MERGER PROPOSED FOR FLAGSHIP FILM BODIES

Plans to merge the UK Film Council (UKFC) and the British Film Institute (BFI) into a single body to support film could benefit both the film-going public and the industry, Film Minister Siôn Simon said today.

An organisation with both a cultural and economic remit would mean public support for film is better coordinated, with more of the available funding channelled directly to frontline services. A proposed merger, designed to protect the key existing functions of both the BFI and UKFC while reducing gaps and overlaps, is now being considered by Government and industry leaders.

Siôn Simon said:

“Film in Britain is highly valued, both for its tremendous contribution to our cultural life and its economic success. Thanks to the work of the UK Film Council, as an industry, it contributes £4.3 billion to our economy, with British films taking 15% of the global box office last year. And buoyant attendances show that after more than a century, cinema is still seen as a great night out.

“The BFI is one of our great cultural institutions and cares for the world’s most significant archive of film and television. With audiences growing year by year, the BFI has proven the enormous public appetite for film heritage and world cinema in Britain.

“Supporting film to help the UK industry reach its international potential as an art form as well as a business remains a priority for Government. That’s why we want to look at how best to direct our support. A new, streamlined single body that represents the whole of the film sector will offer a better service both for film makers and film lovers.

“There are practical issues which we need to resolve to ensure that this proposed merger brings about the benefits we want without impacting on the work currently done by the BFI and UKFC. DCMS will now work closely with both BFI and the UKFC to deliver a better service for film.”

The overall remit of the BFI and UKFC will not be reduced. The proposal is for a streamlined organisation, which can spend more of its money on film and services and less on infrastructure, and in turn offer better support for Britain’s film culture and promotion of its film industry. Its remit would span securing investment across the sector, steering the industry through the transition to digital, championing the cultural importance of the UK’s film heritage and guaranteeing that the full diversity of film culture is available to all.

Tim Bevan CBE, Chairman of the UK Film Council, said:

“I welcome this idea and I’m keen to work closely with the BFI and the DCMS over the autumn to make it happen.

“The UK Film Council is a success story, but the truth is that when we were set up in 2000 a kind of artificial separation occurred – on the one hand the UKFC, which supports film and the film industry; on the other the BFI, which celebrates film culture and cares for our film heritage. And in my opinion it can’t be right for them to remain disconnected.

"The second reason I want to try to make this work is completely practical. We know that the climate for public funding is going to get much tougher, and it’s therefore sensible that we ask ourselves why there are two publicly funded film organisations in the UK. We need to look at the scope for savings across the board, to push as much money as we can into new film activity.”

Greg Dyke, Chair of the BFI, said:

"We view this as an opportunity to build on the strengths and successes of our work in recent years.

"The BFI is in good shape and having a very successful year, but we welcome this move if it enables us to further develop our potential to provide a better service to the public. The BFI is a much cherished organisation and has a vital and leading role to play in developing film culture and heritage in this country.

"We look forward to working with DCMS and the UK Film Council over the coming months to explore this opportunity."

A project board, chaired by DCMS and with equal representatives from the BFI and UKFC will now look at the proposal to develop a possible new model and governance structure. While it is expected that the creation of a new body for film, with a clear line of accountability and a single Board would mean efficiency savings, the primary objective is to improve the service to film, by reducing gaps in provision and areas where activity is currently duplicated by the two bodies. The project board will consider the practical and legal issues that would need to be resolved before such a merger could take place. It is expected to complete this analysis before the end of the year.

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw launches national competition

A competition open to the whole of the UK to find the nation’s first ‘City of Culture’ was launched today by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw. The winning city will become a focus for national attention in 2013 and could host high-profile media events including the Turner Prize, BBC Sports Personality of the Year, The Brits and the Stirling Prize as part of their year in the spotlight.

Building on Liverpool’s success as European Capital of Culture in 2008 the successful city could expect to see economic and social benefits flow in, leaving a lasting legacy. The initiative is being launched following a feasibility study by Phil Redmond.

And not just cities can apply. Bids will also be welcome from closely linked urban areas, or cities with their surrounding areas. The important thing is that there must be a clear central focus to the area.

Bidders will have until 16 October this year to submit an outline application, with a deadline of 11 December for initial bids. Expert assessors will then look at bids received and an independent advisory panel will recommend a short list to be announced early in 2010. Finally, those bids that are short listed have until 28 May to submit their full and final bids. Once these have been assessed and a recommendation made by the independent advisory panel, the final winner will be announced by the Culture Secretary later that year.

Ben Bradshaw said:

“Culture is something that we are incredibly good at in the UK. But excellence and innovation in the arts does not begin and end inside the M25 and I believe we have been too London-centric for too long in our cultural life. So this competition aims to find a city or area outside London that has the wow factor, with exciting and credible plans to make a step change in its cultural life and engage the whole country.

“Liverpool’s success last year brought pride, confidence and real economic regeneration to the area. Their triumphant year shows that the title of City of Culture will be a prize very much worth having, with a huge amount to play for.

“National cultural organisations and funding bodies are backing the plan and I am grateful to them for their support so far. I also thank Phil Redmond for his work to make this exciting concept a reality.”

Phil Redmond added:

“Liverpool benefited tremendously in 2008, from simply having a badge of authority that allowed people to work collaboratively together to enhance and maximize every event throughout the city. It also acted as a focal point for every cultural economic and social agenda – including permission to enjoy themselves. Culture is not an amorphous concept: it is at the heart of everything we do. To bring about any step change you need to bring about cultural shift and that is where cultural practitioners can help by introducing new ideas and new ways of doing things. Something we will all have to do looking to a rapidly changing digital world.”

(DCMS) Tourism industry looks to 'greener' future

The tourism industry needs to adopt more sustainable and environmentally friendly ways of working in order to secure its long term future and to combat climate change, Tourism Minister Barbara Follett said today.

As part of British Tourism Week Ms Follett attended the 'Best of Britain and Ireland Show' where she officially launched the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's new sustainable tourism framework for England. This sets out six key challenges for the tourism sector and honours the commitment made in the Government's tourism strategy for 2012.

Barbara Follett, said:

"All of us must try to behave in a more environmentally responsible way and the tourism industry is no exception. If we value the future of our world and if we want to protect our country's unique tourism offer for future generations, we must take sustainability seriously and not see it just as an add-on luxury. There are already many businesses doing exemplary work in this area but more must to do so and soon. We have to challenge our thinking about what is on offer and how businesses are run.

"This will not be easy in difficult economic times, but a sustainable approach can be good for business too."

The six key challenges that have been identified not only look at ways to help the environment but also focus on measures to secure the long term future of the industry.

Businesses will be encouraged to take advantage of technological improvements in buildings and equipment as well as trying to address the impact of tourism transport by increasing awareness and using more targeted forms of advertising.

But the challenges also look at sustaining the industry with more businesses encouraged to sign up to the quality assessment schemes and provide better access for all, and to improve perceptions of jobs in the sector with a drive to attract more diverse people who view careers in tourism as long term.

The Government will be working with the industry to address all these issues and will be monitoring progress regularly; a formal review will be undertaken in three years time.

(DCMS) Government publishes guidance to help realise the potential of Churches and Faith buildings

The Government and the Church of England today published 'Churches and Faith Buildings: Realising the Potential', to help churches and other and faith groups find resources to make their buildings more sustainable by enhancing the facilities and services they offer to local communities.

The paper has been produced as a result of a joint working party between Government departments and the Church of England.

Launching the report, Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said:

"Churches and other places of worship are at the heart of neighbourhoods. They are the local landmarks by which we navigate and they often represent the best of our heritage. At the same time, both the buildings and the people that frequent them, are so often active in enhancing the lives of many people, offering services to meet the needs of the local community.

"This excellent paper brings together two important things - the bricks and mortar of much-loved buildings, and the benefits they bring as resources for the wider community. Put them together and we are helping these buildings to meet the challenges of the future."

Sadiq Khan, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Community Cohesion in the Department for Communities and Local Government, said:

"I welcome the faith buildings paper - it will give faith groups support to develop their buildings for wider public use, and offer them and other community groups increased opportunities to come together in shared public spaces.

"Faith buildings of all kinds are a really important local resource and should be made the most of, which is why the guidance will identify a range of funding and other resources available to faith groups to enable them to improve and modify their buildings for wider community use and for a range of different purposes.

"I know the information in the guidance will be useful and I am sure we will see an increase in the number of faith buildings being used to bring people together, forming strong community links and helping to deliver the services local people need."

Across the country, churches and other faith groups are looking at what more their buildings can bring to local communities. Faith buildings are more likely to be better maintained and adapted for community use when they are well used. At the same time, churches and other faith groups are ideally placed in every community to provide facilities, services and a positive and stable presence.

The paper confirms the position of churches and faith groups as significant contributors to society as part of the third sector. It proposes a range of actions to help faith groups engage effectively in local and regional agendas, it outlines some resources that might help to make church and faith buildings more user-friendly as part of wider community activities, and it proposes ways in which providers of funding and policy makers might better understand what faith groups bring to community.

Foster: 1,000 under-14’s admitted to hospital with mental and behavioural disorders due to alcoholMon, 16 Mar 2009

Over 1,000 children under 14 have been admitted to hospital in England for mental and behavioural disorders related to alcohol in the last year, according to figures revealed today by the Liberal Democrats.

The information, contained in a Parliamentary answer, shows that:

• 160,931 over 18s were admitted, a 56% increase from five years ago
• 5,223 children aged 14-17 admitted, a 30% increase from five years ago
• 44 under 10s were admitted, with 304 admissions over the last 5 years

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said:

"These astronomical figures show once again that binge drinking is out of control in this country."

"It's particularly shocking that so many of these admissions relate to children under the age of 10. It is now imperative that parents and schools get the resources they need to educate children from a very young age about the dangers of alcohol."

"When there are thousands of children in hospital for serious alcohol related conditions we cannot bury our heads in the sand about the consequences of our drinking culture."

"It is vital that the NHS is equiped to deal with alcohol dependency and other alcohol related conditions."