Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategy 2018-2023meetings.derrycityandstrabanedistrict.com/documents/s22761/Alley... · The Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategic Plan 2018-23 is

Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategy 2018-22 1 | P a g e

Alley Arts & Conference CentreStrategy 2018-2023

For Derry City & Strabane District CouncilBy Janie Crone Associates

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CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 41.

1.1INTRODUCTIONAlignment to Local Assembly and Council’s Strategic Directions

5

2. METHODOLOGY 73.

3.13.1.13.1.2

3.23.2.13.2.23.2.33.2.43.2.5

CONTEXTNational ContextFundingArts ParticipationRegional and Local contextPopulationDeprivationDisabilityInfrastructureArts funding in Derry & Strabane

88899

1010101010

4.4.14.2

4.2.14.2.24.2.34.2.44.2.54.2.64.2.7

4.2.7.14.2.7.2

4.2.84.2.9

4.34.3.14.3.24.3.3

4.4

The Alley Arts & Conference Centre 2007-2017Review of accomplishmentsDescription of facilities and servicesTheatre & programmingGallery & ExhibitionsConference centreCivic CentreHeritage & Museum ServicesTourism & Visitor Information CentreFestivals & EventsCommunity Engagement & ParticipationArts DevelopmentAccess & InclusionMarketingPerformance analysis% occupancy of venue 2007-2016Audience analysisMarket place and competitionCosts

12121313131414141415151515161616171819

5.5.15.25.35.45.55.65.75.85.9

5.105.115.125.13

Issues, challenges and opportunities for developmentThe Alley and its environsCivic CentreGallery & ExhibitionsConference CentreArts DevelopmentFestivals & EventsHeritage & Museum ServicesProgrammingTourism & Visitor Information CentreCaféMarketingAccess & InclusionFunding

2020212222222223242426262626


5.145.155.16

Partnership working and networkingCross BorderOrganisational

272830

6.6.16.2

6.2.16.2.26.2.3

The Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategy 2018-23VisionKey Themes, Aims and OutcomesCultural destination of choiceParticipation & EngagementSustainability

313131323234

7. Alley Action Plan 2018-23 358.

8.18.2

Outcomes & Impact EvaluationMeasures of Success and PerformanceMonitoring & Review Cycle

393940

Appendix 1 Key trends in Arts & Cultural ActivitiesEvents & VenuesMarketingParticipation and engagement

41

Appendix 2 SWOT & PEST analysis 43Appendix 3 Actions from DCSDC Community Plan, Business & Culture Service

Delivery Plan and Strabane Local Action Plan46

Appendix 4 DCSDC Community Plan – priority areas and outcomes for Tourism, Arts & Culture

48

Appendix 5 Customer research survey 2017 49Appendix 6 Urban Park Proposal Development 62Appendix 7 Flann O’Brien Literary Festival 63Appendix 8 People and organisations contacted as part of the consultation for

the Strategy65


EXECUTIVE SUMMARYA four month period (May-August 2017) of research and consultation was carried out in the development of the Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategy, with a staff workshop, 24 face-to-face interviews, directly mailed questionnaires, survey monkey, telephone and email communication.

The consultation confirms that the Alley has a very positive profile within the town and district with audiences, community arts groups and promoters, and great value is placed on having a professionally run theatre and cultural venue at the centre of the community which is considered a neutral venue. Since it opened its doors in 2007 the Alley has been at the heart of cultural life and has had a pivotal role in the development and support of community arts throughout the town and district in Strabane.

With the reform of Local Government in 2014 and the combination of what was Strabane District Council and Derry City Council the Alley is now striving to find its place in an enlarged council that encompasses Northern Ireland’s second largest urban population in Derry City (+100,000 Derry City and 149,470 for DCSDC), and is now one of a large number of cultural venues where once it was the cultural venue in Strabane District Council.

There is a perceived imbalance between the councils efforts in Derry and Strabane with comments like, ‘Derry gets it all’, ‘we are the poor relations’, ‘we get what’s left’, and ‘we are being forgotten about’. These comments have relevance in the development of the strategy in that the Alley being the only owned, funded and managed theatre and arts centre in DCSDC has many strengths and positives for the council to demonstrate its continued commitment to the Strabane area.

The focus of the strategy is on the Alley’s position as Strabane’s cultural hub and how it develops its position as the cultural venue in the region / district becoming the cultural destination of choice. Other aims include the Alley’s reach into the community through the delivery of programmes of participation and engagement that support the development of new audiences, community arts, and improve the health and wellbeing of the whole community. Building and maintaining strong and robust partnerships will be essential to support the work.

The vision for the Alley is that it is ‘Strabane’s cultural hub and centre of community and civic pride – leading the way in arts participation and engagement, and enabling access and inclusion of everyone.’

Underpinning the Strategy are three key themes – Cultural destination of choice, Participation & Engagement, and Sustainability, with aims and actions that support the delivery of these:

To be the cultural hub and centre of community and civic pride; To contribute to revitalising the town centre; To deliver vibrant events and festivals; To increase participation in arts, heritage and cultural activities; To increase use of the Alley as the key cultural venue in Strabane; To strive for the highest standards in enabling access and inclusion; To build and maintain resilient partnerships; To support and facilitate the community arts sector; To support career development.


1. INTRODUCTIONDerry City & Strabane District Council’s Service Delivery Plan 2017/18 provides an action under the Directorate Improvement Objectives for the: Delivery and initiation of the 5 year Strategy for the Alley Arts & Conference Centre in line with Community Planning priority outcomes.

Janie Crone Associates was awarded the contract to conduct research, review and consultation for the development of a 5 year Strategy for the Alley Arts & Conference Centre and explore options and costs regarding models for future service delivery. The Strategy incorporates an action plan and a methodology for ongoing impact assessment, all of which will be consistent with the Community Planning and Local Area Plan outcomes.

The Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategic Plan 2018-23 is the result of a comprehensive process that has included extensive research and consultation (see Methodology below, page 7). The vision, aims and outcomes reflects the position of the Alley at the centre of community and civic life in Strabane, while the Strategy builds on past achievements and identifies areas for future work that will strengthen the ability of the Centre to serve the region in the most effective and resourceful ways.

1.1 Alignment to DCSDC Strategic DirectionsThe draft Programme for Government (PfG) states that; ‘Cultural engagement impacts positively on general wellbeing. Cultural participation is known to bring benefits in learning and education; and there is a significant association with cultural engagement and good health and satisfaction with life. Culture is key to our sense of identity as individuals and as communities. Cultural offerings encourage visitors and day-trips, creating and maintaining jobs in cultural tourism; and contribute to the development of creative industries in our economy.’ In supporting the importance of cultural engagement the PfG has an indicator (27) – Improve cultural participation with a measure: % engaging with arts/cultural activities in the past year.

The Community Planning process is a new statutory duty involving partnership with all tiers of government, the community and voluntary sector, and business and through which has developed the DCSDC Inclusive Strategic Growth Plan 2017-2032. The outcome under Tourism, Arts & Culture is – ‘We live in the cultural destination of choice’ – together with a number of actions The actions within the Community Plan have an impact on the development of the Alley Strategy and there needs to be a close correlation of the Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategy particularly between it and the development of the DCSDC Culture Strategy and the Strategic Audience Development Programme.

The Strabane Local Action Plan focuses on issues that are specific to Strabane Town and has identified an outcome under Tourism, Arts & Culture – ‘We have a better promoted and improved tourism/cultural product’ – with a number of actions to achieve this outcome.

The Business Improvement District (BIDS) Business Plan 2016-2021 also identifies measures that will support the arts and cultural sector of the town through creating an entertainment programme of regular events for both the daytime and night time economy and proactively marketing the town. There are other measures around access and


experience that will make the town more accessible and welcoming and bring footfall back into Strabane.

The Alley Strategy needs to reflect the PfG framework together with the outcomes based approach of the DCSDC Community Plan and Local Development Plans, and build partnerships that could bring combined benefits to the arts and cultural sector and Strabane town.

Additional to this is the North West Growth Plan developed in 2016 between DCSDC and Donegal County Council, providing for a ‘shared approach to sustainable development of the region as a whole’.

The Business & Culture Directorate are also in the process of developing a number of strategies to guide their work over the next five years. These include:

1. Tourism Strategy2. Arts & Culture Strategy3. Museum & Visitor Services Strategy

The Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategy needs to be aligned with these strategies to reflect the long term aims and direction of development within these services over the next five years.


2. METHODOLOGYThe development of the 5 year strategy has been guided by review and research analysis of council and other relevant documents and by a consultation process with stakeholders.

The review and research has included council and other relevant documents, the key ones are listed below:

DCSDC Inclusive Strategic Growth Plan 2017-2032 - Our Community Plan, June 2017 (draft 29)

DCSDC Corporate Plan and Performance Improvement Plan 2016/17 DCSDC Business & Culture Service Delivery Plan 2017/18 The North West Strategic Growth Plan - A Model for Regional Development and Growth

of the North West of the Island of Ireland, 2016 Strabane Town Local Community Plan Final V1, and Sperrin and Derg LCP’s BID in Strabane Business Plan 2016-2021 Riverine Master Plan Draft Programme for Government Framework 2016 – 21

Consultation was carried out over a four month period from May – August and started on 3rd May with a workshop with the Alley Arts & Conference Centre staff to carry out a SWOT analysis. Permanent and casual staff have been given opportunities to feed into the strategy on an on-going basis throughout the process by face-to-face interviews, emails and commenting on drafts.

The consultation has included 24 face-to-face interviews with key DCSDC council staff (sometimes more than one interview), Donegal County Council staff, cultural venue managers within the north-west region (including Donegal), business community organisations, Libraries NI and others. There have also been extensive email exchanges and telephone conversations over the past four months in order to involve a wide spectrum of people.

Questionnaires were sent out to community arts groups and promoters of events, and a survey monkey questionnaire was sent to audience members / customers that have attended the Alley for at least one event or performance. In total 71 responses were returned. The summary of the audience customer research survey are in Appendix 5, page 49.


3. CONTEXT

3.1 National ContextWe are living in a rapidly changing world with challenging economic conditions, and fast changing global business and technological environments. The Internet has created a new landscape of digital engagement and communication that adds new dimensions to the relationship with audiences with websites, dedicated apps, and online magazines as tools.

3.1.1 FundingThe UK is in a time of austerity economics and welfare reform that impacts to the greatest extent the most deprived people and areas. Cuts to public funding are squeezing budgets and the funding environment has become incredibly scarce and competitive.

For the past five years the arts has faced financially challenging times with unprecedented cuts leaving many arts organisations struggling to survive. Northern Ireland lags behind the rest of the UK in terms of governmental funding for the arts in general with the 2015 cuts reducing the region’s annual per capita spend on the arts to little more than 10p per person.

In 2011 the Northern Ireland Assembly announced that the arts budget would be cut by £1.4m over the next four years. In 2014 the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) events fund was cut for festivals and cultural events which had a knock-on effect for the local economy.The budget from the NI Executive to Arts Council in 2015 was reduced by 11%, a cut of £1.38m, and in 2016 there were 10% cuts to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure's annual budget.

The present situation is that with political deadlock the Arts Council of Northern Ireland has been forced to withhold 50% of all grants for its annually funded organisations.

The prevailing view is that the arts have public value because they promote social and economic goals, such as economic growth, social inclusion and health and wellbeing benefits. A 2013 study by the Local Government Association estimated that for every £1 spent by councils on the arts, leverage from grant aid and partnership working brings up to £4 in additional funding to the area,1 and councils generally understand the value that arts and culture brings and the positive impact it has. Cultural engagement is recognised and documented as impacting positively on health and wellbeing and the PfG includes ‘improving cultural participation’ and ‘improving our attractiveness as a destination’ within its outcomes framework. This is reflected in policies within Public bodies such as Public Health Agency in its Making Life Better Strategy 2013-2023.

However, the funding environment is extremely challenging and many arts organisations, particularly community based, are finding it difficult to stay afloat and it is not envisaged that this situation will improve over the next few years. Funding is the single biggest challenge facing the arts sector presently and the Local Authorities diminishing budgets is increasing the pressure on budgets for arts and culture. Indications are that the cuts will increase in the next four years.

And there is a cost to reducing support for arts and culture as it is already understood that investment in arts and culture drives a better quality of life and wellbeing, can promote tourism and stimulate the growth of creative industries, a trigger for economic development, are essential

1 http://www.local.gov.uk/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=5d54ddf4-1025-4720-810afd077d5dbf5b&groupId=10180)


to educational development and can build a town’s / regions reputation helping to create pride and a place where people want to live and work.

Northern Ireland is currently in a political and economic vacuum with a draft Programme for Government but no implementation and no agreed budget. The unpredictability of the exit from the EU and particularly the Border issue will not be resolved for at least 2 years.

3.1.2 Arts participationThe 2014 General Population Survey found that 79% of the adult population in Northern Ireland had engaged with the arts either as a participant or attendee within the 12 months prior to the survey, with 43% attending an arts event or activity 3 times or more. Equal amounts of men and women are engaged in the arts. Youth engagement is strong with 96% of 16 to 24 year olds enjoying the arts. There was an overall reduction in the amount of older people engaging in the arts. There was also a reduction in the proportion of disabled people engaged in the arts from 64% in 2011 to 52% in 2014. The survey shows a relationship between arts engagement and deprivation. In England it was found that the effect of area-level deprivation is considerable with those who live in the most deprived areas to have engaged with the arts less (60%) compared to those that live in the least deprived areas 85.9% . In NI at an event level, people who live in the most deprived areas are more likely than those from the least deprived areas to attend street art and culturally specific festivals, like the Mela in Belfast. Engagement in rural (80%) and urban (78%) areas shows very little difference and therefore geography does not seem to be a barrier to the arts. There seems to be an overall declining trend in attendance in arts activities or at events which has declined from 81% in 2011 to 77% in 2015.

3.2 Regional and Local contextIn 2012 the Northern Ireland Executive published its programme for government, which included a commitment to reduce the 26 councils in Northern Ireland to 11. This came into effect in 2015 and Strabane District Council amalgamated with Derry City Council to become Derry City & Strabane District Council (DCSDC). A number or powers that were previously the responsibility of central government transferred to the local council and it also became responsible for a new community planning power which places responsibility on the council to work with key partners to develop a long-term plan to improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the district. This Plan is the Strategic Inclusive Growth Plan 2017-2032 and provides the framework and direction of activity and resource allocation over the next 15 years. Within the community planning process was the development of local community plans with specific actions to local areas. Within the context of this Strategy the Strabane, Derg and Faughan DEA Community Plans are also of relevance.

The economic and social catchment area of Strabane extends into east Donegal as its natural hinterland, particularly the Lifford area and including St Johnston, Raphoe, Convoy, Ballybofey and along the Finn River valley. The exit from the EU adds considerable uncertainty to the relationship over the next couple of years as negotiations take place between the UK and EU. The exit from the EU has the potential to significantly change the dynamic of cross border trade, commuting and social engagement and in developing this strategy there must be cognisance of the implications that may lay ahead. The Stormont House Agreement of 2016 may lessen the impact in that it commits to the development of the North West Region of the Island including support for specific resources to assist with regional development and growth.


3.2.1 PopulationThe 2011 Northern Ireland census recorded a population of the old Strabane District Council area of 39,843 residents, 13,300 of which live in the urban areas associated with Strabane Town and the remaining c26,500 living in rural areas that include local towns of Castlederg, Newtownstewart and Sion Mills and villages.

The population structure is changing. Where once the district had the youngest population the prediction is a change in population structure from younger to older and a fall in population age by 2037 with increasing numbers of older people and a declining population. This will have considerable implications at both economic and social levels.

Strabane and district is not a homogeneous population. Although 99.5% are white the area does have 0.5% other ethnicities including Irish Traveller, Asian mainly Indian and Chinese, and a very small 0.02% Carribbean and Black African2 population. The Strabane Ethnic Community Association, first formed in 2004, now has membership of 150 families with over 21 nationalities represented.

3.2.2 DeprivationThe 2010 Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measures (NIMDM) ranked the DCSDC area as the second most deprived council of the eleven councils in Northern Ireland with 43% of the population living in an area defined as deprived. DCSDC has the highest proportion of its population who suffer from income (38% and the lowest earnings of any of the 11 council areas in NI) and employment (8%) deprivation3.

3.2.3 DisabilityThe 2011 census showed that just over one in five of the resident population in Northern Ireland (21% - 374,646 people) reported a long-term health problem or disability which limited their day-to-day activities. Strabane had the highest proportions of residents with a long-term health problem or disability at 24.47%.

3.2.4 InfrastructureDCSDC is a reasonably remote region within the north west of Northern Ireland with poor transport infrastructure. Its rail line has poor service provision, and the road links to Belfast and Dublin are not of motorway or dual carriageway standard so driving times are slow. The airport reduces the isolation of the region only where business and tourism are to and from the UK.

3.2.5 Arts funding in Derry & StrabaneIn 2015-16 the Arts Council Exchequer funding to Derry and Strabane area was £1,329,223 through 24 awards, and a further £952,290 of 49 awards through the Arts Council Lottery funding. The UK City of Culture 2013 Legacy Fund to 2016 provided an additional £900,000 through 47 projects. The partnership investment by the Arts Council NI and Derry City & Strabane District Council was to continue the momentum created by City of Culture and enhance the arts programming of the city’s venues and arts organisations. The Arts Council NI is investing £1.5m through the Local Government Challenge Fund offering councils up to £150,000 with the local authority match funding another 50%. The investment must be for new and additional projects and programmes to those within council arts current spending. DCSDC will use the money for

2 http://www.lgsc.org.uk/fs/doc/Strabane%20S75%20Statistics.pdf3 http://www.thedetail.tv/articles/derry-strabane


Youth Arts Development Programme, Festival Engagement Programme, Audience Development Programme and Visual Arts Residencies.

DCSDC Business & Cultural Directorate has a net budget of £7,229,269 of which 20% is spent on arts and culture.

Marketing F&E Tourism

A&C VMS

DCSDC Budget Allocation within Culture


4. THE ALLEY ARTS & CONFERENCE CENTRE 2007 – 2017The Alley Arts & Conference Centre was opened in March 2007 and is a Derry City & Strabane District Council owned and operated venue situated in the centre of Strabane town. The Centre incorporates a theatre complex, art gallery, conference centre with 6 break-out rooms adjacent to the Library space, and the Strabane Visitor Information Centre. The auditorium has retractable seating for up to 270 people which allows for customisation of seating numbers and flexibility of use in that it can convert into a flat floored exhibition hall, round table conference area or a banquet hall. The venue employs 8 core and 30 casual staff.

The Alley Arts & Conference Centre was guided by an Action Plan during 2012-2015 which incorporated a vision, three objectives, actions and outputs. This action plan will be reviewed as part of the development of the new strategy.

As a multi-functional centre the Alley encompasses a number of services and facilities outlined in detail below. Many of the services overlap in planning and delivery.

4.1 Review of achievements During 2017 the Alley celebrated its 10 year anniversary and in developing a new strategy it is useful to reflect on past activity, achievements and highlights, and how they contribute to the cultural, social wellbeing and economic wellbeing of Strabane.

Contributes to the cultural activity of Strabane Pivotal to the arts and the development of community arts in Strabane and district 190 days of programming 2017 Supports local arts groups Built strong relationships with community arts groups particularly with the long

established Strabane Drama Festival and Inclusion Dance Group

Contributes to the social wellbeing of Strabane Arts & Disability Charter Mark Status Autism Friendly venue Café is run through a social economy business model and in partnership with New

Horizons Inclusion Dance Group originally through the Let the Dance Begin a Creative

Community Well Being Partnership Project Access & Inclusion Programme based in the Alley

Contributes to the economic wellbeing of Strabane Employs 8 core and 30 casual staff 90,540 people used the venue in 2017 127 events programmed 63 Arts Development workshops 19,187 tickets sold for events and performances 64% occupancy QUEST accreditation secured Tourism NI Star Rating Scheme


4.2 Description of facilities & servicesThe Alley Arts & Conference Centre is a multi-functional centre which delivers a wide range of facilities and services as seen in the diagram below. Supporting all these strands is the Marketing Department and the Access & Inclusion Project both of which liaise across all the services.

Alley Arts &

Conference Centre

Theatre / Programming

Civic Centre

Heritage & MuseumServices

ConferenceCentre

Festivals & Events

Visitor Information

Services

Arts Development

Cafe & Bar

Gallery & Exhibitions

4.2.1 Theatre & Arts ProgrammingThe Alley Theatre houses a 270 auditorium which on average programs 190 days of events annually, with 127 events and 63 workshops in 2017. Programming is achieved three ways: through promoters hiring the venue, through a split arrangement with the event promoter or in-house. Audiences and occupancy are dealt with separately below.

4.2.2 Gallery & ExhibitionsThe Alley Gallery is a large open space in an L-shaped arrangement situated upstairs and over the café and reception area. It has an active programme of visual arts and other exhibitions, normally of 4 weeks duration.

NOTE: The Alley is used by DCSDC Festivals & Events providing ticketing for events and festivals in Strabane.

Visit Derry


4.2.3 Conference CentreThe council own five meeting rooms that are adjacent to the theatre within the Library complex with varying capacities from 12 to 60 people. The largest room - the Civic Room - holds up to 80 people seated and 120 unseated and is owned by the Library Service NI. The theatre also can be set up in conference flat floor style with tables and chairs seating for up to 120. The rooms are hired out for meetings and training by organisations but it is not actively marketed for Conference use and the product is not well-developed.

4.2.4 Civic CentreThe Alley, together with the Library complex, is the civic centre of Strabane in being both the most prominent buildings in the centre of the community and a hub for people to gather providing the focal point for social and cultural activities. The external civic space along the frontage of the building and the Market Yard provides space for outdoor civic use and has been enhanced by two sculptures – ‘Myles After Myles’ at the gable end of the Library, and ‘Where Dreams Go’ in the Market Yard.

4.2.5 Heritage & Museums ServicesA Museum service was established by Strabane District Council in 1997 the core of which is the Dunbar Collection of photography, Victoriana, Militaria, fine arts and folk life. The collections are in the process of being relocated to the Tower Museum in Derry City with the member of staff also being relocated there.

Museums and heritage programming is presently co-ordinated by the Museum function which includes the use of the Alley for display. The Alley curates exhibitions, illustrated talks and stages heritage related events at the Alley, and has provided outreach to schools, community and history groups throughout the district. The museum service has also supported the production of an illustrated book on Strabane photographer Herbert Cooper, as well as an exhibition on the photography of Strabane native R.J. Welch.

4.2.6 Tourism and Visitor Information CentreAlthough the development of tourism product within Strabane would enhance the town and increase footfall including to the Alley, it is the responsibility of the Tourism Department within DCSDC and therefore not relevant to this strategy. However, tourism development that can increase activity in and around the Alley is relevant.

The Strabane Craft Collective, now Studio 1 @ The Alley provides high quality arts and craft goods for sale within the foyer of the Centre. This provides local products for sale and a point of contact to the artists and craft makers in the region.

Strabane Visitor Information Centre, one of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's approved networked tourist information facilities, is based within the Alley Centre and provides a valuable resource within the town centre for information and signposting for tourists and the community. The Visitor Information Centre provides additional services to the public. There are a considerable amount of local history, family history and genealogy enquiries from locals and visitors and they hold the key to the Old Town Cemetery.

4.2.7 Festivals & EventsA staff member from the DCSDC Festivals & Events Department is based within the Alley with responsibility for co-ordinating the Strabane and district festivals and events, while ticketing for


those events and festivals is done through the Alley. The marketing of the festivals and events is carried out by a DCSDC Marketing Officer also based within the Alley.

4.2.8 Community Engagement & ParticipationSince the Alley opened in 2007 it has had a strong ethos of community engagement and participation. It has been the spring board and catalyst for the development of community arts and the formation of many arts groups over the past ten years. The Alley has facilitated the growth of community arts in Strabane and district working in partnership with Voluntary Arts Ireland until 2012 and also very much through its own efforts.

Community arts are thriving in Strabane and district with over 30 groups involved in a range of arts activities from drama, music and choirs to art and craft classes. Youth provision is particularly strong with numerous drama groups, dance classes, performing arts schools and academies. Many of the arts groups come to perform in the Alley Theatre on an annual basis - Drama Festival, North West Music Festival, Encore, Arts Academy and others.

The Alley has good relationships with many of the local schools who use the Alley for their annual school productions. These include Holy Cross College, St Columba’s Primary School, St. Mary’s Primary School and at times the Gaelscoil and Clouchcor Primary Schools. Some of the Donegal schools would have taken part in the Schools Drama Festival and some attend children’s performances that are programmed annually.

4.2.8.1 Arts DevelopmentThe Arts Development programme was guided by an Action Plan 2013-15 which provided a framework for the delivery of arts development in Strabane and district. The consultation at the time of the development of the action plan found that the Arts Development Service is valued widely throughout the district working to support local arts groups, organisations and individuals to nurture and support everyone’s potential to be creative particularly new and emerging creative talent, while providing new and hard to reach groups and individuals opportunities to participate in creative arts activities.

The main aim of the arts development programme has been to increase the number of people participating in arts activities and support the provision of a wide range of quality activities and events. Currently there is an Arts Council funded Arts & Older People Programme running which is engaging men in the arts through music – Music to Your Ears.

4.2.8.2 Access & InclusionThe Public Health Agency awarded funding to SDC and DCC in 2015 as a continuation of the work started during 2013 UK City of Culture and reflecting the findings of the Disability Action programme 2013 to deliver an Access & Inclusion Project within a Local Government setting. The council employed an Access & Inclusion Co-ordinator who has since rolled out a programme of activities with the aim of improving participation and increasing engagement in arts and cultural life of the pan disability community.

The Access & Inclusion Co-ordinator has been based in the Alley although her remit is across the whole district. However the close working contact has meant that the Alley has been used to pilot many of the projects initiatives having gained the Arts & Disability Charter and Autism Friendly Venue, and also supported in disability training and reviewing access.


4.2.9 MarketingThe Alley has an in-house marketing officer who is part of the councils Marketing Department and with a dedicated budget for the Alley. The officer provides the marketing for theatre programming, arts development, exhibitions and festivals through traditional media outlets, printed materials and web based marketing.

The marketing role also covers audience development through focussed marketing activities and data collection for the Mosaic and Foundation Reports provided by Audiences NI annually.

4.3 Performance AnalysisData has been analysed from the past 10 years regarding percentage occupancy of the Alley through the number of events and tickets sold per event or performance. Audience NI Mosaic reports from 2013-15 about audiences attending the theatre have also been analysed and average percentages shown in a pie chart. The market place and potential competition has also been looked at although within the market place is also the possibility of collaboration.

4.3.1 % Occupancy of venue from 2007 – 2018

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

% occupancy2007-18

08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

TABLE: Breakdown of occupancy %

YEAR HIRE HOUSE / SPLIT ARTS DEVELOPMENT NUMBER OF EVENTS

TOTALTICKETS

% OCCUPANCY

2007-08 89 events 17,311 tickets 72% occupancy

59 events 8,389 tickets 53% occupancy

17 events 2,939 tickets 64% occupancy

165 28,639 64%

2008-09 72 events13,569 tickets73% occupancy

39 events6,903 tickets69% occupancy

2 events315 tickets61% occupancy

113 20,787 71%

2007- 08 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018





112 17,358 62%




108 17,668 66%




114 17,442 67%




94 12,579 65%



None 125 17,073 63%




8641 w/s 11,672 61%




11849 w/s 16,884 71%

2016-17 65 events9415 tickets62% occupancy



11325 w/s

12,510 54%




127 63 w/s

19,187 64%

The occupancy capacity of the auditorium is up to 270 people, and 120 for flat floor format with tables and chairs. The café / bar with tables and chairs can seat 70 people in a standard tables and chairs format with an option to extend to 150 people standing.

Occupancy has been consistently within the 60-70% band over the ten years that the Centre has been open. In 2008-09 and 2015-16 occupancy peaked at 71%. In 2016-17 a new box office ticketing system had been installed and as a result incurred some loss of data in which case has reflected in the occupancy figures for that period.

In a review of performance indicators across seven theatres and arts centres in Northern Ireland for the DCSDC Cultural Strategy it was found that where the centre had a large amount of workshops and few performances the average occupancy was 49%, and where there was a large amount of performances and few workshops average occupancy was 62%.

Across thirteen other theatre and arts venues the Alley is demonstrating a higher than average occupancy and that has been consistent across ten years of operating, although consideration must be given to how these figures are calculated in-house.


4.3.2 Audience analysis Audiences NI Mosaic Reports for 2013-14 and 2014-15 of the demographic and geographic analysis of audiences to the Alley Arts & Conference Centre conclude that audiences attending an event at the theatre are coming mainly from within a 20 minute drive time radius from the theatre.

The figures in general break down as – 47% from Strabane town / 24% from the rural hinterland which is the old Strabane District Council area / 15.6% from Donegal / 3% from Derry / 4.3% Omagh / 3% rest of NI / 3% other.

47%

24.30%

4.30%

3%

16%

3%

Strabane townRural hinterlandOmaghDerry CityRoIOther

4.3.3 Market place & competitionAn arts centre is a multi-functional venue with a specific remit to encourage arts practices in all its forms and to provide facilities such as theatre space, gallery space, venues for musical performance, workshop areas, educational facilities, and technical equipment, and they often have a community focus. The centres can also often incorporate other functions such as tourism services, heritage and museum services and conference and sometimes civic functions. Most arts centres will have café / restaurant and bar facilities that combine to make them important creative hubs and meeting places. Arts Centres play a central and important role in the arts and cultural life of the towns and cities they are in, contributing to both the daytime and night time economy and one of the reasons visitors come a place.

Northern Ireland has a number of regional arts centres and theatres owned and operated by the respective district council. There are others that are set up as Trusts or Companies Limited by guarantee and managed through a Board of Directors often also as a registered charity. These are funded through a number of funding bodies and organisations which can include the local district council.


The diagram below provides a visual picture of arts centres and theatres within a 30km radius of the Alley Arts & Conference Centre and could be considered its direct competition for audiences. The Strule Arts Centre in Omagh is the most similar in that it is owned and managed by Fermanagh & Omagh District Council with a similar range of functions and services. There is however also the potential for collaboration between places such as the Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny and the Balor Arts Centre in Ballybofey and these are discussed below in chapter 3.

Alley Arts & Conference

Centre

Regional Cultural Centre,

Letterkenny27kms

PlayhouseM Forum

WatersideDerry City

23kms

Strule Arts Centre, Omagh 30kms

Balor Arts Centre Ballybofey

24kms

An Grianán Theatre

Letterkenny27kms

4.4 COSTSA performing arts venue as an industry is capital intensive with regard to wages / staff, capital investment in buildings, technical requirements such as sound and lighting, and marketing.

The Alley is funded directly through DCSDC and its budget has remained the same over the ten years. The potential to source other funding opportunities has declined however, and the Arts Council withdrew funding to regional theatres that are owned and managed by Local Authorities in 2008/09.


5. ISSUES, CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT This section draws out the current issues and challenges that need to be addressed and explores the opportunities for development of the Alleys services, facilities and environs.

The Alley is striving to find its place in an enlarged council that encompasses Northern Ireland’s second largest urban population in Derry City (+100,000 Derry City and 149,470 for DCSDC), and is now one of a large number of cultural venues where once it was the cultural venue in Strabane District Council.

The Alley, as a Local Authority run arts centre has enabled a cultural venue in an area of high deprivation, low employment and little access to arts and cultural activities prior to its opening. As a cultural venue it has managed to influence, advocate, support, and facilitate the growth of a vibrant and diverse community arts sector in Strabane and across the district. The strength is that the Alley is owned, funded and managed by DCSDC and can place itself as the centre of good practice for other cultural venues to aspire to and the centre of piloting new initiatives such as being at the forefront of access and inclusion and the CRM ticketing system.

The Alley is very much valued by the local community who consider it a neutral space and think it contributes to the economic, social and cultural experience of Strabane. 38% of customers who answered a survey as part of the consultation for this strategy said that they could not think of anything that would improve the venue experience. Where there were comments they were about the congestion in the foyer area and the ambience of the bar and café area in evenings, the wish for a pre-show meal option, better parking options and draft beer.

5.1 The Alley and its environsThe Alley has a central location within Strabane, along the main route, Railway Road, into the town from the A5 Omagh to Derry road and crossing point into Lifford and Donegal, though is

Alley Arts & Conference Centre 2016-17 accounts Theatre & Programming

Income Cost Expenditure CostFUNDING

DCSDC 406,170Grants received

0

EARNED INCOME

Ticket sales and venue rental

48,483 Salaries & wages 257,880

Bar takings 22,987 Administrative and running costs 175,466

Rental income 405 Building & maintenance 34,044

Other 78,073 Programme costs 88,728 Total 556,118 Total 556,118


virtually ignored in relation to signage from any direction as any directional / tourism signposts are for the Visitor Information Centre only. As a starting point it would be important to highlight the Alley from the A5 and place signage to enable people to know that there is a cultural centre worth visiting in the centre of the town.

The Alley is already a focal point within the town of Strabane for a wide range of activities, and the adjoining Library adds to the civic function of the building, while the external civic space has been enhanced with the addition of two pieces of sculpture – Flann O’Brien and Ambrose the Pig. However, at present the Market Yard is used more as a thorough fare from the Canal basin car park to Railway Road. There is much that could enhance the area surrounding the Alley through exploring the opportunities to develop the Market courtyard and adjacent lot, and linkages to and enhancement of the SCORE site.

More can be done to create engaging public spaces in the area surrounding the Alley, primarily the Market Yard and link to SCORE site. The Market Yard provides an ambient area off the main street that is safe and secure and could be more utilised. The addition of a corner stage could provide the opportunity for pop-up performances and open mike sessions of both music and spoken word.

The covering of the Market Yard similar to the Derry Craft Village would enhance the space considerably and provide wet weather cover for outdoor programming.

The lot that shares a boundary with the Market Yard detracts from the aesthetics of the space and could if acquired really enhance the whole area, providing greater space and scope for outdoor events and functions. It would also enable disabled car parking space to be provided nearer to the Alley improving

accessibility.

The Alley foyer is light, airy and welcoming but could do with some internal orientation and signage. The signage to the gallery is hidden by a structural post so it is not obvious that there is a gallery up the stairs or that there is an exhibition in it. The arts and craft shop within the entrance foyer is a perfect placement of high quality locally made items by a collective of local artists. However there is nothing to tell the visitor this. Information in the foyer and in the general Alley marketing could increase footfall, sales and strengthen linkages to local artists who could also be providing exhibitions and workshops within the Alley Gallery. Placement of any signage needs to do its job but also be aesthetic in size and positioning.

5.2 Civic CentreThe Alley, together with the Library complex, is the civic centre of Strabane in being both the most prominent building in the centre of the community and a hub for people to gather providing the focal point for social and cultural activities. The development of the vacant plot adjacent to the


Alley and the revamping / redevelopment of the SCORE site with better linkages to the Alley would enhance the whole area adding a real vibrancy to the centre of Strabane.

5.3 Gallery & ExhibitionsAn objective in the Business & Culture SDP is the delivery of a Visual Arts Residency Programme aimed at developing the exhibition infrastructure within DCSDC and leveraging private sector investment in the arts. This would be further supported through the Challenge Fund Visual Artists Residencies with the culmination of four exhibitions.

The gallery could be further animated through:- A programme of workshops and artists talks;- Meet the Maker and workshops with Studio 1 @ The Alley arts and craft collective;

Through the consultation the most popular choices for visiting the gallery would be – 61% local history, 55% craft workshops, 53% visual arts, 41% heritage and 27% illustrated talks.

There is an opportunity to develop the first room of the gallery as a semi-permanent display telling the story of Strabane town. This would provide a visible heritage aspect to the Centre and support the Visitor Information Centre service which facilitates numerous enquiries about local town history. It would also support storytelling and reminiscence sessions, curriculum linked history, a focal starting point for Peace Tourism development, a backdrop for local history talks and the possible development of a walking tour of Strabane.

5.4 Conference CentreThe Alley has very good non-residential conference and training facilities that can manage varying sizes and flexibility. The auditorium can seat 270 people with rooms that can be used for interviews, meetings, product launches, networking events and presentations, while the Alley staff can provide focussed co-ordination and technical support.

To date the conference service and facilities have been poorly marketed and underutilised. To develop the centre for conferences the Alley needs to develop the conference package and information, a pricing structure, and marketing. It is felt that to really pursue a conference product there would need to be a designated co-ordinator and that any development needs to be balanced with resourcing in terms of staffing, time and return on investment.

5.5 Arts DevelopmentThe Arts Development programmes delivered through the Alley over that last decade have supported the development of community arts in Strabane and district. They have often been the catalyst for groups to form – some survived, others did not – but today Strabane and district has a thriving community arts base, and many of the groups use the Alley for performances.

Since 2015 there is a greater understanding of the impact that taking part in the arts can have on health and wellbeing. An all Party Parliamentary Group for Arts, Health and Wellbeing was launched in January 2014 and together with this and many other organisations working in the field policies and priorities have changed. The focus for arts development is now partly coming from health and social cohesion perspectives with drives to promote programmes for older people such


as the ACNI Arts & Older People, and providing opportunities for people with disabilities and supporting disabled arts through the Arts Council4 and Public Health Agency.

Youth arts programmes are also a focus with the Year of Youth initiative as DCSDC’s commitment after its unsuccessful bid to become European Youth Capital (EYC) 2019. Youth have been included in the councils ACNI Challenge Fund application, along with the Arts Council Lottery funded Youth Squad Take Over which invites young people to develop their own arts base performance.

Arts Development activities are a crucial link with audience development, supporting access to the arts and the increased active participation.

5.6 Festivals & EventsFestivals contribute to the tourism product; they can be important both for urban regeneration and development, can contribute to the impact of the image of the town, and are an important part of the life of a community and can develop pride and social cohesion.

The Alley Theatre should be the key venue and central to programming within festivals and events, particularly when they are co-ordinated by DCSDC.

There are already a number of key festivals within the Strabane calendar of events but there is room for further development by building on the existing and developing new product. The Strabane Local Action Plan identifies the need to develop more festivals and events in Strabane to improve the footfall into the town centre and increase visitors, and the development of signature events.

Culture Night is now celebrated across the island of Ireland and this could be developed in Strabane with the Alley as central focus in the town and additional events as fringe to core activities. There is also the opportunity to collaborate cross border and draw in the east Donegal hinterland with the Balor Arts Centre and Cavanacor Gallery. Culture Night is a good mechanism to build new audiences with dip-in arts programming which can include the more challenging artistic events, and requiring less commitment from the audience, meaning people are more willing to try new things out.

Strabane needs a signature event or festival – something that is unique to Strabane. Literary festivals are becoming popular and attract wide audiences with discovernorthernireland.com tourism website highlighting them as immersive experiences. Within the west and north-west there is the Verbal Arts Centre in Derry City, the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy, the Beckett Festival and Wilde Weekend in Enniskillen, the Lughnasa International Friel Festival between Donegal and Derry, and the Benedict Kiely Literary Weekend in Omagh.

The obvious choice in Strabane is the Flann O’Brien Literary Festival and on the discovernorthernireland.com website he is highlighted as one of the literary greats in Northern Ireland. Strabane has been embracing Flann O’Brien in that past few years with the sculptures of him by Holger Lonze beside the Library, and the sculpture of the Ambrose the pig in the Market Yard adjacent to the Alley complex. The Flann O’Brien Literary Festival has been run for two years previously in 2013 and 2014 by a local community arts group, The De Selby Institute. See discussion about the festival and potential options for development at Appendix 7, page 63.

4 http://artscouncil-ni.org/the-arts/participatory-arts1/arts-disability


Another suggested signature event – a Pan Celtic (style) Festival - links to Strabane’s very strong traditional Irish and Scottish music heritage. The aim of Pan Celtic as an organisation is to promote and strengthen Celtic languages, culture, music, song and sport and to encourage inter-Celtic tourism, trade and commerce, and exchange of information - http://www.panceltic.ie/info.asp. The annual Pan Celtic Festival in Carlow incorporates music, dance, singing, storytelling, poetry, busking, visual art, parade, and food market, and involves people from all Celtic countries.

5.7 Heritage & Museum ServicesAt this present time there is no definable heritage product in Strabane although there are certainly opportunities to develop heritage product and deliver heritage related events, exhibitions and outreach education.

Strabane and district have several strong strands of history and heritage including collections that could be developed within the Heritage & Museum Service. These strands include Strabane’s photographic heritage of Robert John Welch (1859–1936) and Herbert Cooper, the town’s position as once being the centre of printing in Ulster, its position as the largest rail junction in Ireland during the first half of 20th century, and the history and heritage of the canal.

There are other opportunities to develop heritage in Strabane and the wider district:- Decade of Centenaries 2014-2024- Peace Tourism- Develop Strabane Old Courthouse as a heritage attraction / venue- History of Brass Bands since the Blowhards in the 1890’s- Heritage week- Heritage seminars- Link with the Ulster American Folk Park and family history / genealogy- Ulster Scots linkages with the Solus Centre and Sion Mills Pipe Band- Birth of Youth Culture in Ireland (1950’s) and Show Bands like the Clipper Carlton

The history of Strabane Town as an exhibition within the Alley Gallery has been discussed above and there is an action in the Strabane Local Action Plan to investigate the possibility of establishing a museum as a key heritage attraction.

5.8 ProgrammingIssues affecting programming are the availability of product in that there is not as much product to choose from, particularly within drama and touring productions. Promoters of bigger acts will not come to the Alley because of limited seating and ticket prices need to stay affordable for local audiences.

Audience development is a key activity that can support the development of more challenging and artistic programming. Under the Challenge Fund a Strategic Audience Development Programme is currently being developed that will be implemented through Arts Development activities.

A Customer Research Survey was carried out as part of the consultation for this Strategy and the most commonly requested events that would encourage people to attend the theatre more often were live music of various genres including classical, jazz, traditional and country (50% of respondents), 33% comedy and 28% drama.


There are opportunities to programme events that are part of Regional, National and European initiatives:

Irish Language Week annually 1-17 March (at present in Strabane the activities area mainly through Gaelscoil Ui Dhocartaigh)

2019 European Year of Cultural Heritage 2019 Year of Irish Language 2020 Columcille flagship project between DCSDC and Donegal County Council Decade of Centenaries to 2025 Capital of Culture 2023

5.9 Tourism & Visitor Information CentreAll the services and facilities under the umbrella of the Alley Arts & Conference Centre feed into tourism in that programming in the theatre and gallery, festivals and events, heritage and museum services, and conference centre services and facilities add to the tourism product of Strabane and district.

The town of Strabane has become a gateway to Derry City, Donegal or south to Dublin while bypassing any need to enter into the town. This bypassing is further compounded by the brown tourism signage that virtually ignores the Alley or town centre with no directional signage to it. Strabane needs to be put on the map, improving its profile and starting with some signage.

The main tourism portal for DCSDC visitderry.com has the Alley under arts and culture things to do, but there are no listings under events and no information about accommodation or places to eat. The issue may be that Visit Derry is a membership based organisation and the hospitality sector in Strabane does not feel that it is worthwhile being a member because there is no real profile of Strabane in the Visit Derry listings.

Where there is tourism product it is strongly linked to heritage however the two developed tourist ventures – Gray’s Printing and the Wilson Homestead – are on extremely limited opening times. There is a possibility of placing a contemporary visual arts printmaker at Gray’s Printers enabling the heritage building to be open to tourists and developing a new business within it. The printmaker would also be animating the space and creating new products for sale but also for exhibition that could link back to the Alley Gallery.

The audit of heritage and cultural assets commissioned in 2015 provides material for tourism product development, particularly for Strabane town and its strong industrial heritage of printing, railway and the canal, but also within the arts.

Derry City is already benefiting from Peace tourism in that people are visiting the city to places like the Bogside and the murals, taking Peace Tours and visiting the Bogside Museum and the Tower Museum to learn about the conflict. There are opportunities to develop Peace tourism within Strabane – once described as one of most bombed and battered towns in the region. 60 Minutes, a CBS News archive5 visited Strabane in 1974 and 1995 talking to the same people during conflict and post ceasefire. There is other resource material at the Conflict Archive on the INternet6, local newspapers, collections within the Tower Museum, and other.

5 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/from-the-archives-northern-irelands-troubles/6 http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/


There is already a Public Art Trail brochure and map from the H.E.A.R.T Project, and additional to that are a number of other pieces of public sculpture that would add to a town sculpture trail and a cross border driving sculpture trail. The other pieces of public art include:

- Let the Dance Begin / The Tinnies by Maurice Harron- After Myles by Holger Lonze- Where Dreams Go / Ambrose the Pig - Departure by Robert Livingstone in Abercorn Square - The Bowling Green sculpture by Bob Sloan- The Bridging Sculpture, The Diamond, Castlederg- Burn Walk Sculpture Trail by Liam Kennedy

There is a disconnected message between tourism and the arts in that the marketing is not linked. The strength of having the Visitor Information Centre within the Alley Centre provides opportunities to place the arts more centrally within the tourism offering.

5.10 CaféNew Horizons operates Café Horizon within the Alley as an outsourced service. New Horizons is a charity operating the café as a social economy model of business and there is a good will factor and social value to the relationship.

A very strong request through the consultation was for a pre-show meal option and / or seasonal event meal packages. 61% of people surveyed said that they would take up the option if offered.

In discussions with the New Horizons Manager there is a willingness to develop the food service to include pre-show / events meals, meals linked with a calendar of seasonal events such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc. If new and additional food services were provided the arrangement between New Horizons and the Alley could be reviewed with the evening service priced more commercially and therefore potentially providing an income return to the Alley, however the combined costs of a meal and show need to be considered to encourage the take up of the option.

5.11 MarketingA new contemporary website has been developed for the Alley and this provides opportunities to be more responsive and react quicker with the supply of information, including social media.

Marketing could be more holistic profiling the whole of the Alley, highlighting all the services and facilities including Studio1 @ The Alley and Café Horizons, and singing its own praises and celebrating publicly its successes. This applies to the accreditations it has gained – Autism Friendly and Autism Champions, Dementia Champion, Disability Charter, etc. This information should be highlighted through marketing, on the website and social media.

The border has been described as a ‘cliff edge’ when it comes to marketing. There is significantly reduced or no communication about arts and cultural activities unless they are part of a cross border project. There may be an opportunity to do targeted marketing within the east Donegal hinterland area outlined on the map below in the Cross Border section.


5.12 Access & InclusionThe Access & Inclusion Project has a further 3 years funding from the Public Health Agency and is guided by its own Action Plan with the core objectives to tackle economic, physical, social / attitudinal and communication barriers to participation. The actions require the Access & Inclusion Co-ordinator to liaise across all areas within the Culture Directorate such as Tourism, Arts & Culture; Visitor Services, Heritage & Museums; Events & Festival Programming & Management; Marketing, Branding & Promotions. This will support the further embedding of access and inclusion measures in all aspects of the Alleys services and facilities.

The Alley will progress with the Disability Charter, Autism Friendly venue, and other accreditations that improve access and inclusion. There is an opportunity to link with Strabane Chamber of Commerce in working in partnership with them to deliver the Dementia Friendly Town status and possibly introduce to them the Autism Friendly Town concept.

5.13 FundingThe Alley is one of a number of Local Government funded Arts Centres in Northern Ireland that has faced huge funding challenges over the past 10 years, particularly the withdrawal of Arts Council funding Regional Theatres in 2009. The annual budget provided directly from the council has remained static, other funding opportunities have declined, and as a local government funded venue funding opportunities are limited.

As a Local Authority owned and managed venue the Alley is limited in the funding streams it can access. However there are ways of diversifying revenues and developing alternative income streams through local enterprise partnerships – Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Strabane BIDS who have the potential to support developments that improve the day and night time economy and footfall in the town. Another suggestion is a Friend’s of the Alley and a sponsorship scheme – both of which requires time to develop and operate and it needs to be balanced by the level of income it can generate.

Additional funding through the Public Health Agency / Access & Inclusion Project has been a trigger to improve access and inclusion measures at the Alley and strive for access initiatives like the Disability Charter and Autism Friendly Venue. These developments could place the Alley as the Centre of Excellence and will be an on-going journey. The Strabane Chamber of Commerce are working towards Dementia Friendly Town and the Alley will be able to support and partner this as it develops.

Other funding that may have scope and impacts within the Alley’s activities are Peace IV funding which has a strand looking at Peace Tourism, and the Challenge Fund which has three strands:

Youth Arts Development Festival Engagement Programme Visual Arts Residencies

The Options Analysis Report explores models for future service delivery and management available to the council, which will include different funding options.

5.14 Partnership working and networking


Strabane has three business organisations that are interlinked with membership straddling across all – Strabane BIDS, Strabane Chamber of Commerce, and Strabane Town Forum.

Strabane BIDS is guided by a 5-year Business Plan (2016-2021) with a budget levied off all local businesses at 1.5% of the rateable value of their business annually for the next five years. The money is to be used to improve the town and trading environment of Strabane with aims most relevant to the Alley of developing events, marketing and access. BIDS has an AGM, most likely to be held each January and it would be important for the Alley, as a member organisation, to attend and have a voice.

Strabane Chamber of Commerce has been operating for many years and is a fee paying (£50-100) membership organisation by choice. Their remit is to develop initiatives that benefit the town.

Strabane Town Forum is administered by the council with a potential budget of £20,000 to spend on business initiatives. Unfortunately the Forum is not that active and therefore the budget is not always utilised.

Although the Alley cannot directly benefit from the BIDS and potential Strabane Town Forum budgets they could support and influence where and how it might be spent, and certainly closer communication and networking with the business community can only benefit all.5.15 Cross BorderThe impact of the UK leaving the EU is an unknown factor on the island of Ireland at present but it is felt that if cross border relationships are further developed and strengthened now with collaboration and activity it will ultimately lessen the effect.

The development of The North West Strategic Growth Plan 2016 between DCSDC and Donegal County Council provides for a ‘shared approach to sustainable development to the benefit of the region as a whole’, while the Stormont House Agreement provides the legislative commitment.

From - The North West Strategic Growth Plan 2016The Stormont House Agreement makes a commitment to relevant Ministers considering strategic approaches to the development of the North West region; a commitment that has led in part to the formation of a Ministerial Sub-Group on Regional Opportunities that is focused on the economic development of Northern Ireland as a whole - but with an initial focus being placed on the North West1; ‘A Fresh Start’- The Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan (2015) further commits to the development of the North West Region of the Island including support for specific resources to assist with regional development and growth;

OpportunitiesWith Strabane’s position along the border with Donegal its natural hinterland is parts of east Donegal that includes Lifford, the Finn Valley to Ballybofey (24kms), and along the R236 to Convoy (16.5kms), Raphoe (11kms) and St Johnston (c15kms). This part of east Donegal has a weak arts group infrastructure that could benefit from a closer working relationship between DCSDC, specifically the Alley and Donegal County Council through arts development and arts / cultural project development, with joint partnership with the Balor Arts Centre in Ballybofey.

Map of east Donegal hinterland


Lifford is home to Lifford Library, Lifford Court House, Donegal Heritage Office, the Irish Language Office and Donegal Archives Office. The very close position of major cultural venues and services provides opportunities for collaboration.

There are four initiatives that provide scope for cross border arts and cultural collaboration and activity. These are the DCSDC and Donegal County Council’s 2016 Cross Border Action Plan, Peace IV, Creative Ireland Programme and Culture Night.

In 2016 the two Chief Executives of DCSDC and Donegal County Council came together and developed a Cross Border Action Plan that explores how the two councils can collaborate more closely. A fund for joint projects is being ring fenced to implement and resource the action plan.

DCSDC has secured £6.1million under the EU Peace IV Programme, while Donegal County Council has c€4 million worth of funding. The funding will deliver a whole range of initiatives including projects involving arts, culture and language.

Under the Peace IV Shared Space & Services Programme DCSDC and Donegal County Council has applied for funding to develop 47 acres of new community infrastructure called the Riverine Project. The indoor space is envisaged for music, drama and multi-media activities, while the outdoor space has a capacity of c3000 people and has been designed to hold both large and smaller events. There is a suggestion that outdoor space could be used for St Patrick’s Day, July 12th, Summer Jamm Festival and Culture Night. This development could have a competitive impact on the Alley and Strabane town centre and needs to be a consideration in future discussions about the development.

Lifford Cavancor Gallery


The Creative Ireland Programme is the Irish Government’s Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016. It is a 5 year culture based initiative 2017-2022, designed to promote individual, community and national wellbeing with the belief that participation in cultural activity drives personal and collective creativity. A dedicated budget has been allocated to Donegal County Council for community engagement with the Culture and Creativity Plan and an annual programme of arts and cultural activities.

Since 2006 Culture Night has run as an annual all-island public event based initiative of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs in partnership with regional arts offices, local authorities and cultural organisations that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. The opportunity to create a cultural / arts trail between Ballybofey and Strabane as part of Culture Night would help to build and strengthen audiences within the area and possibly support the development of arts groups in that part of east Donegal which is quite weak.

Other suggested opportunities to collaborate are through:

- Protestant marching bands in Convoy, Raphoe and St Johnston with the Brass Bands in Strabane;

- The choirs in Strabane and Ballybofey;- Ulster Scots culture;- Creative writing – Gateways Writers Group in Lifford;- Photography – the collections, the Border;- Flann O’Brien and the Irish language;- Shared artist-in-residencies;- Audience development in east Donegal;

5.16 OrganisationalThe Alleys technical staff are very skilled and could be utilised in other council areas particularly for festivals and events and when the Alley does not have an event or performance.


A survey of customers reveals that 36% use the on-line ticketing, 32% use the box office and 32% use both systems. In order to collect data for marketing, communications and audience development the on-line ticketing system should be promoted more maybe through promotions, offers and other incentives.


6. ALLEY ARTS & CONFERENCE CENTRE STRATEGY 2018-2023The Strategy will define the overall approach and direction for the Alley Arts & Conference Centre for the next 5 years.

The Alley Arts & Conference Centre is at the centre of community and civic life in Strabane and plays a leading role in the cultural life of Strabane district within the DCSDC area, providing a wide range of artistic programming across many art forms in its theatre, gallery bar and exhibition gallery. It organises and promotes arts development workshops, a programme of arts activities and support aimed at people with disabilities, and has embedded itself within the community through its programme of arts participation and community engagement.

The additional services provided through the Centre –Visitor Information Centre and link to tourism, heritage, development and organisation of a calendar of festivals and events, and conference centre facilities and services, position the Alley at the heart of DCSDC cultural service delivery within the Strabane district where its provides an important role in liaising, collaborating and linking with communities, visitors and a wide range of organisations.

The focus of the strategy is on the Alleys position as Strabane’s cultural hub, how it develops it position as the cultural venue in the region / district, and its reach into the community through programmes of participation and engagement.

6.1 Vision

The Alley Arts & Conference Centre, Strabane’s cultural hub and centre of community and civic pride – leading the way in arts participation and community engagement, and enabling access and

inclusion of everyone.’

6.2 Key themes, aims and outcomesUnderpinning the Strategy are three key themes – Cultural destination of choice, Participation & Engagement, and Sustainability. Strategic aims have been identified under each of the themes. The core outcomes have been specified for Cultural Venues through the DCSDC Community Plan under tourism, arts and culture, and as the key cultural venue in Strabane, the Alley Arts & Conference Centre will need to demonstrate how they are fulfilling these outcomes.

Theme: Cultural destination of choice

Aim: To be the cultural hub and centre of community and civic prideOutcome: Improvement in quality of service provision

Aim: To contribute to revitalising the town centreAim: To deliver vibrant events and festivalsOutcome: Increase in income and other benefits derived from tourism

Theme: Participation & Engagement

Aim: To increase participation and engagement in arts, heritage and cultural activities.Outcome: Increased access to art and culture through a reduction of barriers to participation


Aim: To increase use of Alley as the key cultural venue in StrabaneOutcome: Growth and development of new and existing audiences for arts and culture

Aim: To strive for the highest standards in enabling access and inclusionOutcome: Improved health and wellbeing of our citizens through engagement with arts and

culture.

Theme: Sustainability

Aim: To build resilient partnershipsOutcome: Increased networking and partnership working within sector locally, regionally,

nationally and internationally

Aim: To support and facilitate the community arts sectorOutcome: Develop stronger arts and cultural organisations

Aim: To support career developmentOutcome: Increase in sustainable careers within tourism, arts and culture

6.2.1 Cultural destination of choiceArts, heritage and culture have the ability to contribute to the revitalisation and regeneration of Strabane and district, helping to create a place where people want to live and work as well as attracting visitors. Harnessing the potential of this and creating a destination centred on its key arts, heritage and cultural offer will be through high quality programming in the Alley, local festivals and events and development of heritage and tourism products helping to raise the profile of Strabane and district as a destination. The strategy aims:

6.2.1.1 To be the cultural hub and centre of community and civic prideThe Alley, together with the Library complex, is the civic centre of Strabane, providing a focal point for social and cultural events and a centre for community participation and engagement.

6.2.1.2 To contribute to revitalising the town centre.Arts and cultural activity contribute to economic development, community cohesion, promotion of tourism, stimulation of creative industries and can enhance the town’s reputation creating pride and a place where people want to live and work. The Alley has a central role within this in being the cultural hub at the centre of the town.

6.2.1.3 To deliver vibrant events and festivalsFestivals and events provide opportunities for community engagement, urban regeneration, showcasing of local arts and culture, and contribute to the tourism product, improving the image of a town. Strabane already has a calendar of festivals and events to further develop and build on while exploring the development of signature events such as the Flann O’Brien Literary Festival and a Pan Celtic style festival.

6.2.2 Participation & EngagementStrabane has a diverse range of arts and cultural organisations many of which over the past 10 years have worked in partnership with the Alley through performance and workshops. The Alleys role as an enabler, facilitator and advocate of community arts has built strong connections and a


good track record of working closely with community arts organisations to deliver arts and cultural activities both in-house and out-reach through its Arts Development Programme and Access & Inclusion Project. The Alley is committed to continuing and developing a collaborative and community focussed programme of participation and engagement. The strategy aims:

6.2.2.1 To increase participation and engagement in arts, heritage and cultural activities.The creative tools for participation and engagement are used to engage people for a myriad of reasons - as a tool to explore and express ideas, problems, conflict, and for arts sake. Arts has the ability to ignite imaginations and it is well documented and understood the benefits that participation brings to those that engage and / or re-engage – and this is true for all age groups and abilities.

There are opportunities to encourage active participation in decision-making, in creative production and in defining relevant content and programming, building on co-creative practices and investing in longer term projects and activities – at least one year in duration and longer if possible. Build on the successes of Arts Development engagement and with 83,000 people passing through the doors of the Alley annually utilise the traffic to pro-actively engage with the public – there are ready made groups that regularly use the café such as the mother, baby and toddler group, older people and members of the pan disability community.

6.2.2.2 To increase use of the Alley as the key cultural venue in StrabanePlacing the community at the heart of the organisation is central to the continued and increased use of the Alley. Since 47% of audiences come from Strabane town and 24.3% from the rural hinterland – the local audience is central to all activities at the Alley and are its ambassadors.

A key priority for cultural venues under the Cultural Venues Fund is to ‘initiate an audience development programme’. This means that audience development needs to become a core activity infusing all service areas within the Alley, with human and budget resources allocated to it, and an evidence-based approach for measuring with robust quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methodologies implemented.

The audience development activities need to be considered at the time of programming for the theatre, gallery, festivals and events, and the arts development programme and the question asked – Does this event, exhibition, festival, or arts development activity contribute to the development of audiences and is there room to build into the activity audience development?

A recent study has identified the main objectives for audience development are widening, deepening and diversifying to address the three audience categories – audience by habit, audience by choice, audience by surprise, with four key action areas for audience development strategies – Place, Digital, Building capacity and Active participation/co-creation.

6.2.2.3 To strive for the highest standards in enabling access and inclusionBeing the only owned and managed cultural venue in DCSDC places the Alley in a unique position to be a centre of excellence and good practice for other cultural venues to aspire to and the centre of piloting new initiatives such as being at the forefront of access and inclusion, and arts development.


6.2.3 SustainabilitySustainability will be reliant on partnerships, resources and data gathering for audience and project development. In a financially competitive and scant resourced sector with inadequate and insecure funding supporting arts and cultural groups to build their capacity and maintain their independence is the key to sustainability of arts and cultural activity. Internally the issue will be about having the resources, particularly staffing resources, to deliver effectively growth and innovation. Sustaining and building new partnerships, particularly with the business sector will provide a more co-ordinated delivery of growth in the day and night time economy and in the growth of cultural tourism. Better data collection and analysis will ensure that developing projects and growing audiences is focussed on what is needed and wanted. The strategy aims:

6.2.3.1 To build resilient partnershipsCollaboration can provide cross-fertilisation of ideas, support in the delivery of services, innovation, and can ensure a focus on customers. Relationships need resourcing in terms of time and staff – both in maintaining relationships and building new ones. Capacity needs to be built within the team to make sure that these partnerships are developed and maintained, and understanding how to use the networks better and to your advantage.

6.2.3.2 To support and facilitate the community arts sectorThe support provided to local arts groups and organisations cannot be underestimate in terms of the impact of sourcing a rehearsal space, helping with marketing, help to leverage funding, health and safety issues, insurance, creating networks and sign-posting to other council departments. The Alley may need to be willing to drive projects forward and provide administrative support to volunteers in arts groups and maybe view volunteers as additional support to programming, increasing audiences and a valued asset.

6.2.3.3 To support career development Arts, culture and creative industries provide many opportunities for career paths but also contribute to general skills development. The journey towards a career in the arts can often start through a local community arts groups or performing arts organisations like The Arts Academy in Strabane and Encore. As part of a community based arts group there are opportunities to learn about administration and governance, as well as the technical and digital skills required in performances these days.

Volunteering is an important aspect in progress into an arts career as it is often the experience which will lead to further development of interest and possibly application to college or a first paid position.

There are opportunities during 2018-19 for young people to take over an arts venue and create performances t

Documents

Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategy 2018-2023meetings.derrycityandstrabanedistrict.com/documents/s22761/Alley... · The Alley Arts & Conference Centre Strategic Plan 2018-23 is