Aims of the policy or strategy
Dorset Council commissioned the Arts Development Company to develop a Cultural Strategy for the Dorset Council area. The new strategy will not only inform how the council will support the sector in the future but also how organisations can work together to provide a joined-up approach to cultural provision across the county. It is anticipated that the strategy will not only be adopted by the council but that other cultural sector delivery organisations will align their business plans with the priorities of the new strategy in order to attract external investment and maximise partnership opportunities over the next 5 years and beyond.
The following are anticipated to be the key benefits from developing a new Cultural Strategy:
- building stronger Relationships: The timing of the development of a new strategy, post COVID-19 will be advantageous for the sector, it will give time to reflect and to review the position of culture in Dorset, and to reset its shared priorities by building on the existing strong active network of cultural organisations and creative practitioners
- ensuring strategic spending and investment for culture and to align the Dorset Council’s priorities to that of external funding bodies such as the National Lottery and others. To make the best use of our existing investment in Dorset’s cultural organisations and to lever in further inward investment. This will require collaboration and a continued clear strategic approach to match funding in Dorset
- providing a strategic framework: this will demonstrate how arts and heritage delivers on the councils and cultural providers strategic priorities. It will express the sectors priorities as to what can realistically be delivered and to create an environment for the sector to continue to ‘think big’, finding innovative ways to make the creative ambitions of the sector a reality
- supporting Dorset’s Cultural Economy and to recognise its value. The Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP)Transforming Dorset “Economic Plan” highlights the necessity to develop cultural tourism particularly with a view to lengthening the tourism season, and to draw visitors to all parts of Dorset
- improving Health and Wellbeing through cultural activity will be a high priority in the health and wellbeing of our communities post pandemic; alignment with the new joint health and wellbeing strategy will be important to build stronger relationships in this sector
Addressing diversity and inclusivity through cultural initiatives. Opportunity exists to improve inclusivity in our cultural offer in Dorset, this needs to be explored further and existing delivery partners connected in order to support and nurture diversity and inclusive practice.
Background to the proposal
The current Dorset Cultural Strategy, written by Dorset County Council, expires in March 2021 and a new more up to date version is required to guide the sector over the next five years. Previous sovereign councils had written other cultural related plans and policies and the new strategy will give the opportunity to bring all of these historic plans together into a revitalised strategy for the Dorset Council area.
Cultural activity and programming is well placed in influencing society’s perceptions, raising awareness and promoting understanding about different protected characteristic groups.
Dorset Council’s role within the delivery of cultural provision is that of enabler.
The council works closely with the voluntary and community sector, providing funding and support to organisations to deliver a high-quality service rather than directly operating theatres or galleries.
It can influence how culture is delivered through funding, both revenue and one-off project grants, to ensure that providers deliver an inclusive and accessible service, prioritising communities with low engagement
Intelligence and Communication
Data, information, evidence and research used and how it has influenced the decision-making process
In 2020, Dorset Council undertook an extensive review of its support to the voluntary sector, including culture. This review was subject to public consultation and received a high number of responses from local communities. The information received through this process has informed the development of the Cultural Strategy and how Dorset residents would like the council to support cultural activity in the future.
The following sources of data, information, evidence and research was also used to inform this strategy:
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan 2019 to 2024 (Dorset)
- Arts Council England, Let’s Create 2020 to 2030
- DCMS – Valuing Culture and Heritage Capital: A framework towards decision making
- Dorset Insight
- Dorset Council Plan 2020 to 2024
- Dorset Music Hub – Inclusion strategic goals 2021 to 2024
- Dorset Council – Community and Voluntary sector Review 2020
- Dorset Council Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy 2020
- Dorset Strategic Alliance for Children and Young People - Children Young People and Families Plan 2020-23
- Dorset Council Economic Growth Strategy 2020-2030
- Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership – Local Industrial Strategy (LIS)
- Dorset Jurassic Coast Partnership Plan 2020 to 2025
- Jurassic Coast Story book
- National Heritage Fund Strategic Funding Framework 2019 to 2024
- Our Dorset Sustainability and Transformation Plan
What the data told us
Dorset is a predominately rural area, over half of which is covered by the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) designation and 7% of Dorset is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site and stretches from Exmouth to Dorset across 96 miles and spanning 185 million years of history. Dorset is characterised by its historic market towns, beautiful beaches, iron age hill forts and picturesque villages. Tourism is an important part of the local economy valued at some £1.8bn and supporting over 43,000 jobs in the county.
Dorset has a population of 375,000 residents, of which 4.4% are black and minority ethnic. Dorset has an above average aging population and the number of over 65’s is growing by 2.2% per annum coupled with the number of 0-15-year olds expected to fall over the next 25 years. It is predicted that by 2025, there will be 10,100 more people living with dementia in Dorset with 3,000 additional carers needed to cope with the increase.
There is a perception that Dorset is a wealthy, affluent place but 11 areas of Dorset are in the most deprived areas nationally in terms of multiple deprivation. 6,800 children live in workless households and Weymouth and Portland have one of the poorest levels of social mobility in the UK. Across Dorset earnings are below average and house prices are high.
There are 212 schools and FE colleges in Dorset (including independent schools, special schools and learning centres) where 33 different languages are spoken. The numbers of young people in care has risen significantly over the last 10 years. Pupil achievement in Dorset is around the national average and there are increasing numbers of children electively home educated.
In a recent survey undertaken by Dorset Council (July 2019), when asked what would make Dorset the best place to grow up in, young people answered:
- making a difference and contributing to their local communities
- looking after the environment and tackling climate change
- learning skills for the future e.g. technology
- places where everyone can get to and finding out about everything going on
- celebrating positive role models from Dorset
In terms of who will benefit from our cultural offer in Dorset – the answer is every community and because of the overall demographic of Dorset there will be a targeted approach of engaging and working with older people to help break down social isolation and increase wellbeing; and young people in Dorset who in particular are our future arts leaders, directors, producers and artists
Further information required to inform the proposal
As part of the process we will be specifically engaging and consulting with young people and diverse communities to seek views around issues such as accessibility and barriers that stop people from accessing the current cultural offer. The findings will help shape and inform the new Cultural Strategy
Engagement or consultation that has taken place as part of this EqIA
Collaboration and partnership with the cultural sector will be a high priority for both the development and delivery of the Cultural Strategy. To ensure all cultural sectors within Dorset have representation in the process and take ownership of the final strategy, a new ‘Cultural Strategy Advisory Group’ was established. representatives from the following sectors were invited to join the group, these are the members:
- Leisure (Paul Rutter) Chair
- Local Enterprise Partnership (Lorna Carver)
- Economic Development (David Walsh)
- Health and Wellbeing (Public Health Dorset - Paul Iggleden)
- Arts Council England (Sam Rowlands)
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Sue Dampney)
- Tourism (Dorset Tourism Association – Richard Smith)
- Further Education/Universities (Weymouth College) (Arts University Bournemouth
- Dorset Community Action (Alex Picot)
- Museums and Heritage (Dorset Museum Association)
- Environment (Ken Buchan)
- Activate Performing Arts (Kate Wood)
- Artsreach (Kerry Bartlett/Yvonne Gallimore)
- Bridport Arts Centre (Mick Smith)
- b-side Multimedia Arts (Rocca Holly-Nambi)
- Youth (DYA - Dave Thompson)
- Councillor representation (Cllr Jill Haynes)
- Digital media (Silicon South - Anthony Storey)
- Diverse City (Claire Hodgson)
- Children’s Services (Claire Shiels)
- Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils representative (Neil Wedge)
- Library Service (Sharon Kirkpatrick)
Consultation meetings with the following groups were also carried out:
- Town and Parish Councils
- Working Group – subset from Advisory Group
- What Next Dorset – representing 300 arts orgs and freelancers
A specific tailored survey was also sent out by Dorset Music Hub, b-Side, Activate, Youth Services and Dorset Youth Association. This survey was asking specific questions about how certain sectors of the community engage with culture and these were:
- how do you consume culture at the minute?
- how do you find out about culture?
- where are the gaps?
- Creative careers – the barriers to accessing creative work placements etc
Diverse City will also be consulting with women and disabled creatives to produce short filmed interviews looking at barriers from a participant’s perspective and gaps in provision.
A cross party councillor steering group provided strategic input into the development of this work, and were particularly interested in how underrepresented groups were able to feed into the consultation
It should be noted that arts organisations are also representing their diverse communities/audiences and consult with them on an ongoing basis. This includes working on specific initiatives to encourage protected groups to engage with culture and explore the barriers that prevent them from doing so.
Feedback and communication
All consultation groups will be asked to feedback on the first draft of the Policy. The final version will be available on the Dorset Council website.
Assessment
Impacts of the policy or strategy
| Impacts on who or what | Effect | Details |
|---|---|---|
|
Age |
Positive |
By consulting specifically with the above age groups, we hope to break down the barriers, raise aspirations and explore career opportunities for artists of all ages. The development of the Cultural Strategy and its’ action plan will initiate projects that :
Encourage organisations to involve young people both in the planning of provision and governance |
|
Age bracket affected |
n/a |
All ages with a focus on
|
|
Disability: (including physical, mental, sensory and progressive conditions |
Positive |
The delivery of the Strategy will explore issues of accessibility, inclusion and representation of people who are disabled both as engagers and leaders in the cultural sector. It will encourage providers to positively address barriers that prevent people who are disabled accessing culture. It will also ensure that cultural providers consider initiatives to improve access to carers eg free ticket schemes when accompanying a person who is disabled. The development of live streaming and online content will increase accessibility and access to culture. Venue based providers will also be encouraged to promote relaxed performances where possible |
|
Gender Reassignment & Gender Identity: |
Positive/ Neutral Impact |
The Cultural Strategy will promote and encourage work that is inclusive and challenges perceptions. It will support inclusivity in programming and encourage organisations to diversify their work force and governance by sharing good practice |
|
Pregnancy and maternity: |
Positive/ Neutral Impact |
The Cultural Strategy will encourage programming for eclectic family activities and early years provision, promoting projects such as Babigloo creative activities for mothers and babies and Rhyme Time at libraries. Providers will be encouraged to deliver in areas of low engagement |
|
Race and Ethnicity |
Positive |
The Cultural Strategy will encourage programming that is diverse, engaging different communities and working in partnership. It will encourage the sector to increase visibility of minority groups and reveal hidden histories including Gypsy and Traveller work and Black History month initiatives |
|
Religion or belief: |
Unclear |
The sector recognises that there is little or no current cultural delivery work going on at the moment with religious or belief groups although many places of worship are used as venues for cultural performances particularly music. Further research regarding religion or belief groups and their link with culture will form part of the ongoing research and consultation programme over the length of the strategy |
|
Sexual orientation: |
Positive/ Neutral Impact |
The Cultural Strategy will promote and encourage work that is inclusive and challenges perceptions. It will support inclusivity in programming and encourage organisations to diversifying their work force and governance. |
|
Sex (consider both men and women): |
Positive |
Where there is inequality in participation and representation the Cultural Strategy will address this by encouraging the Cultural Sector to take action. For example
The Cultural Strategy will support organisations to improve the balance of this by working with local dance providers to raise the profile of dance within the youth sector. |
|
Marriage or civil partnership: |
Neutral |
We don’t anticipate the Cultural Strategy will have an impact on this protected characteristic |
|
Carers: |
Positive |
The Cultural Strategy will encourage and support organisations to deliver projects and initiatives that will support carers, for example projects such as:
|
|
Rural isolation: |
Positive |
The Cultural Strategy will encourage and support organisations to deliver projects and initiatives that will address rural isolation, for example:
The Strategy will also encourage providers to take a hybrid approach to cultural provision, promoting both online and live performances where possible |
|
Single parent families |
Positive |
The Cultural Strategy will encourage and support organisations to deliver projects and initiatives that will support single parent families to have access to culture, for example:
|
|
Social & economic deprivation: |
Positive |
The Cultural Strategy will outline how the sector will target work in areas of social deprivation and focus on work where there is limited cultural engagement, removing barriers, raising aspirations and creating opportunities. It will encourage providers to deliver in areas of low engagement providing low cost or free activities where required and using accessible marketing language to encourage all sectors of the community. |
|
Armed Forces communities |
Positive |
The Cultural Strategy will encourage and support organisations to deliver projects and initiatives that will support Armed Forces communities to have access to culture, for example targeted work delivered by the Tank Museum and The Keep Military Museum to support veterans |
|
|
|
|
|---|
Key to effects or impacts
Positive - the proposal eliminates discrimination, advances equality of opportunity and/or fosters good relations with protected groups.
Negative - protected characteristic group(s) could be disadvantaged or discriminated against
Neutral - no change/ no assessed significant impact of protected characteristic groups
Negative - protected characteristic group(s) could be disadvantaged or discriminated against
Action plan
| Issue | Action to be taken | Person responsible | Date to be completed by |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The impact of the strategy on groups associated with religion or belief |
Further research to be carried out to explore how religious and belief groups engage with culture |
Dorset Council/ Arts Development Company/ The cultural sector |
December 2021 |
|
Ensure that the strategy remains live and that actions are focused to address inequality in accessing culture |
Establish and put into place a framework inspired by the Cultural Compacts model to help deliver, monitor, and jointly resource the priorities and ambitions within the cultural Strategy Ensure that the Cultural Strategy feeds into the commissioning process of the new external Arts Development Service. |
Collaboration of cross- sector partners led by Dorset Council (Leisure Services)/External Arts Development Service Dorset Council (Leisure Services)/ Dorset Council(Leisure Services)/ External Arts Development Service |
March 2022 October 2021 April 2022 |
People who have agreed the EqIA
Officer completing this EqIA Jude Allen
Date 15 April 2021
Equality Lead Susan Ward-Rice
Date: 21 April 2021
Equality & Diversity Action Group Chair Pete Bartlett
Date: 21 April 2021