Maidstone Borough Council
Economic & Commercial Development
Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday 25 February 2014
Events Review – Maidstone Area Arts Partnership
Report of: Sam Bailey, Research and Performance Officer
1. Introduction
1.1 At the Economic & Commercial Development Overview & Scrutiny meeting on the 28th January 2014 the Committee agreed to invite witnesses along from organisations that have previously put on events in the borough. The evidence gathered from these witnesses will be used to inform the Committee’s ongoing review into events in the borough.
1.2 In order to understand how the Council supports event organisers, the Committee agreed that they would invite representatives from organisations that hold events in the borough.
2. Recommendation
2.1 That Members interview Ken Scott, Chair of Maidstone Arts Partnership in relation to the review topic.
3. Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 The Committee has created a work programme for the municipal year. At their previous meeting held on 28 January 2014 Members agreed that it would be helpful to interview witnesses from organisations that organise events in the borough to inform their current review topic.
3.2 Maidstone Arts Partnership are responsible for organising a variety of events in the borough such as the Brenchley Gardens Bandstand concerts throughout July and August. They have also worked in partnership with the Town Team on various events held in Jubilee Square.
3.3 Maidstone Arts Partnership’s vision is ‘of individuals and communities in Maidstone flourishing through the contribution of Arts and Culture’. Their mission is ‘to represent and promote Arts and Culture in Maidstone and participate as a proactive partner in its artistic and cultural development’. Several of the partnerships objectives relate to the Committee’s review objective:
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· Improve public awareness of artistic and cultural activities and its benefits to individuals and communities.
· Contribute to development of artistic and cultural initiatives for individual and wider community benefit.
· Partner with key agencies to implement artistic and cultural initiatives for individual and wider community benefit.
4. Impact on Corporate Objectives
4.1 The Committee will consider reports that deliver against the following Council priority:
· For Maidstone to have a growing economy.
4.2 The Strategic Plan sets the Council’s key objectives for the medium term and has a range of objectives which support the delivery of the Council’s priorities. Actions to deliver these key objectives may therefore include work that the Committee will consider over the next year.