Arts Council England, South East
The arts in urban renaissance
Urban renaissance is the process of improving the quality of life in all our towns and
cities and ensuring they are places that people choose to live, work and play.1
Urban renaissance is essential if we are to ensure the sustainable development of the
South East of England. Yet urban renaissance will never result from one agency working
on its own. It can only be achieved by a range of public and private agencies working in
partnership. In recognition of this, Arts Council England, South East was pleased to
sponsor Urban Renaissance – Action in the South East, a conference hosted by the
South East England Development Agency, the South East England Regional Assembly
and Government Office for the South East at Reading Town Hall in January 2003. The
conference focused on the major urban renewal and regeneration projects that are
planned for the region and detailed in the Government’s recently published Regional
Action Plan for the South East – Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future.
This publication outlines the essential contribution that the arts make to the renaissance
of our urban centres. It is based on the speech delivered by Felicity Harvest, Executive
Director, Arts Council England, South East at the conference.
1
Urban White Paper – Our Towns and Cities: The Future – Delivering an Urban Renaissance, November 2000
Cultural renewal
The arts animate, inspire and revitalise. It is for this reason that the desire to regenerate
our towns has often led to the establishment of arts and cultural facilities. The De La
Warr Pavilion was built in 1935 to symbolise Bexhill’s success as a tourist destination.
However, subsequent changes in patterns of tourism meant that it became increasingly
derelict. In 2002 the Arts Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund committed £6 million to
restore the Pavilion and enable its rebirth as an arts, cultural and recreational facility for
the people of Bexhill. What was once a symbol of Bexhill’s success will now become a
catalyst for Bexhill’s renaissance.
Since the early 1990s East Kent has been the focus of a development programme
addressing over 40 years of economic decline. The proposed Turner Centre in Margate
will be a landmark visual arts and cultural building, which, integrated with the cultural
quarter development in Margate Old Town, will stand as a beacon for the regeneration
of East Kent with enormous potential for cultural links locally, nationally and
internationally.
Imaginative centres
Urban renaissance, however, requires more than the restoration or construction of
buildings. Through Art at the Centre, Arts Council England is working in partnership with
local authorities and local businesses on the culturally driven redevelopment of Bicester,
Reading and Slough, as a means of creating safe, vibrant, interesting spaces for
communities to live in. Literally placing the arts at the centre of renewal programmes, it
aims to enliven the towns and encourage greater community engagement, through
interesting and thoughtful design and through public art and live events, such as
performances and sound sculptures.
Taking art beyond the gallery space and into public spaces can encourage us to think
creatively about our environment. In Hastings, Arts Council England has been working
with the local authority to part-fund a public art officer post, demonstrating a real
commitment to the role of design in the regeneration of the town. Stream by Esther
Rolinson was unveiled in March 2002 creating a very beautiful addition to the Hastings
seafront.
Arts Council England is working actively with the South East England Development
Agency on the development of a new award scheme for art in the public realm. The
£750,000 scheme will focus on the role of the arts in urban regeneration and civic pride,
and will include a strand designed to support early career artists.
Animating communities
Outdoor events such as carnivals and festivals transform the way we feel about where
we live, revitalising our towns by encouraging us to celebrate and take pride in our
surroundings. Street arts are unique in their ability to reach new audiences. By taking
work out into public spaces they engage audiences with exciting, enjoyable and dynamic
performance. Whether these performances are sought out, or whether people chance
upon them during a lunch hour or while out shopping, these encounters intrigue and
challenge.
Creating opportunities
Urban renaissance depends on increasing the opportunities available to local
communities, for example through education. Creative Partnerships is a major national
arts in education programme with a budget of £40 million giving young people from over
361 schools the opportunity to work closely with arts professionals on an ongoing basis.
Arts Council England has two Creative Partnerships in the south east in East Kent and
Slough. Both are exploring the extent to which the arts and creative programmes raise
aspiration and address personal and professional skill development in children and
young people.
Successful communities are healthy communities. Arts Council England is working with
hospitals, health care trusts and community groups throughout the region to develop
and deliver arts in health and healthy living programmes. Through the support of New
Deal for Communities, South East Dance has developed a dance programme, which
promotes the benefits of physical activity and creativity and has contributed to East
Brighton residents living healthier lifestyles. At Bexhill Hospital Steve Pyke was
commissioned to work with staff and patients to create new artworks for the foyer of the
new Healthcare Clinic.
Creative economies
The private sector also helps develop local communities. Here in the south east, the
creative and cultural industries are an increasingly important economic force. David
Powell Associates’ recent report, Creative and Cultural Industries – An Economic Impact
Study for South East England, showed that they generate £46 billion a year and employ
some 500,000 people. There is a very close link between the subsidised sector and
commercial cultural industries, particularly in the realm of content origination and new
ideas, and research and development. Arts Council England is working in a number of
ways to support the development of the creative and cultural industries.
Through regular funding to organisations and agencies that deliver cultural and artistic
activity, Arts Council England can support the creative infrastructure in the region
beyond the subsidised sector. Artpoint, for example, is a visual arts and crafts agency
that commissions new work for public spaces with a wide client base including urban
regeneration schemes, local authorities, the education sector and private sector
developers.
In Canterbury, Arts Council England has been involved in the Whitefriars Shopping
Centre development by Land Securities plc and Canterbury City Council. The
partnership commissioned artist Janet Hodgson to create a series of temporary artworks
inspired by the redevelopment process, to stimulate interest in the construction. Janet
was also commissioned to create a permanent work to be exhibited at the centre. This
work will draw on the archaeological discoveries made during the surveying of the site.
As a result, visitors to the Whitefriars Shopping Centre will be able to see a visual
interpretation of the history of the site.
Arts Council England is also working with SAGA on plans to draw creative industries to
Folkestone. Buying derelict properties to create artists’ studios and fixed-rent
accommodation for creative businesses, the project aims to kickstart an ongoing
programme to convert a near-derelict part of the town centre and help stimulate the
economic renaissance of Folkestone. A charitable foundation will ensure that these
properties remain available to artists at rentals fixed below the market rate.
In conclusion
The arts play an essential role in the urban renaissance of the south east, contributing to
the physical, social, economic and cultural renewal of the region.
Arts Council England is committed to work as a catalyst, coordinator, advisor, advocate
and funder of arts within urban renaissance projects. Little can be achieved through one
agency working on its own. We are keen to continue to build our partnerships with other
local, regional and national bodies to further the role that the arts can play within the
wider community.
If you are interested in the work that we do or want more information on arts in urban
renaissance programmes in the south east, please contact us.
For further information contact:
Felicity Scanlon
Assistant Officer, Resource Development
Arts Council England, South East
Sovereign House, Church Street
Brighton BN1 1RA
Phone: 01273 763000
Fax: 0870 242 1257
Textphone: 01273 710659
Email: southeast@artscouncil.org.uk
Website: www.artscouncil.org.uk
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see www.artscouncil.org.uk
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ISBN 0-7287-0942-2
© Arts Council England, May 2003
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Textphone: 020 7973 6564
Email: enquiries@artscouncil.org.uk
We are committed to being open and accessible. We welcome all comments on our
work. Please send these to Richard Russell, Director of External Relations at Arts
Council England, South East.
Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England.
Between 2003 and 2006 we will invest £2 billion of public funds in the arts
in England, including funding from the Government and the National Lottery.
It is our central belief that the arts have power to transform lives, communities
and opportunities for people throughout the country.
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