We can – at last – confirm that we are now a registered charity (no. 1130759), under the name Active Arts Castle Vale. It’s been a long process to get there, having to change our name and ensure the suitability of our ‘objects’, i.e. the purpose of our organisation, but we got there in the end. One of the most important aspects of this new status is that it will open up new sources of funding to us, so we look forward to bringing you good news about new funding and new projects before too long!
(SR)

Report back and action points

The meeting was led by Claire Procter (Chair), Sheila Arthurs (Trustee) and Sally Rew (Development Officer). 

In attendance:

Bob Brueton (Birmingham City Council)

Trevor Evans (Head of Performing Arts, Castle Vale High School)

Mandy Neary (Manager, Castle Vale Library)

Bertram Ohene-Yeboah (Erdington Arts Forum)

Ev Beard (Erdington Arts Forum)

Rebecca Gunning (Castle Vale Extended Services)

Alicia Grande (Environmental Trust)

Beatrice Lunn (Manager, Chivenor House sheltered housing)

Apologies:

Jonathan Davies

Anne and Earle Largie

Neil Hollins

Nicola Briggs

Shane Fardon

Dave Maclean

Patrick Hayes

Hannah Johnson

Ian Lowe

Tracey Barrington

Lesley Wiltshire

Charmaine Mowatt-Harris

Arts activity in Castle Vale

It was a positive experience for the Trustees and Development Officer for Active Arts to have this meeting with stakeholders in Castle Vale, enabling us to re-connect with members of the community with whom we had not been in touch for some time as well as meet some new representatives.  Despite the fact that it is always difficult to take time out of your normal daily commitments/jobs, I believe it was a valuable experience to those who attended, as much for connecting with us as connecting with each other.  This is surely part of the benefit of having an arts ‘umbrella’ organisation, to bring us together to share our knowledge and our ambitions, so that ultimately we can work together for everyone’s benefit. 

We spent some time reviewing what arts-related activities were happening and are planned for the new year (i.e. financial year 2009/10).  On the one hand this showed how much was happening and which organisations and people were really driving forward this activity; on the other hand it helped to point up which groups of people in the community were receiving less focus for participatory arts activity.  The evidence of this meeting showed that there was less focus on cross-cultural or black and minority ethnic targeted activity as well as less targeted activity towards people with disabilities or health issues and positively promoting accessibility. 

Active Arts action points:

• Consult with stakeholders that were unable to attend the meeting on their existing arts activities and plans; discuss how such activities fit in with Active Arts.
• Follow up with stakeholders certain highlighted projects or certain needs to be fulfilled, in order to work together.
• Work towards strategy for arts development and delivery in Castle Vale in partnership with stakeholders. 

Communicating and representing

The next part of the meeting focussed on the role of the Steering Group/Members and other stakeholders and how we communicate with each other.  It was clarified that Active Arts is now led by a 4 person group of Trustees who carry the key organisational responsibilities; therefore the function of the Steering Group had more to do with representing the community and designing and implementing the arts activities that would serve that community.  Whilst no one wants to attend too many meetings – especially if they lack relevance – the representation of the community and the arts and community organisations in Castle Vale is vital to delivering meaningful arts projects enhanced by partnership working.  Active Arts is currently experiencing a difficulty in maintaining an active Steering Group that can fulfil that brief. 

Action points:

• Active Arts Trustees to define ‘job description’ of Steering Group and to pro-actively recruit a limited number of people to commit to the role for a fixed period. 

We discussed ways of effective 2-way communication with the steering group and wider stakeholders – other than having meetings – and a range of methods were discussed.  It was recommended by participants that representatives of Active Arts attend certain other key groups’ meetings (or at least be on their mailing lists for minutes, etc).  It was apparent that often the simplest methods of communication work the best, and so the priorities for communicating were email and our website/blog. 

Active Arts action points:

• Maintain and build a stakeholders’ database with whom to consult and communicate on all relevant plans.

• Create an email ‘newsletter’ once a month and circulate to the stakeholders’ database.
• Increase our use of the website/blog and encourage stakeholders/community to use it. 
• Maximise opportunities to publicise Active Arts through our own and stakeholders’ events and activities.
• Ensure Active Arts’ representation within other key groups in Castle Vale.
• Develop a communications strategy with a timeline for developing tools of communication. 

Introducing Sally

Hello! I’d like to introduce myself – Sally Rew – to all the members and friends of Active Arts. I have been appointed on a short-term contract as Development Officer for Active Arts since late in 2008, to support the organisation in setting itself up efficiently and legally, to do some fundraising and to support the development of a strategic plan for Active Arts and the arts in Castle Vale, (perhaps that’s one and the same thing…).

In the last few months I’ve attended a number of Trustee and Steering Group meetings, completed the charitable status application for Active Arts, done some work on planning and budgeting for 2009/10 and made some relevant funding applications. I hope that I’ve also helped to shape the development of the organisation and will continue to focus on that, eventually leading to a strategic plan for arts development and activity that involves other people and organisations in Castle Vale, i.e. the stakeholders in Active Arts.

Recently the Trustees held a meeting of stakeholders, enabling us to consult with people already active in connection with Active Arts and to meet others who are new or are re-connecting with the organisation. A report on this meeting will shortly be posted on this website and will be circulated to all those who attended and who are on our wider stakeholders’ email list. If you want to be kept in the loop about what’s going on with Active Arts, then please tell our Chairperson, Claire Procter, and she will put you on the email list, (see the ‘contact us’ section), or regularly log into this website for news.

Having only just introduced myself it will come as a bit surprise to you to know that I’ll be taking a very low profile in the next 3 months (to the end of June), as in the other part of my working life I have a region-wide puppet festival to produce! However I’ll be keeping in touch with the Trustees and they of course will be taking steps to build relationships with partners and to deliver the first of this year’s arts projects led by Active Arts (subject to successful fundraising of course). I’ll be back in action with Active Arts in July, but if anyone wants to contact me about projects, ideas, connections, anything related to arts in Castle Vale, feel free to email me on sally.rew@btinternet.com or phone on 07811 019701.

Best wishes, Sally

Castle Vale Reading Group was formed in 1994 and is open to any adult interested  in reading all types of genre – from the Da Vinci Code to Jamaica Inn via Bruce Forsyth’s biography!

Our sessions are very informal and provide an opportunity to talk about the titles we have read, enjoyed (or hated as the case may be).

We meet in the Library on the third Thursday of each month from 10.30 – 11.30

Why not come along and give it a try. Tea/coffee and cakes are available

Lesley Aston

0121 464 7335

some of our current members

The children from Topcliffe school finish their section of the background for our piece of art to be displayed in Castle Vale Library.

They tackled the cutting and pasting with enthusiasm and the results will be enhanced by the individual pieces both groups are making at their next meetings.

Sheila