IAA Images September 2010 - New IBC Culture Portfolio Holder, Andrew Cann

New IBC Culture Portfolio Holder, Andrew Cann

Andrew Cann, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the Borough Council, took on the Culture Portfolio earlier this year. As Editor of images, I had a chat with him about the state of the arts in Ipswich, and his ideas for the future. This is the gist of our conversation.

Andrew has only come to the arts over the last few years. He’s been a Borough Councillor for a while, and this combined with full-time work and everything else left him little time. But two or three years ago he went to Snape and saw Wayne McGregor dance, and since then dance has become a passion, and he regularly attends events at Sadlers Wells as well as in Ipswich. He has come to enjoy other arts as well since then.

The Lib Dems have never held the Culture Portfolio before. When they formed the Council with the Conservatives six years ago, the portfolios were divvied up in a certain way which hasn’t changed much over time. But when Judy Terry stepped down earlier this year Andrew put himself forward and this was accepted. He’s delighted to have it, and already has come to know more about the whole range of arts activity, including theatre, music and the visual arts. He’s not interested in making artistic decisions; what does interest him is making sure that Ipswich has a wide range of artistic activity and opportunity which appeals across the whole population.

The Cultural Strategy, which comes out for consultation soon, will define the way ahead over the next few years. Andrew doesn’t really care who runs what – he doesn’t feel the Council necessarily has the expertise to run everything – as long as the cultural offer is broad and inclusive, comprising both entertainment and the arts.

He would like to see, for example, the Regent become a Trust which could attract long-term funding from the Arts Council, and/or have a commercial operator. Conversely, he feels the Corn Exchange has a more fundamentally important role in the fabric of the community as a ‘village hall’, a term which he coined when it was under threat a few years ago. Every village needs a gathering place, which must be provided even if the finances are problematic. At the same time, the tax payer must be protected, and the subsidy kept as low as possible. So he would like to see, for example, the Gatsbys corner of the Corn Exchange commercially developed perhaps as a restaurant/pavement café.

In common with many readers of images, Andrew fears the impact of the current financial environment on the arts, and feels that not enough people value them except in economic terms. But even just using economic arguments, the arts bring a great deal of money into the town. He feels that there are many ways of keeping the arts dynamic even in hard times – for example, the professional arts organisations of the town could be more economically run if they shared some functions (eg marketing departments, financial expertise etc). He’s also looking with Suffolk County Council and the Arts Council at long-term assured funding, even if the annual amount is less, which would enable more streamlined planning. He also feels that organisations could make better use of volunteers, and the desire of ordinary people to be more involved.

Andrew is fully conscious of the contribution the non-professional arts organisations make in the town, and he sees this sector as dynamic and healthy, maintaining itself with minimal support form the Council. He wants to foster good relationships with all groups, not just through Ipswich Arts Association, but on an individual basis.