Citizen Governance in the Culture Sector

1. Citizen Governance in the Culture Sector Ben Rogers

2. Why Goverance? • Large sums of public ££££ go to the cultural sector, distributed through 1000s public and third sector organisations • ‘More than 450,000 people contribute as governors to a wide range of public service orgs and partnerships’. • We need governance to ensure that organisations do not serve themselves rather than user/beneficaries and the larger public • So we want beneficiaries, users and citizens engaged in governance.

3. Context • There is a growing appreciation of the importance of governance to commercial, public and, third sectors orgs. • Private sector - Higgs • Public sector – PASC ‘Government by Appointment opening up the Patronage State’ • Public and third sector – Langland’s report ‘Good Goverance Standard for Public Services’ • New interest in mutualism and public interest companies

4. Short-fallings • PASC • Nolan and others have put an end to the worst excesses of the old regime • But more needs to be done to make governors representative • Rubber Stamped • Most governors do not understand their role, or exercise it effectively. • New localists • Public institutions unresponsive and remote

5. Good governance • Board of governors with two responsibilities: • Setting strategic direction • Holding the executive to account • Officers are accountable to them • They are accountable to the public

6. Boards need to be representative • Recruitment processes • Advertising widely • The right job description • Appointment by lot • Mentoring • Remuneration and support • The running of meetings • The constitution of the board

7. Boards need to connect with the public • Consultation – Participation – Devolution • Old and new techniques • Public meetings • 21st century town meetings • Citizen’s Juries • Online consultations • Open space events • Elections to boards • Referenda • Participatory budgeting

8. The Cultural SectorObservations and Examples • The cultural sector has the good will of its audiences • People do not engage with it only when things go wrong • Many have friends or members • Almost every one participates in it in some form or could easily be led to do so

9. Consulting on priorities • By the end of 2005 we [DCMS] will put in place a new national consultation on the way that the National Lottery good cause proceeds for arts, sport, heritage and film are spent after 2009. • We will consult the public on an unprecedented scale, ensuring that all our sponsored bodies, and the Department itself, are open and accountable. • In 2006 we will introduce measures to give the public more say in how the historic and built environment is protected. • By 2006 all libraries will have, or be developing, a strategy for actively engaging in the community, supported by a £120,000 Community Engagement project. • The Big Lottery Fund, responsible for distributing half of all Lottery money, will consult people more, for example looking at ways of getting people involved in making decisions about major capital projects.

10. The Reithian board • Many cultural bodies created on the paternalistic model • Brings in the experts and the money • But at a price?

11. The role of the expert and connoisseur • How do we balance ‘expert’ opinion with majority opinion - do we save the unique tower block that the experts want or the ‘ordinary’ pumping house that the community wants? • And what about the integrity of the artist?

12. Heritage and Arts • Generally the heritage sector consults and engages more widely than the arts sector • Think National Trust, Heritage Lottery fund • In large part because decisions made don’t just effect fans and participants but every one? • And orgs are more extensive (nationwide)? • But could arts orgs being doing things differently?

13. Great examples • Community Fund • Restoration • Tony’s and Nina’s book club