Scottish Government

CLACKMANNANSHIRE CULTURAL PATHFINDER:

PROJECT EVALUATION PLAN

NAME OF PATHFINDER PROJECT The Art Shop

Brief description

Adaptation of disused shop in mall into arts, crafts and social change base, driven by creative consultation and evaluation.

Overall aim

To promote creativity and enterprise as tools towards life improvement. This project creates a foundation for regeneration using an approach to initiate an Artisan Site for Clackmannanshire.

Specific aims (list 4-6)

• To involve local residents actively in the cultural regeneration of Tullibody, giving them, as far as possible, guiding informed choice though which to structure programme of activity
• To learn about cultural planning and associated processes and how to make them meaningful in the context of lifelong learning
• To redevelop in emotional, physical and intellectual aspects, a local site, with buildings and open space, using ideas and proposals from Clackmannanshire community residents and Tullibody Traders
• To bring authentic local cultural assets into the regeneration project plan though contemporary interpretation
• To participate in the creation of a 'hub: a new cultural centre within Tron Court, Tullibody including alternative library and public art development.
• To make community training, trading, skills and social enterprise development a central part of the project.
• To support the learning of Scotland's art students and young graduates by offering placement from Edinburgh and Glasgow Colleges. These will familiarise students with the area and in the design and creation of live projects
• To promote the approach of Tullibody with particular reference to developing a skills base for Creative Industries

Resources (inputs)

• funding (including in kind - inclusive of SAC pARTners Scheme and Cultural Coordinators Programme - and £58k - from the following public and independent sector parties: Scottish Government, Tullibody Healthy Living Initiative, Scottish Arts Council, Clackmannanshire Council & other to be sourced (e.g. NESTA)
• Strong and specifically created internal consortium within local authority through which to support this local initiative
• a project steering group
• artist facilitator(s) supplied via specific programme sponsorship and Cultural and Community Services and national partner organisations
• local voluntary arts organisations
• building stock within Tron Court to be regenerated
• public art & art and public integral to the development structure
• materials:

Activities/services (outputs)

Throughout the project it is acknowledged that the foundation of all practice is one of creative consultation and evaluation:

• plan, advertise and hold initial public open days (to discuss ideas for the project, obtain community views and identify ways to increase local awareness/attract participants)
• devise range of consultation approaches (to attract the broadest and fullest possible community involvement)
• select artist facilitator(s) and invite participation by local artists (to help ensure a good standard of artwork and design that represents local character)
• publicise to all local residents, with particular emphasis on new residents (Clackmannanshire is third fastest growing region in Scotland - Tullibody growth rate illustrates this well) within at least 0.5 mile radius of the regeneration site (to make them aware, and encourage interest and participation)
• publish intention to run the project on local media (to promote awareness of the project)
• discuss project plan with pupils and teachers at the local school (to encourage their input)
• discuss project plan with Community Learning & Development strategic staff for out-of-school and community-directed life long learning
• inform economic development team of delivery schedule and progress
• discuss project plan with local and national partners involved in CLD in Clackmannanshire
• discuss project plan with potential sponsors (to encourage support/investment)
• provide regular feedback to the community and funders on project progress and chances to get involved
• keep the Community Planning Partnership aware of progress against the plan, and key issues, encouraging their ongoing involvement and the project's inclusion in strategic planning objectives
• encourage Scotland's under- and post-graduates to undertake live projects within the programme and participate in the Student Artists' Common Unity Forum
• put on workshops and classes including Discovering Creativity, Arts and Crafts for all ages land intergenerational opportunities.
• acknowledge sustainability by imposing small fee for some classes and seminars

Indicators for key performance aspects (list 2-3 for each key aspect):

Activity (output)

• Will appoint a steering group involving people from the geographic community, a broad commonality of creative interest, local and national artists, local government planners and arts trainers (higher education)
• Will use a wide range of guidance factors towards improving informed choice for the project to become community driven.
• Will introduce people involved to the role of creativity in positively changing environments
• Will include encouragement of creative thinking as a tool through which to challenge negative intellectual, emotional and physical space, particularly with regard to challenging behaviours in Tullibody.
• Will identify and link sponsors closely into project to maintain their commitment and ensure value for money
• Steering group includes representation of integrated partnership; the local Community Planning Partnership, the community council, 3 participants, 1 rep for Tullibody Traders, 1 rep for pre five development, 1 school rep, 3 professional artists, 1 youth rep form Creative Links Forum, 2 Cultural Coordinators, 1 disability rep, 1 planning dept rep, 1 national arts organisation (Glasgow School of Art), 1 Arts & Business rep, Cultural Planner / Manager Culture & Community Services.
• Steering group meets bi-monthly on site.
• To stage three high profile events raising awareness of this cultural development

Participation (output)

• The project initially ran through one venue. Within one year of progress now contains 3 venues through seeding the development of cultural estate. These venues offer space through which to promote and celebrate work created through SITES. These are The Art Shop (original base), The Vessel (art gallery and shop) and The Wee Gallery (Clackmannanshire's Travelling Gallery). Will seek to achieve community registration of around 30 people during initial open days - have secured interest from circa 20 adults to date and circa 20 young people.
• Will look for around 30 local school pupils to submit ideas for the project, after being briefed - have not briefed generally to date but 1 local secondary (Lornshill Academy) briefed and school keen to collaborate, integrating out of school learning into creative curriculum as a whole.
• Will seek to attract significant sponsors - have applied to NESTA (challenging behaviour youth), SAC (extension of Cultural Co-ordinator Programme), Alloa Rotary Club (Various)
• Will seek to attract significant partners for creative collaboration - have incorporated Glasgow School of Art - ceramics / decorative and applied arts, Clackmannanshire's Public Art programme and Creative Writing Residency. Social Services are keen to partner, providing access to disabled young people in transition from college and adults. The Scottish Adult Learning Partnership (Jacqueline Whymark) and Perth & Kinross Council (Kirsty Duncan) to formalise agreed collaboration.
• Will seek strong participation by members of local arts community in project and events - have supportive response from Alloa Community Arts Group, Nifty Fifty's, Tullibody Healthy Living, Ochil Crafts, and representation of local artists group Hanging Together.

Satisfaction (outcome)

• participants currently plan for and are satisfied with the project development
• Community members - and sponsors - are satisfied with project development
• participants and partners are satisfied that local culture is well represented in plans for regeneration
• Sponsors are satisfied with the elements they supported and with the value for money of their investment that is highly complemented and endorsed by Culture and Community Services.

Impact (outcome)

Improvement in community contact levels and networking will be reported - this has already been acknowledged by the Tullibody Traders working in association with Culture & Community Services.

• local arts bodies and individuals will enjoy greater visibility and better interaction
• the facilities provided will be well used and enjoyed by members of the geographic and creative community, including those who had not before visited cultural amenities
• Cultural access is improved by integration of the travelling "Wee Gallery"
• civic pride will be shown to have improved with vandalism levels and incidences caused by negative behaviour patterns diminished

Value for Money

SITES provides a lever to progression in the area of cultural regeneration in Clackmannanshire. SITES allows Clackmannanshire's Cultural Services to be increasingly creative in tactics of cultural networking and planning. As an example of critical mass activity, Tullibody presents opportunities to the whole region.

• matrix services approach from Clackmannanshire Council offers a foundation of professional expertise and provision of support staff at ground level
• At steering level council employees are observing and supporting cultural development from positions of environmental planning, business support, health and well being, economics, tourism and guiding a potentially sustainable and workable independent future for the group
• SITES 1, the Art Shop has inspired SITE 2, The Vessel/Wee Shop as a gallery and sales outlet to fund more public project work, and the purchase of the Travelling Gallery. Three venues are linked
• An intimate creative workshop enables practice linked into many other areas of creative work and consultation in the county
• SITES encourages all inclusive participation of all ages, ability and social circumstance
• SITES provides venues for local groups and organisations to thrive
• SITES through integration of Scotland's Art Colleges sustains 'national interest'
• SITES promotes subtle learning in a relaxed environment to complement formal educational experience, that can be recorded and recognised within a formal framework (see Alloa, Alva and Lornshill Academy Public Art)

Outcomes

• Local residents are increasingly involved actively in the regeneration of their local area with a role to inform project content, design and delivery
• Local authority is exploring and promoting cultural planning processes, and endorsed partnerships for sustainability
• Local authority via Cultural & Community Services promotes exploration of community in the context of 'creative commonality'
• Regeneration of a local site, with buildings and open space, using ideas and proposals from community residents, traders, and creative thinkers.
• Authentic local cultural assets are being integrated in the regeneration plan
• Creation of a 'hub': a new cultural centre and facilities for community recreation, and a local meeting place
• Community training and skills development are a central part of the project, including some employment opportunities and steering group activity
• The project performs well in terms of positive impact and developing links with the Traders in The Tron Court precinct offer further opportunities for sustainability.
• The project offers a matrix model of practice for rolling out to other local authorities.

Budget: 18 months programme