The Stage

Hodge appoints regional programmers for Cultural Olympiad

Published Tuesday 11 September 2007 at 14:15 by Lalayn Baluch

Eight regional creative programmers have been appointed by the government to encourage local participation in the four-year Cultural Olympiad project running alongside the 2012 Olympic Games.

The programmers will enable cultural bodies, as well as the public, to get involved in arts activities, and assess whether proposed events will be part of the creative line-up. However, they will be based within central government, rather than within the areas they represent.

Speaking to conference delegates in her first public address as culture minister, Margaret Hodge said: “They will work very closely with you, local partners, to deliver a nationwide cultural festival. They will be the first point of contact for people in the regions, and offer advice and encouragement on how you get involved in the Cultural Olympiad.”

The arts sector has already lost £137 million of lottery funding to the Olympics, and the industry is also fearing a poor settlement from the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, when Treasury cash will be allocated.

Hodge emphasised that at least £500 million of Lottery money would still be invested into the arts by Arts Council England over the next five years, and said that the Olympics cultural programme had a £40 million legacy, which was being used to encourage sponsorship. She also expressed her dedication in raising the profile of the arts within regional development agencies.

She added: “The purpose [of the Cultural Olympiad] is to have projects that should be drawn from the grass roots, from your local authority area. Grass roots community projects, which engage communities, which we need to increase participation, which will leave us with a lasting cultural legacy.”

However, a number of local government officers expressed concerns over low levels of funding, and the constraints small budgets placed on their local cultural programming.

Among those raising concerns was Christine Willison, an arts officer from Pembrokeshire. She told the culture minister: “Just to remind the minister that Wales is also having its funding top sliced by the Olympics. We have submitted, many of us, lots of ideas about how we can impact on the Cultural Olympiad, and we would like not to be forgotten.”