FEASIBILITY_STUDY , item 14. PDF 1 MB - Meetings, agendas and ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

A feasibility study prepared for the Black Box TrustNovember 2011“Promoting strong sustainable communities where people want to live, work andsocialise”The Cathedral Quarter has undergone major investment in recent years in terms of improvedpublic realm and increased business activity, making the area attractive to work in and visit.The Black Box is at the heart of the Cathedral Quarter and provides opportunities for a variety ofaudience types to socialise and enjoy the cultural activities on offer. The Department recognisesthat “anecdotally there is a lot of encouragement for the Black Box; people love it – theintimate nature and the type of acts that come to it”.Although the Department recognises the strengths of the Black Box in terms of bringing peopletogether to socialise within the Cathedral Quarter, it is aware that the venue has relied heavilyon the public funds provided over the course of its operation. In a period of public austerity andthe imminent arrival of the MAC, the Department recognises that it is a „last chance saloon‟situation for the future continuation of the venue with added emphasis placed on the need for itto review its governance and provide evidence on its future sustainability.2.1.10 ConclusionCuts in public spending have ushered in a new era, whereby the public sector in NorthernIreland is no longer in a position to provide the same level of support to the private andvoluntary sectors as it did in the decade before the recession in terms of programme fundingand capital investment. It is within this environment of public austerity that the Black Boxcurrently sits and will be competing against other arts and culture organisations‟ applying forfuture funding.The concerns of the public sector funders of the Black Box surrounding the future operation andsustainability of the venue in the light of budgetary constraints and the arrival of the new MAChave been noted in previous sections, although it is worth addressing these in response to thesuccess of the Black Box to date.In early 2008 the ACNI, BCC and DSD agreed to fund the Black Box a total of £150,000(£50,000 each) over three years. The DSD agreed to provide funding for improvement to thefront space (Green Room) by way of improvements to its kitchen facilities (including a pizzaoven) to the total of £12,000 and two months core funding for the year 2007/8 which totalled£38,000. The ACNI and BCC provided £25,000 each over the following two years.A report was prepared by the Black Box in September 2011, providing evidence to DSD on theimpact of their investment in the Green Room. It shows that there has been a return on theDepartment‟s investment, with total income figures for the space increasing by just over 205%Q2 2007 on Q2 2011, which reflect pre and post works periods. It is recognised that theinvestment by DSD „directly increased sales‟ but also catalysed further investment from theprivate sector, with Heineken funding improvement of the bar/service area to the amount of£1,000 in late 2010.It should be noted that total income from the Green Room includes the revenue generated fromhiring out the room and bar sales, in addition to the income provided by selling pizzas.Therefore, despite the closure of daytime trading as a café in early 2010, only opening Thursdayto Saturday 5pm to 11pm, the investment in the overall refurbishment of the Green Room hasnot been a wasted opportunity as it has contributed to the success of it becoming a public facingspace, generating additional income.12
Key PublicationsA feasibility study prepared for the Black Box TrustNovember 2011The Black Box has operated with the support of public funds since its inception. Taking intoaccount, overheads such as the cost of renting the building amounting to approximately£70,000 per annum, it has managed to increase the level of income it generates year on year,from 51% in 2006/07 up to 82% in 2010/11. It is the aspiration of the Black Box to become100% self-generating, however the challenging economic environment has impacted upon thebusiness.The Black Box venue operates with a proper governance structure in place, comprisingManagement Committee of Board Members, details of which are provided in Section 5 –Governance.2.2 Policy summaryBy way of summary, table 2.2 provides an overview of the policy and strategy documentsreviewed and illustrates the links between each of their objectives.Table 2.2: Summary of relationships between key policy/strategy objectivesKey objectives from selected strategiesThe Black Box Strategy AnalysisIncreaseparticipation andaccess toCulture, Arts andLeisure activitiesEnhanceNorthernIreland‟stourisminfrastructure(through thearts)Improve quality oflife by experiencing,participating andaccessing theexcellence of ourcultural assetsEstablish therole of multifunctionalurbancentresKeep pace withthe artistic andculturalexpectations of amodern societyStimulatepublic andprivateinvestment forvenuesSustainoperation ofthe Black Boxas a crucialcultural venueImprove people‟sexperience ofworking, visitingand living in theCathedral QuarterMake the CathedralQuarter Belfast‟sThriving Cultural Huband promoteclustering of creativeand cultural industriesProgramme for Government a a a aRegional DevelopmentStrategy 2025 a a a a aNorth East Quarter Masterplan a aCathedral Quarter Belfast -Five-Year Strategic Vision andDevelopment Plan 2011-2015a a a a a a a aArts Council CreativeConnections - a 5 year plan fordeveloping the arts 2007-2012a a a a aBelfast City Council „IntegratedCultural Strategy for Belfast‟a a aBelfast City Council „IntegratedStrategic Framework forBelfast Tourism‟a a a aDepartment of SocialDevelopment UrbanRegenerationa a13
Page 1: A Feasibility Study for theBlack Bo
Page 4 and 5: 6.3 Constraints ...................
Page 6 and 7: A feasibility study prepared for th
Page 66 and 67: Mosaic AnalysisBlack Box, August 20
Page 68 and 69: What sort of people booked at the B
Page 70 and 71: Characteristics of Four Prominent M
Page 72 and 73:
Marital Status of all Mosaic NI Typ
Page 74 and 75:
Employment Status of all Mosaic NI
Page 76 and 77:
Household Income Levels of all Mosa
Page 78:
OXFORDAbbey House, 121 St AldatesOx
show all

FEASIBILITY_STUDY , item 14. PDF 1 MB - Meetings, agendas and ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?