Issue - meetings

This report provides an update on Make it York’s events programme.  It sets out a direction of travel for future development of that programme and identifies areas where the Council can assist Make it York.

Resolved: (i) That Make it York’s progress with its events strategy be noted.

                (ii) That comments from the Executive Member with regard to how the Council can support the community dimensions of Make it York’s programme be noted.

               (iii) That one off funding support of £75,000, to support the development of the community dimensions of the International Digital Festival, be agreed subject to the Arts Council bid being successful.  

Reason: To ensure that a future direction of travel is in place for Make it York’s events programme.

The Executive Member gave consideration to a report which provided him with an update on Make it York’s event programme. The report set out a direction of travel for future development of the programme and identified areas where the Council could assist Make it York (MIY).

The Assistant Director for Communities and Culture presented the report and informed the Executive Member that the main focus of the strategy was an international Digital Media Arts festival. He provided an update on the £75k Science City York funding. As part of the transfer of Science City York (SCY) to Make it York in April 2014 a fund of £168k was transferred with specific criteria to support start up and developing businesses in high growth sectors in the City of York. If the Arts Council bid is successful, Make it York are proposing that £75k of this budget is earmarked to create a grant fund for supporting growth businesses, within the Science City York remit, who undertake developmental activity that would grow business at the same time as developing the digital media festival.  This is supported by the Science City York advisory board that advise Make It York and will, in due course, be reported to the MIY board.

The Master of the York Guild of Media Arts, who is also a director of Make It York and was in attendance at the meeting on behalf of MIY, informed the Executive Member that the idea of a Digital Media Arts festival fitted naturally with York’s heritage as a city of festival and, in particular, built on the success of Illuminate. He pointed out that other  places  have begun to follow the lead set with Illuminate, for example Durham’s Lumiere, and it was important that York continues to develop its offer. In addition, it would give York a profile in the contemporary digital arts to complement the heritage profile that it already has.

The Executive Member welcomed the initiative. However he felt there needed to be clarification about what digital media arts are as there still remained a lack of engagement with this area amongst the public. He felt that discussions could take place with the Make it York Board on this and noted that the community programme to be delivered through the Council’s one-off funding would help to increase people’s engagement.

Resolved: (i) That Make it York’s progress with its events strategy be noted.

                (ii) That comments from the Executive Member with regard to how the Council can support the community dimensions of Make it York’s programme be noted.

               (iii) That one off funding support of £75,000, to support the development of the community dimensions of the International Digital Festival, be agreed subject to the Arts Council bid being successful.  

Reason: To ensure that a future direction of travel is in place for Make it York’s events programme.