- The equitable distribution of benefit and accessibility to cultural facilities, events and opportunities for Londoners.
3. London and a Separate Cultural Dimension for GLA
Culture is a new GLA will mean something far more that the Arts. Culture in its widest sense, as defined by the Council of Europe, encompasses all those aspects of human life outside the purely economic which help us define ourselves as individuals. This might range from a keen interest in the music of Purcell to a passion for Barnet F.C. Our definition of Culture is inclusive, not elitist. High culture and low culture are not in competition. Neither are they mutually exclusive. One thing is clear. Only the new GLA. can draw together the diverse strands of all the elements of a cultural plan and competency for London.
A key aim of the new GLA will also be the promotion of London as a world class city. Culture, defined in its widest sense, is the most effective method of achieving this.
It can work! Attracting events such as the Olympics and building them into cultural programmes attractive to local people will entail a specific separate function within the GLA. Consider the case of Barcelona.
3.1 The Barcelona Model
Barcelona attracted the attention of the world when it hosted the 1992 Olympic Games using them as an engine of cultural and economic regeneration. But this success did not come by accident. It was not the work of the invisible hand of pure market forces. It was planned for. Barcelona Council began to develop its strategy and invest resources in its bid to host the 1992 Olympic Games as early as 1980. Civic government accountable to, and supported by the local population took the lead. Business followed, and was welcomed as part of a public-private sector partnership. It is important to stress that the Olympic Project was not the owned by one political party. Barcelona City Council has been controlled by the Socialists and the Regional Government by the Catalan Regional Conservatives since 1980. Both worked together to ensure in a strategic alliance to use the Olympics as a catalyst for civic renewal..
Young talent was brought in early in the process to give the ancient city a fresh image. Many of the city's new sporting facilities and public spaces were designed by architects straight out of Barcelona University. In a move that shocked traditionalists but paid huge dividends in the form of merchandising royalties and world acclaim, the young underground cartoonist Javier Mariscall was given the task of designing much of the corporate identity of the Barcelona Olympiad.
Sixteen years after Barcelona Council began its mission the city has been transformed. Where once there were deserted wharves and derelict warehouses there are now public beaches and a mix of social and private housing. In contrast to the experience of some projects under the banner of Civic Boosterism in the United States where public space has been privatised, Barcelona made sure to design new parks and plazas into a town plan which was driven by Leisure and Culture. Barcelona council also set about the task of making theirs a "People's City". It was a process which renewed the centre but also reached out to the furthest suburbs of a metropolis of over four million people.
3.2 Greater London Culture post 2000
Parts of London at least, are undergoing a boom. An article in Fortune recently commented that London is now the most popular city in the world. The front page of Newsweek recently heralded the advent of Cool Britannia and compared the London of the late 1990's with the Swinging Sixties. Opponents of the establishment of a cultural core competency within the GLA might point to these articles and argue for the status quo.
" If it's not broken, why fix it?" is the frequently repeated response. Such a reaction is understandable but mistaken. International recognition and third part endorsement is to be welcomed, but complacency is not. The banner headlines and the parallels with the 1960s should act as spur to action rather than a justification for inaction for two reasons:
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Firstly, we should ask ourselves why the energy of the Swinging London, which most civic historians agree spanned the four year period 1965-1969, was so quickly dissipated in the 1970s. Why did London loose its pre-eminence in design and fashion to Milan and Paris? If the cultural boom of the 1990s is to be more than a flash in the pan, the kind of complacency which is already taking root must be confronted.
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Second, we must ask ourselves the question, "What do the friendly pundits mean by the term London?" Unfortunately, on questioning most enthusiastic foreign journalists you will discover that the parameters of their telegenic London are set at Tower Bridge in the east, Notting Hill in the west and Camden Town in the north. South London? Beyond the occasional trip to the Oxo Tower and the Ministry of Sound in Vauxhall, South London simply does not feature in their cultural atlas.
London will have to face up to the challenge of making sure that cultural renewal is sustained and its benefits spread throughout all of Greater London. The momentum that has built up over the last few years, often by public/private partnership will only be sustained post 2000 by understanding the creative engine of London and its value to the whole community.
The interim years have seen the establishment of a number of private sector led initiatives that the new GLA will have to establish a relationship with. A successful private sector will mean a successful London as regards cultural development but much needs to be done to fully understand the synergy between the public and private sectors. The cultural competency for London will have to
3.3 Six Questions for the Cultural Department of the GLA
The Cultural Department of the GLA will have to address itself to the following six questions.
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How do we constantly upgrade facilities and activities as well as improve our human resources so that London does not again lose its competitive cultural edge in same way as some other UK cities have lost their competitive edge in manufacturing?
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How can the benefits of cultural policy be spread across the 33 local authorities represented by a new GLA and not simply concentrated at the centre?
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How do we promote excellence? That is to say, how do we nurture the next Darcy Bussel and Ian Wright?
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How can we retain talent? In 1993 90% of the graduates of the Royal College of Arts' Design Degree course had to go abroad to find work. Why? In 1996 Alexander McQueen followed John Galliano to Paris. Why?
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How do we promote accessibility? The cultural remit of the GLA must include a commitment to ensure that Londoner's are not excluded by high ticket prices, low wages and venues that exclude people with mobility problems.
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How do we promote participation at all levels? Every dancer cannot perform at Saddler's Wells nor every football player play at Highbury. We must celebrate excellence but "Culture for All " will be our motto. Culture is not just about a few individuals.
3.3 A Distinct Cultural Remit for GLA
Culture will clearly be an essential component in many of the other activities that the GLA aspires to perform. Cultural components will play a role in Education, Urban Regeneration, the Economy, Sustainable Development and Tourism. However, Culture in its widest sense is far more than an adjunct to the other strategic competencies.
On a material level Culture is of course critical to the promotion of the economic life of the Capital, but it is also central to the strategic vision of the city and essential to the generation and maintenance of a sense of civic identity. It is a key to unlocking resources from the Lottery and the European Union It is also integral to the quality of life of individual Londoners. Culture is what makes us who we are.
If the cultural remit is to be properly addressed, the best way is to identify this clearly in the central aims of the new organisation. Much strategic thinking in a regional dimension already exists. However, it is fragmented and lacks focus. Two of the key organisations shaping the life of the capital operate behind closed doors at a sub-democratic level unaccountable to the people of London. A great deal of power is exercised by organisations presided over by central government through the Department of National Heritage and the Government Office for London.
Quangos such as the Arts Board, Sports Council , English Heritage, London Tourist Board and the five Lottery distributing bodies also play a key role. Additionally, bodies such as the ALG, London Sport, London International Sport, London Borough Grants Scheme, London Film and Video Development Agency and the London Film Commission are major players in the cultural life of London. Complexity and duplication as well as the democratic deficit are clearly a problem.
The cultural remit of the GLA would, however allow us to move beyond the current framework. Giving more authority to the ALG could arguably provide greater accountability, but would not provide the focus or necessarily the legitimacy at home and abroad that direct elections would provide. For example, until there is a directly elected GLA with a cultural focus London will not be able to apply to become a European Capital of Culture or join the global Educating Cities Movement. Applications must be made from the directly elected authority.
The GLA would be able to be completely strategic able to concentrate entirely on the interests of London as a whole, and able to co-ordinate and assemble the other agencies into a coherent and effective coalition for London. Only a genuine democratically elected body with a clear strategic cultural remit would automatically lead this coalition and have the authority to ensure it was successful.
That is not to imply that the GLA should, or would want to claim ownership of all London's cultural life. That would be arrogant. But because we cannot do everything does not mean that we should do nothing.
3.4 Private Sector Partnerships
During the 1980s the GLC played a key role in establishing partnerships with the private sector. Enabling rather than centrally directing, a new GLA would follow that cost effective example by helping to raise seed capital and establish joint ventures with the private sector. In effect pump priming creative development
All too often potentially successful cultural enterprises go to the wall in their first two years for the lack of knowledge of how to run a small business, file accounts and how to manage a cash flow. Preventative measures to ensure financial health in the difficult early years of the enterprise, rather than intervention during a terminal illness is the best way of preventing thousands of cultural entrepreneurs joining the dole queue. Working with the educational institutions will be key to this.
Of course no one has a pot of money hidden under their desk. Finances will be very tight at the outset (as they were when Barcelona elected its first post dictatorship town council in 1980) but a new GLA could start immediately by working with the private sector to co-ordinate assistance in kind. Exhibition and rehearsal space, training in accounting and arts administration are just some areas where the public and private sector could work hand in hand.
It must also be stressed that a cities with a rich cultural life gain an economic benefit over and above those jobs which directly depend on the cultural industries. Survey after survey of chief executives and personnel directors shows that "quality of life" issues effect their choice of location when deciding to expand or re-locate. "What leisure opportunities will my senior staff have in a new city?" becomes a critical question. Staff do not want to move to an urban desert with no theatres, closed swimming pools and run down public parks. Personnel directors do not want to lose a key manager to a competitor offering a better quality of life as part of the employment package .
When looking at ways of brokering public - private sector deals London will not have to look far for a modern example of how local government can work constructively with the private sector and invest in the future. In 1996 Nottingham County Council part-sponsored the Virtuosi Project, an electronic fitting room where shoppers will have their measurements taken electronically and displayed on computer screens with adjustments being made with the aid of a mouse. The details will then be fed direct to robot operated laser cutting machines to produce tailored individual garments. Part of the software was created by Nottingham University, Plessey developed the switching technology and BT the communications network. World famous designer Paul Smith was helped to extend his design office by a £50,000 grant from Nottingham Council.
3.5 Agenda 21 - Signs of a Healthy London
Increasingly urban communities are recognising the importance of the wider issues of sustainability. Cultural indices are key to the health of our democracy and there are key cultural indicators that measure the success of our urban society.
4. Functions
Below are set out some of the functions of a GLA Culture Department.
4.1 Strategic Vision
Creating a strategic vision backed up by research and development will be a critical function of the new GLA. It would include:
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London wide assessment of needs for leisure amenities and future population trends.
- Setting a global context - examining and learning from other World and European cities
- Producing and consulting on a flexible London wide cultural plan and/or plans on key areas - sports, arts, cultural industries, heritage.
- Approaches that require a pan-London response.
- Framework for how best to deal with lottery and millennium issues
- Examining and responding to the changing city
In addition there should be a London wide research, information and policy development role.
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Integrate cultural plans with another areas - Regeneration, Planning etc.
- Working with cultural sector artists and managers to generate research and development programmes to maximise the value of the contribution made
- Examine best practice.
- Lobby for a fairer share of resources for London
- Carry out London-wide surveys and research.
At present some of these functions are carried out - such as some policy development and research, but in a very disparate and disjointed fashion. Agencies situated a few miles from each other are doing identical research, blissfully unaware of each others work. By pulling together some of the functions of the Quangos, central government and local government duplication would be avoided and functions not currently addressed properly, such as cultural planning, could be covered.
The GLA would not have a role in direct provision of arts or leisure services - therefore there would be no clash with boroughs where these responsibilities should properly reside.
4.2 Strategic Promotion, Action and Co-ordination
The Cultural Plan for London will need to be implemented within the context of a complicated environment in which agencies' responsibilities often overlap. A key issue to address would be how the GLA would relate to existing organisations to deliver the agreed priorities.
This might take place in the following way.
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Existing bodies would be 'democratised' through the appointment of elected councillors to boards, initially through the ALG and later through the GLA . This would be more straightforward for the current more 'partnership bodies' - LTB, LFC, LFVDA but the large and more powerful bodies - Arts Council, Sports Council, English Heritage - are highly centralised.
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The Arts and Sports councils would be given greater regional autonomy from their central head quarters.
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The GLA would enter into agreements and contracts with regional bodies to deliver services and funding in a way that reflected strategic priorities set by the GLA following extensive consultation and discussion, including the bodies concerned.
The GLA would remain a streamlined body concerned with strategic issues. The role in co-ordination and action for the Cultural Team of the GLA might include:
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Addressing key London wide targets set out in the strategies through agreements or contracts with existing agencies including - new facilities, new need for funding/promotion (new art forms, new music, groups in the population ignored in the past), accessibility;
- Promotion of London - e.g. as venue for international events
- Establishing and maintaining appropriate links with other UK, European and world cities
- Bring other actors together - e.g. arts groups, theatres, venue operators
- Co-ordination of millennium festival and London events for 2000/1
- Key element in consortiums bidding for and organising events
- Setting up a resource centre to act as a clearing house and source of advice to the arts and cultural community
- co-ordinating the social, commercial, visitor and other interests to produce a strategic direction for tourism in association with a GLA Regeneration Department.
- Pilot programmes with strategic importance - cultural quarters etc.
- Administering cross London agreements/initiatives where boroughs have agreed - e.g. exchange of information, leisure cards and events.
4.3 Resource Allocation
Additional money is now available through the lottery and private sector finance for revenue and capital projects. Along with efficiency savings this will mean that the GLA will have some money to spend and allocate without resort to calling on already overburdened Londoners to pay more in taxation.
Resources currently go from DNH to Quangos and other agencies and from DOE to local government (an element in OSB) . There is little role for the government regional offices (no DNH representation) except in government led urban programmes.
The role for the GLA would be based on partnership. This might include:
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Partnership agreements where existing bodies would agree to direct resources according to the strategic priorities agreed with the GLA
- Devolved control of certain budgets or programmes to the GLA by agreement - for example Lottery bursaries or the arts/cultural elements of urban programmes for onward allocation to others
- Bids to any central government bidding programmes, possibly with other partners
- Transfer of functions and relevant budgets where this is appropriate
Some issues that would need to be considered include:
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- Willingness of existing bodies to devolve budgets
- Powers of the GLA to oblige other bodies (Quangos, lottery distributors) to consult and consider agreed strategic priorities
- Criteria for any functions/budgets that should be transferred
- Whether a hypothecated tourism tax or other targeted revenue raising mechanism should be explored in association with the Regeneration Department of the GLA.
4.4 Redistribution
London is a city of great contrasts and an unequal distribution of power and wealth. The GLA will want to target greatest needs as one of the criteria in the strategic plans. This will be achieved by persuading boroughs, providing incentives (perhaps financial) to encourage provision and programmes to meet particular needs and/or where current provision is deficient. The GLA would work with partners in the private and voluntary sectors to achieve this.
The GLA Cultural Department will establish a strategic framework for decision making and conflict resolution. Persuasion and incentives may be slower than rule by decree but they are always more effective in the long run. It will not be the role of the GLA to instruct local authorities on the kind of facilities they must install in a new leisure centre. However, the GLA may take an arbitration role if one borough plans to build a new arts centre a mile from an existing facility in a neighbouring borough.
4.5 Departmental Linkage Within a New GLA
There will be no room for departmental parochialism in a new democratic authority for London. The work of the Cultural Department will interact with all other departments and be accountable to elected members. The bottom line for each member of the small dedicated staff will not be, "How has your work benefited the department?". It will be, "How has your work benefited Londoners?" Knowledge of and communication with other departments will therefore will be crucial. Below are a few of the inter-departmental linkages that will have to be made.
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With Housing - the Cultural Team will have to assess the demand on existing leisure facilities of new public and private sector housing developments.
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With Regeneration - the Cultural Team will have to help promote the cultural life of London as a incentive for tourists not just to come to London once to see our heritage, but to keep on returning to witness our renaissance.
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With Education - the Cultural Team will have work closely to ensure the quality of our libraries and museums and promote access for all to new methods of communication such as the Internet and CD Rom.
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With Social Services and the Police - the Cultural Team will give advice and guidance on sports and cultural programmes designed to rehabilitate first time offenders and prevent others falling into crime.
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With Planning - the Cultural Team will work on strategic guidance for the provision of adequate accessible playing fields and other leisure facilities across London
5. Summary
The GLA should aim to safeguard and service the creative engine of London thereby ensuring the benefits for all Londoners of a thriving cultural life. The economic benefits of a thriving cultural life are there for all to see. However, it will be on the non economic unquantifiable benefits of that a GLA Cultural Department will be judged.
There should be a distinct strategic cultural role for any new elected regional authority. This should:
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Act as a conduit for artists, musicians, sportswomen and men and cultural industry managers to influence policy development at a civic level. Elected members will always decide, but it will be up to a GLA Cultural Department to listen to the practitioners and ensure that the politicians hear the views of the people actually doing the job.
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Enable the authority to promote London effectively on the national and world stage
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Be based on the principles of Accountability, Subsidiarity; Efficiency and Accessibility.
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Inherit the policy making role for London from central government agencies (Arts Council, Sports Council, LTB) and departments (DNH and GOL) and cross London bodies and through democratisation, regionalisation, encouragement and agreement contract with these existing bodies to deliver programmes in accordance with the priorities of Londoners. It will not take on a role in direct service provision.
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Oversee the strategic planning and implementation of London's Cultural Plan.