PROJECT BRIEF

Mid Wales Arts Centre

‘A collaborative route to resilience’

INTRODUCTION

Powys County Council Arts Service has selected ten organisations as recipients of Shared Prosperity Funding, focused on supporting resilience, sustainability and transformation within the arts and creative industries in Powys.

As recipients, we require the services of a business advisor with experience of the voluntary and private sector to help us respond to the challenges we face and to work with us to create a 5 year+ business plan.

MANAGEMENT

The client for this project is Mid Wales Arts Centre.  The project will be managed by the management committee, Cathy Knapp-Evans (owner), assisted where appropriate by project co-ordinator Rhiannon McLennan.

SKILLS

The external specialist must have:

  • Experience and provable expertise in providing business advice to organisations facing similar challenges and of a similar structure / nature
  • A strong track record in analysis, business planning and creating positive outcomes for their clients

External specialists wishing to be considered should submit:

  • A quotation for the work, with a breakdown of costs against project milestones
  • Project milestones and a timeline for the work that is practicable and achievable
  • Examples of delivering analysis of this nature and creating positive outcomes for their clients
  • References and case studies
  • Method statement outlining the approach and involvement needed from owner and project co-ordinator to achieve this

Submissions should be sent to: office@midwalesarts.org.uk by Monday 29th July at midday

Project timescale:

We want this work to commence immediately and to be completed within 4-6 weeks.

Project budget:

£5,000 including VAT

Evaluation criteria:

The following criteria will be used to evaluate brief submissions:

  • Cost 20%
  • Availability to deliver in line with project timescale 30%
  • Method statement 30%
  • Examples, case studies and references 20%

This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, supported by Powys County Council.

Background information:

Excerpts from grant application

About the grant:

Transition grant funding will prioritise arts and culture organisations that are facing financial challenges. In particular, the objectives of the grant funding will be to:

  • actively explore forms of collaboration, alliance or merger that would reduce organisation/s costs,
  • refocus or reconfigure programmes of work,
  • provide business and technical support to Boards and senior staff who are implementing programmes of change, with a particular emphasis on collaboration with other organisations to achieve that change,
  • find more cost-effective ways of delivering existing programmes of artistic work and/or the administration of the company’s activities,
  • to identify new areas of income generation and fundraising. This may include market testing a specific event, performance, festival, or exhibition designed to attract new audiences,
  • improve staff, volunteer, or trustee skills.

 

Resilience funding for Powys arts and culture organisations will build capacity to fundraise and attract new audiences, provide support to review governance structures, and create networks to share knowledge and resources. In particular, the objectives of the grant funding will be to:

  • review business and operating models and create new plans,
  • conduct audience and customer research and identify opportunities for growth,
  • trial new approaches to fundraising or trading, or explore alternative income streams,
  • conduct governance reviews and skills audits and implement changes, with a particular emphasis on collaboration with other organisations to achieve that change,
  • explore opportunities to reduce negative environmental impacts and make efficiency savings,
  • back-fill staff posts, freeing up their time to work on activities critical to organisational development, including networking and mentoring activity,
  • train staff, volunteers, and trustees to support your organisation’s development,
  • undertake early-stage planning for new large-scale projects, including testing strategic options and securing expert advice,
  • conduct feasibility studies to manage risk and understand long-term financial sustainability around asset management,
  • explore options for winding down or merging with another organisation, including passing on responsibility for an arts asset,
  • create networks or partnerships to explore common challenges and develop strategic plans to care for an arts asset.

About the organisation:

  • Mid Wales Arts (MWA) empowers artists and organisations by providing support, training, exhibition and enterprise opportunities.
  • Led by Cathy Knapp, MWA collaborates with artists and community partners.
  • MWA is at a transition point. Currently, strategic vision and day-to-day management is provided directly by Cathy Knapp. This is unsustainable - a new model needs to be developed for the next decade.
  • It is now crucial that MWA develops financial and managerial sustainability, enabling Cathy to focus on creative leadership, mentoring and networking.
  • There is a critical need to resource this transition over the next 6 months, otherwise it will not happen.

Background

MWA started in 2008 as a not for profit, co-operative arts organisation with the support of Powys Arts Forum. It now operates as a social enterprise, bringing together the local artistic community.

MWA is located on a major tourist route. The property belongs to Cathy Knapp (CK), founder of MWA. To fund development and running costs she has run a B&B in the house, using income generated to renovate the barns for use as a dedicated arts centre.

MWA activities include art exhibitions, workshops, community clubs, artist residencies, etc. CK has managed the organisation with the support of the trustees, artists, tutors, interns, volunteers alongside a small number of paid staff.

In 2012 with guidance from PAVO (Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations) a clear separation was made between CK’s B&B business and the activities of MWA. In 2017 we became a not-for-profit Limited Company with a Board of Trustees.

We have initiated a ‘roots-and-branches’ review of the structure of MWA. It is imperative that a succession and sustainability plan is developed so that the much-valued events and facilities we provide and our investment in the community can continue to thrive. We need a 5-year Business plan which encapsulates this sustainable model, building in mentoring and cooperative endeavours with other local organizations in e.g. Llanidloes and Newtown.

Project

MWA is at an existential transition point in terms of its financial and organisational sustainability. MWA has an immediate and pressing need for Resilience Funding to enable us to continue to deliver a sustainable, exciting and stimulating programme over the next decade. There are 2 key elements to the project to bring about this transition within the next 6 months:

Analysis and investigation:

  • re-model our business, administrative, marketing and operational plans to reflect the new reality;
  • evaluate sustainability of artistic and commercial plans for next decade;
  • review MWA governance, auditing the skills and requirements of trustees and our current and planned professional/volunteer staff structure.

Implementation of legacy/succession plans and measures via these activities:

  • Backfill a key artistic administrative post to enable CK to focus on restructuring and networking to ensure the future success of MWA, enabling intergenerational passing on of her considerable skills and knowledge;
  • Develop a renewed digital platform for improved online dissemination and marketing of MWA outputs to a distributed rural community and increase our national and international audiences;
  • Restructure the legal position of MWA with respect to ownership of existing artworks, and financially viable charging for ongoing use of space and facilities.

Who will be the beneficiaries

  • The major beneficiaries will be the MWA stakeholders, in particular the wider artistic community (ca. 500 + artists), attendees, and the Mid Wales community.
  • Importantly, we will develop and strengthen our collaborative links with like-minded organisations in the region, sharing best practice. This will enable us to become a hub for local arts activities, strengthening the shared arts/tourism ecosystem with neighbouring towns (cf. priority W6).
  • Especially important beneficiaries will be local young people involved in ongoing arts/education activities, their families, communities, and the wider population (cf. priority W43).
  • We will be offering opportunities in a deprived rural area where there is relatively little opportunity for schools and the community to experience arts and culture at a national or international level and to develop practical and social skills by engaging in artistic activities.
  • More broadly, the NHS and PCC will be beneficiaries as the health, well-being and life chances of young people will be enhanced by their participation in MWA. Pottery and printmaking are recognised as creative activities that enhance good mental health and well-being because they promote conversation, collaboration, experimentation and discovery. MWA has unique facilities for these art forms. Supporting young people is demonstrated to reduce the need for intervention services. In this context, we will explore opportunities for ‘social prescribing’ (see https://www.gov.wales/national-framework-social-prescribing-html) based around MWA activities.
  • CK will be able to invest time in reviewing and curating the permanent collection and archive of Stefan Knapp and John Paddisson, making it more accessible and a further cultural attraction for visitors to Mid Wales.
  • MWA will be able to continue operating and providing local employment and training for young people.

What key challenges and opportunities will the project address

  • W6: Support for local arts, cultural, heritage & creative activities – outcomes including jobs created & safeguarded; increased visitor numbers; improved engagement (digital) and perception of events.
  • The Mid Wales economy, forecast to decline - we will contribute to mitigation and reversal of this trend by helping to develop the arts/ cultural and green tourism sector as a valuable complement to employment in the agriculture/ food sectors.
  • Revitalising market town centres -e.g.We will work with other galleries and organisations, ie Andrew Logan, Minerva, MOMA, Oriel Davies and local Artists and Craftsmen running small businesses in nearby towns to develop a Llanidloes to encourage cultural tourism.
  • Supporting local businesses - e.g. arts-based tourism, which is sustainable. We will attract more visitors to the area to the benefit of local businesses.
  • Narrow and vulnerable economic base - the arts/tourism/green sector has been identified as having the capacity for sustainable local growth.
  • Access to nature and green spaces - provided by the MWA rural site and facilities, surrounding farmland, kitchen garden, willow circle, woodlands and children’s trail.
  • Support recovery from the Pandemic - by addressing specific needs of adversely effected young people. We offer after school clubs, holiday clubs, family clubs, Sculpteen workshops all of which are over subscribed. We offer part time employment and training to young people and students.
  • W43 - we will directly support enhanced engagement and softer skills development for young people.
  • Harnessing the Potential of our Volunteers - a team from Mid Wales and neighbouring counties. We depend and engage within our volunteers, many of whom have progressed to further employment and further/higher education.

Desired outcomes

Our exit strategy is to have remodelled the structure and working practice of MWA to provide a financially independent, sustainable, flexible, model arts organisation that can respond to the evolving creative and cultural needs of the local and wider community and inspire future generations for the next decade.

As outlined in the following this will enable us to guarantee the ongoing existence and activities of MWA, and to apply for diverse (especially non-public sector) funding via development of a robust hybrid model.

By the close of 2024 MWA will have explored and further developed our abilities to generate income streams, analysed activities, collected data, set up electronic data collection systems, researched and implemented cost cutting measures.

Outputs

  • A well managed approach having used the current grant to restructure MWA so that it has a charitable and a business arm and a clear separation from Maesmawr Bed and Breakfast and the Knapp Estate.
  • A new 10 year lease will be in place so that Mid Wales Arts will have security of tenure and be able to plan and budget accordingly.
  • The trustees will have worked together with an advisor to create 5 and10 year business plans.
  • Offered all trustees training sessions so that we can maximise the effectiveness of our board.
  • Upskilled staff to streamline / digitise more aspects of our administration.so that we have digitised systems in place to collect data and ensure all exhibition and event planning and marketing is timely and effective.
  • Policies, risk assessments, schemes of work, staff training, DBS checks, insurances and subscriptions will be automatically flagged for review and renewal
  • A staff and volunteer training programme reflecting new practice will be in use.
  • Our website will be streamlined and updated to become an on-line shop and booking platform and our new marketing strategy will be in place.
  • Systems in place to ensure best practice of use and management of the Ceramic and Printmaking studios and Girel woodburning kiln, with a charging system that is affordable while ensuring economic viability.
  • A sustainably funded Artist Residency programme that will attract a wide pool of talent.

 

Closing date: 29/07/2024
https://midwalesarts.org/home/?lang=En