Of the seven committee members standing down this year, three are standing for re-election. We would like to extend our best wishes and thanks to the four outgoing committee members who have resigned this year Brenda Kent, (former vice-chair), Isabel Kelly, Michael Dunn and Paul Symington.

2. Supporting the Campaign for more Public Art.

With the announcement of the new hospital to be built in Downpatrick towards the beginning of the new year, the committee recognised an opportunity for a ?per cent for Arts scheme? similar to Arts schemes undertaken by other hospital trusts, including the Causeway Hospital Trust, the Royal Victoria Hospital and Antrim Area Hospital, and others. A number of the committee investigated these schemes and submitted a letter, with the results of this research to Artscare at Downe Hospital, offering the Arts Forum?s support should they be lobbying for any such initiatives at the local hospital. The chairperson, Maria McManus advised the Forum that negotiations had already begun, and she forwarded the Forum?s letter to the Chief Executive of Down Lisburn Trust, their Chairman and the Director of Planning respectively. Maria later made a presentation to the Forum committee on the work of Artscare and the Forum is establishing a good relationship with the organization. The hospital have subsequently initiated an Arts scheme for the new hospital and Down Arts Forum is represented on the new Arts sub-committee set up to manage the scheme.

3. Supporting the Campaign for Young Bands

At its first AGM in December 2003, the Forum was lobbied by some young people to support a growing local need for good rehearsal space for bands. During the year the Forum was contacted through Down Arts Centre on several occasions by young people eager to seek the Forum?s help with this problem. The Forum has now made this lobby part of their new action plan and used the AGM in February 2005 as a starting point to embark on a more formal campaign to address this need on behalf of local young people.

4. Supporting the Local Strategy Partnership and ?Down 2010?

The Down Arts Forum has become an action team to lead and advise on the Arts and Cultural elements of Down District?s local area strategy plan. Down Arts Forum is one of 6 teams that include Health, Community Safety, Learning, Business Employment Tourism and Environment and Regeneration. The Forum is working with the Local Strategy Partnership to ensure that the aspirations and needs of local people in relation to Arts and culture are addressed and implemented. During the year the Forum reported back to the LSP and attended a review of the local action teams.

5. New Branding and Logo for Down Arts Forum

The committee took a decision early in the year to create a new branding for the Forum and with assistance from Down District Council Arts Service, secured the services of a design company. A new branding has now been created and has been applied to a suite of stationery including headed paper, compliment slips and business cards.

6. New Leaflet and Website

The Forum applied the new logo to the design of a new web-site and leaflet. The leaflet will be distributed throughout the district and used to raise awareness of the Forum and recruit new members. The web-site will facilitate the sharing of information on Arts and Cultural activities and accommodate the ?art of down on-line Cultural register that the Forum is managing and developing as part of their strategy to improve networking and communication for Arts and Cultural organizations.

7. New Action Plan for 2005-2006

Members took time out in September 2005 to have a planning day for the Forum. Referring to the original objectives from the Forum?s constitution, and researching the strategies that impact on the areas Arts and Cultural provision, as well as any gaps in current provision, the committee worked with a consultant to create a new action plan that will help focus the work of the committee over the next few years. The action plan has built in reviews and consultations over the next 2 years to ensure that the work of the Forum is driven by the needs and aspiration of its members.

8. Events for Members

a. Dundrum Event August 2004

As part of an initiative to showcase the Arts and Cultural resources in the area, and support local artists and Cultural providers, the Forum organized a members event in Dundrum that was also open to the public, in an attempt to recruit new members for the Forum. The half day event was well supported with around 30-35 people turning out including a few tourists. The group visited artist studios in the area and were treated to a storytelling session at the end by one of the Forum committee members! We got some new recruits on the day and succeeded in opening people?s eyes to the diverse Cultural talents and experiences that exist on people?s own doorsteps!

b. Michael McLaverty Centenary Event

Members of Down Arts Forum received a special invitation to the Michael McLaverty Centenary Event at Down Arts Centre where Seamus Heaney was the guest speaker. A number of Forum members also helped with the delivery of the event through providing front-of-house support to the staff at Down Arts Centre.

9. Advisory Support for Down District Council Arts Service

Throughout the year the Arts Forum committee provided advisory and volunteer support to Down Arts Centre. In particular the Arts centre was able to draw on the specialist knowledge of some of the members, and this assistance had a positive impact on some of the service?s educational work through enabling them to improve their contact with local schools in particular areas. The Forum is also acting a an audience development tool for the Arts Service, a conduit through which Down Arts Centre can reach into new communities and constituencies. As the membership grows the Forum will have the potential to provide support for a range of bodies covering the public, voluntary, community and amateur sectors.

DOWN ARTS FORUM COMMITTEE 2004 - 2005

Chair:
Mairead Doris

Vice Chair:
Brenda Kent

Secretary:
Kevin Quinn

Public Relations:
Janine Walker

Committee Members:

Mary Catherine Bennett
Phillip Campbell
Michael Dunn
Jan Irwin
Isabel Kelly
Marion Meek
Eugene Straney
Paul Symington
Hilary Wells