The German conceptual artist is the subject of the latest Artist Rooms exhibition, this time at the seaside De La Warr Pavilion. Simon Tait reports.
The tax driver isn’t impressed by Bexhill-on-Sea’s De La Warr Pavilion. “Looks all right from the beach, but the backside that faces the town looks like a car showrooms. Hate it. And it’s all for the arty people, nothing for the locals as it was meant to be”.
He probably won’t feel any more positive about the new exhibition at the De La Warr, but the arty people will like it. If it comes off, a few more besides, and maybe one or two locals.
In fact, despite its avant garde nature, the De La Warr’s director Alan Haydon thinks Bexhill will love it.
The exhibition title, Beuys is Here, reflects the surprise of the choice of location for such art for some, but it’s the De La Warr’s choice from the Artist Rooms tour. This is the extraordinary series of work by key modern and contemporary artists collected by the dealer Anthony D’Offay and donated to the nation via the Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland, half way through this first year’s journeying, for which key galleries around the country make bids with their proposals which D’Offay himself vets. Among the showings already, Wolverhampton and Walsall have had Warhol, Glasgow has had Bruce Nauman, Middlesbrough Gerhard Richter, Cardiff Diane Arbus, and Inverness Robert Mapplethorpe. Tate has had a huge bite with LeWitt in Liverpool, Gilbert & George at Millbank, Anselm Kiefer/Ed Ruscha and others at Bankside and Lawrence Weiner at St Ives.
But this is the one Haydon wanted: Joseph Beuys, the sculptor, painter, conceptualist, performance artist, humanist, theorist and social philosopher who died in 1986.
“It’s a great opportunity, particularly in a building founded upon socialist principles and cultural democracy, so where better to begin with Beuys than here” he said. “And we particularly wanted to test the sense of Joseph Beuys the artist, the man, and some of the issues that he was trying to confront during his lifetime, and where that is today, testing it with new generations of audiences, new generations of artists some of whom didn’t have the fortunate opportunity that I did as a young artist to meet him and be quite heavily influenced by him. The great thing for us is just to bring it out of the metropolis into a relatively small town and see it in a different setting.”
AI ProfileRosy Greenlees, executive director of the Crafts Council
Two recent items in newspapers gave Rosy Greenlees the opportunity to underline the importance of the crafts and the Crafts Council. One was a news story that said surgeons are no longer leaving medical school with the “haptic” skills – manipulative dexterity - they used to; the other was by a critic writing about architecture who wrote that “visual artists fought for centuries to define themselves as more than mere craftsmen”.
Between them, they serve to define where the crafts are in the 21st century. One reason given for apparently cack-handed surgeons is that they used to be taught craft at school – not simply sewing but moving different materials around to serve a new purpose or an old one better – and our children are not being taught the crafts at school that provide those haptic skills. “It seems to me there’s a much broader value around that engagement” says the executive director of the council. “Engagement in tangible materials and skills is central”.
The remark by the critic, Jonathan Jones of The Guardian, reflects a long-standing misconception about the creative hierarchy, with visual art standing way above the handicrafts, and craftspeople striving to be promoted to recognition as artists. “If an artist does something which is craft it’s called art” she says. “If a maker does something original they’re criticised for trying to aspire to be artists. I’m not saying craft is art, it’s different, they’re apples and pears, one is not superior to the other.”
And these are two key messages she has made it her mission to get across as the Crafts Council moves on as the national development agency for the contemporary crafts in the UK, with a key new document, the Craft Blueprint, created by a Crafts Skills Advisory Panel she chaired and published jointly by the Crafts Council and Creative & Cultural Skills.
The report calls for more diverse entry into the craft professions, and education in craft at all levels, with new apprenticeship provision, and a review of craft qualifications. It wants to enhance leadership, professional development and business support in a sector which has been seen to be fragmented. And the report calls for more alliances among craft, visual arts and other relevant organisations. In her forward, Greenlees says the sector needs the skills to reach new markets born of globalisation, fragmentation and new consumer trends. “It needs to further capitalise on developing digital cultures to create new types of craft production and consumption”.
Twenty-six more primary and secondary schools across England are to become “Schools of Creativity”, to spread further the development of creative teaching and learning practices.
They join the 30 announced last October as “the leading edge of a… national creative learning programme”.
“We want to support young people to develop the right skills fit for the 21st century world of work, and to place creativity at the heart of young people’s learning” said culture minister Barbara Follett. “These schools will be at the cutting edge of what can be achieved when schools are supported to be creative, right across the curriculum.”
The programme is part of Creative Partnerships which, since the first round was announced, has become part of the new and independent Creativity, Culture and Education (CCE).
Over the next two years each school will receive £40,000 and an education consultant to help develop and promote creative learning. Some schools will have to restructure timetables to ensure that all lessons provide opportunities for creativity “within a safe risk-taking environment”. Others will develop existing projects such as improving children’s literacy through film-making and using outdoor learning spaces to spark innovation and creativity.
The programme’s task is to help raise educational standards and develop skills in students that employers need, such as the ability to question, make connections, innovate, problem solve and reflect critically.
Paul Collard, chief executive of CCE, said: “Our education system needs to reflect the ever changing society we are in. All young people must leave school with good qualifications and a range of skills designed to equip them for the working world – whatever this may look like in the future. The Schools of Creativity will not only progress with their own journey of transformation but their work will help local schools to develop their practice and influence the national agenda.”
Arts Council England has announced the last details of the new structure that will save £6.5m a year, meeting the government’s requirement of 15% of savings by the end of tine financial year.
The principal changes include:
· an overall reduction in staff numbers across the organisation of 21 per cent
· nine streamlined regional offices grouped in four areas – North; Midlands and South West; East and South East; London
· a smaller head office, which will also co-locate with the London regional office
· a smaller executive board – nine members instead of 14
· a centralised grants for the arts process based in Manchester.
Changes will begin immediately with the new structure fully in place by April 2010.
The proposals were announced in February and approved by the national council last week. They will allow the sharing of resources and knowledge more flexibly across the organisation and simplified processes. Regional staff will be focused on customer-facing activities, while the streamlined head office and smaller executive board will be more strategic.
“This is no mere tinkering” said chief executive Alan Davey. “It is about transforming the way we work and requires a significant change in our culture. I have confidence in our people’s ability to step up to that challenge – to operate as one organisation, with responsibility and openness, to achieve our mission of great art for everyone.”
News focusRedmond plan to copy Liverpool get go-ahead
The government is to go ahead with plans for a UK City of Culture every four years, with the first in 2013, the year after the London Olympics.
But culture secretary Ben Bradshaw warned that there will be no extra funding for the scheme. Costs will have to be met from existing resources.
TV producer Phil Redmond, cultural director for Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, originally suggested the idea, and the decision to proceed follows a feasibility study by Redmond.
He said the successful cities could expect to see economic and social benefits flow in, as Liverpool had, leaving a lasting legacy.
But the successful bidders need not be cities, Bradshaw said. Bids would also be welcome from closely linked urban areas, provided there is a clear central focus to the area. London, or any part of London, need not apply, at least for 2013.
“Culture is something that we are incredibly good at in the UK. But excellence and innovation in the arts does not begin and end inside the M25 and I believe we have been too London-centric for too long in our cultural life. So this competition aims to find a city or area outside London that has the wow factor, with exciting and credible plans to make a step change in its cultural life and engage the whole country.
“Liverpool’s success last year brought pride, confidence and real economic regeneration to the area. Their triumphant year shows that the title of City of Culture will be a prize very much worth having, with a huge amount to play for.”
A selections committee has yet to be appointed, but Redmond said he was prepared to be its chairman, but he said success of the scheme would much depend on the support of the media, the BBC and local TV and radio stations. What had helped Liverpool last year was high profile media events such as the Turner Prize, the Brits and the Stirling Prize being shifted there from London.
“Liverpool benefited tremendously in 2008, from simply having a badge of authority that allowed people to work collaboratively together to enhance and maximize every event throughout the city” he said. “It also acted as a focal point for every cultural economic and social agenda – including permission to enjoy themselves.
“Culture is not an amorphous concept: it is at the heart of everything we do. To bring about any step change you need to bring about cultural shift and that is where cultural practitioners can help by introducing new ideas and new ways of doing things.”
How it will work
Bidders for the mark have until October 16 to submit outline applications online, with December 11 as the deadline for initial bids. A shortlist will be announced dearly next year, with final detailed plans for the short-listed submitted by May 28. The Secretary of State will announce the winner later in 2010.
Bids will be expected from partnerships from a city or area, including local authorities with a lead organisation to channel communication during the process.
The definition of “city” will be loose, the requirement being that a substantial programme can be delivered to lead a step change in an area.
The only area precluded for 2013 is London, partly because the Olympics will have occurred there the year before.
The criteria the panel will judge by are:
A high quality cultural programme appealing to a variety of audiences
Evidence of culture being used as a tool for lasting regeneration
A demonstrably significant economic impact to come from the programme
Credibility and track record, evidenced by key partners
An approach that maximises legacy and the ability to evaluate impact
Bath has retained its status as a World Heritage Site status, despite concern about development in the city. A team from the UN’s cultural body Unesco has given Bath the thumbs-up following an inspection last November. The inspection came after complaints that a major riverside development would damage Bath’s historic centre. Unesco said the historic sites of Bath were “very well managed” and its major buildings are in a “very good state of conservation and closely monitored”. It said the first phase of the riverside development would not affect the historic heart of Bath but suggested improvements to subsequent phases. Councillor Francine Haeberling, of Bath and North East Somerset Council, said Unesco’s report was “very positive”.
• Unesco has also added the Pontcysyllte aqueduct near Wrexham to the list of World Heritage Sites. The structure, built by Thomas Telford and William Jessop, is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain.
Creative Scotland, which will take over from the Scottish Arts Council next year will lose more than £300,000 because it has not been granted charitable status.
Scotland’s culture minister Michael Russell admitted that the new body to be formed from the merger of SAC and Scottish Screen has fallen foul of new rules governing charitable status.
It means that Creative Scotland will immediately lose £300,000 that would have come with exemptions from taxes and other regulations.
Ewan Brown, told a conference of arts delegates that “It’s money being mischannelled out of our system. I think it’s nutty that we are in this position, and it’s an absolutely unintended consequence.”
It’s another blow for the new body, whose creation has been held up by a series of mishaps since it was first mooted four years ago. Creative Scotland is scheduled to launch next spring after the passing of the Public Services Reform Bill.
Mr Russell also said that the culture department will also be preparing reports for the Scottish Parliament on the major national companies - Scottish Opera, the National Theatre of Scotland, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Scottish Ballet. “Parliament will get a chance to see what the national companies are doing,” he said.
* The Scottish Government has also announced details of £5 million in new spending under its “Innovation Fund” for Creative Scotland. It will include £1 million for artists who create “inspirational collaborations” across art forms.
Another £1.5m is earmarked for digital media ventures, £1 million for a support programme for start-up creative entrepreneurs and the Own Art scheme of interest-free loans for art buyers has received £250,000 in funding.
New research shows that while the public values free admission to museums and galleries, free entry is not itself enough to ensure that people will visit.
A report from The Art Fund and the Work Foundation shows that free admission to galleries was important in making the public feel ownership of the nation’s art but other barriers prevented people from visiting galleries and museums. These included a lack of knowledge about the art on display and a feeling of intimidation about the buildings themselves.
Other key findings suggest that museums and galleries could increase their efforts to make art accessible, that the public should be encouraged to ask questions and interrogate decisions made on their behalf, though they were happy to leave decisions to experts.
The Art Fund survey comes after new government figures show visits to national museums and galleries, at 40.3 million, are at a record high for the third year running. Since free admission was introduced, visits to previously charging museums have more than doubled.
More than 400 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) in English Heritage sites are being balloted on possible strike action over pay. The PCS says new pay proposals will divide staff into two classes and will lead to lower wages. Catherine Craig, PCS negotiations officer for English Heritage, said, “English Heritage is already recognised as a poor payer. Rather than raise pay rates to acceptable and fair levels across the board, the visitor operations staff are being asked to foot the bill for better pay rates for others. This is demoralising.” The ballot ends on July 10.
The PCS has also condemned the British Council’s plans to cut staff by 40% over the next two years and consider offshoring work to India. Union general secretary Mark Serwotka, “We have been given very little consultation over these proposals.”
English Heritage denied that the pay deal would lead to job cuts and said all staff would get a 2% rise. A spokesman said the other staff union, Prospect, had accepted the offer. As talks were still going on, the strike vote was “premature.”
Auntie has decided she wants a TV arts editor to stand alongside her business, economics and sports editors. No idea who’s in for it, but some obvious names will pop up – arts correspondent Razia Iqbal, of course, Nick Higham no doubt, and probably the enthusiastic Front Row anchorman John Wilson. Rumour is, though, that she wants a big name from outside the Beeb, the Guardian’s Charlotte Higgins, say, but who would want it? Another of Auntie’s underlings tells me they’d be on a hiding to nothing, ‘trailing all over the world looking for stories and then having to compete with the likes of Peston for space on Ten to get them on air – drive you bonkers’.
