Jersey Arts Trust: 2019 Grant

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A decision made 6 March 2019:

Decision Reference: MD-E-2019-0009
Decision Summary Title:	2019 Jersey Arts Trust Grant Award		Date of Decision Summary:	14 January 2019
Decision Summary Author:	Strategic Policy Manager		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title:	2019 Report - Grant Award to Jersey Arts Trust		Date of Written Report:	14 January 2019
Written Report Author:	Strategic Policy Manager		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: 2019 grant award to the Jersey Arts Trust.
Decision(s): The Minister reaffirmed the ongoing commitment to the Jersey Arts Trust and, subject to completion of the necessary departmental compliance review and the agreement and signature of the annual schedules to the Partnership Agreement, approved a grant award of up to £358,400 to the Trust for 2019.
Reason(s) for Decision: Having reviewed the Jersey Arts Trust’s past performance and business plan, the awarding of the above grant is in line with the States of Jersey’s current cultural strategy and supports the States’ strategic goals and departmental objectives.
Resource Implications: The resource implication reflects the provision made within the current MTFP.
Action required: The Minister instructs the Strategic Policy Manager to arrange completion and approval of the 2019 annual schedules to the Partnership Agreement with the Jersey Arts Trust, subject to the completion of the departmental compliance review to the Department’s satisfaction.
Signature:		Position: Minister for EDTSC
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Jersey Arts Trust: 2019 Grant

2019 Report - Grant Award to Jersey Arts Trust

Context

The Jersey Arts Trust (JAT) was established by the States of Jersey in 1992 as an umbrella organisation for the Arts (P.79/1992).

As a result of the States Cultural Strategy (2005), its role was revised to remove responsibility for funding the Opera House and Arts Centre, and it concentrated on supporting the wider arts in Jersey.

In 2016, with the support of EDTSC, JAT now operating as ArtHouse Jersey, further re-focused its activities to concentrate on the development of artists. These changes were set out in a new constitution approved by EDTSC and the Jersey Royal Court.

Inter alia it made provision for JAT to:

Support the production of new artistic work that inspires and connects artists, audiences and communities;
Support the professional development of committed artists of all disciplines;
Connect with companies and artists globally and provide a place for artists to grow locally and internationally;
Deliver a programme of projects and services that support the aims of the Trust, providing opportunities for artist professional development, product development and cultural exchange;
Connect with a range of partners (local and international) to realise the artistic aims of the Trust and find avenues to showcase the work produced;
Connect with other jurisdictions and offer exchanges and development with the artists and organisations in those jurisdictions;
Provide support including the provision of grants, investment or bursaries to artists, (potentially through organisations or bodies) according to the aims and objectives of the Trust;
Raise funds by way of private sponsorship, earned income or public funding to support the objectives of the Trust.

The role of JAT focuses on working directly with creative artists, often (though not always) with individuals and sometimes engineering situations in which they can work together and learn from each other. It seeks to develop opportunities for these artists to enhance their artistic practice and to deepen their experience, often by generating opportunities which might be taken for granted in a larger community but which might be difficult to access in an island community. This partly accounts for its interest in engaging with practitioners outside Jersey.

In order to deliver the above, the States of Jersey have previously provided a revenue grant to JAT of up to £198,400. In late 2018, JAT bid for, and were successfully awarded an additional £160,000, as a one-off grant for 2019, from the Treasury and Resources Minister on a recommendation of the Investment and Advisory Board, bringing their 2019 annual revenue grant up to a maximum of £358,400.

The Department have now reviewed JAT’s performance for 2018 and 2019 business plan, as part of the Department’s compliance and governance framework. This includes ensuring alignment with the States of Jersey’s current cultural strategy and supports the States’ strategic goals and departmental objectives. The Department are satisfied with the information that has been provided and support the issuance of the grant.

The Jersey Opera House is owned by the States of Jersey following its purchase by the States (see P96/1995). It was refurbished by the JAT which, having raised £1.5m from private donations and sponsorship, secured a loan from Barclays Bank for £5.5m underwritten by the States of Jersey (see P167/1998). The loan is repayable at £572,000 annually (by quarterly payments made by the Trust having received funds by transfer from the States). It will be repaid in 2020.

The resource implication reflects the provision made within the current Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to agree to JAT’s grant as follows:

£358,400 as the revenue grant paid over four quarterly payments; and
£572,000 in respect to JAT’s obligations regarding their ongoing repayment of their outstanding loan to Barclays Bank in respect to the Jersey Opera House.