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A charity which runs several arts venues has been awarded a contract worth almost £30,000 to look at how Blackwood Miners’ Institute could be run in the future.
Awen Cultural Trust, which is based in Brynmenyn, near Bridgend, will conduct a ‘feasibility study’ for Caerphilly County Borough Council and report back to officers by the end of May this year.
It currently runs the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl, as well as several libraries and community centres in the Bridgend area.
Money for the £28,350 contract is coming out of £210,000 given to the council from the Welsh Government, which will keep the ‘Stute open until at least March next year.
According to the award notice published online, the trust’s work will cover how the council can move the governance of the ‘Stute from itself to an independent trust model, which could include setting up a separate company limited by guarantee (no shareholders).
The charity will also look at the venue’s existing business model and examine alternatives.
The ultimate aim is to reduce the amount of public subsidy the council currently gives to keep the doors of the grade II* listed building open.
Caerphilly Council runs the ‘Stute via a registered charity and is its sole corporate trustee.
Last year, against a backdrop of budgetary pressures amounting to £45 million, the local authority proposed to ‘mothball’ the building to save £330,000 it spends subsidising its running costs.
Public opposition to the plan erupted and in December the council made a successful £210,000 funding bid to the Welsh Government, via the Arts Council of Wales’ Resilience Fund – effectively buying it time to work out its future.
There were also conflict of interest questions around whether the council, as the ‘Stute charity’s sole trustee, could close the venue by pulling funding.
Llancaiach Fawr and the Winding House museums were not so fortunate with the two sites now ‘mothballed’. The council is hoping to find a private sector operator for Llancaiach Fawr.
Visiting the ‘Stute recently, Wales’ culture minister, Jack Sargeant, said: “Though I recognise the challenges faced by our museums, theatres and cultural spaces, this funding provides a real opportunity to move towards a more secure, sustainable footing.”
He added: “We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring cultural institutions like the Institute can continue to thrive and serve their communities.”
Dr Bethan Ryland, arts development officer for Caerphilly County Borough Council and Blackwood Miners’ Institute, said: “The funding has been a vital support for Blackwood Miners, benefiting both the staff and the wider community.
“Arts and culture play a crucial role in enhancing people’s lives and wellbeing and Blackwood Miners’ Institute serves as a historic cultural hub, making a significant impact.
“Continued investment is essential for ensuring the growth and sustainability of arts and culture for future generations.”
PR an “insult to the community”
A Welsh Government press release and photograph, from which the quotes of Jack Sargeant and Dr Bethan Ryland were taken from for this article, has been criticised by local opposition councillors.
Councillors Janine Reed (Ind, Ynysddu), Kevin Etheridge (Ind, Blackwood), Andrew Farina-Childs (Ind, Blackwood), Nigel Dix (Ind, Blackwood), Jan Jones (Ind, Ynyddu), Bob Owen (Ind, Risca West), George Etheridge (Ind, Blackwood Town Council), Rhys Mills (Plaid Cymru, Blackwood Town Council), and Cathy Clark (Conservatives, Blackwood Town Council), have issued a joint statement decrying the fact that only Labour politicians were invited to the photoshoot at the ‘Stute.
The award of £210,000 in funding, revealed in December last year, was publicised by the Welsh Government recently – a move that, the councillors claim, “reeks of political opportunism”.
They pointed out that others had been involved in the public campaign to save the ‘Stute such as Plaid Cymru Senedd Members and union Unison.
The statement read: “Labour politicians only posing for photos – says it all. The future of the Institute was secured through the relentless campaigning of the community, the efforts of opposition politicians, Unison, and the dedication of officers from the Caerphilly Arts department.
“Yet, when it came to the photo opportunity, it was reserved for the councillors who first suggested the cuts. It’s a glaring example of credit-hoarding, with those who did the heavy lifting largely left out of frame.”
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