Agenda item

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure seeking approval for the 2022-23 Festivals and Events Programme.

98.1    The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure introduced the report and notedthat despitethe challengesposed bythe Covid-19pandemic, manysuccessful events had taken place throughout 2021. He noted that examplesof these were set out in Appendix A and included Frank Turner concerts, theRooftop festival,Kings Jam,Gloucester GoesRetro, GloucesterHistory Festivaland Globoscope.

98.2    The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure paid tribute to the Head ofCulture and his team and noted that there was a large programme of eventsscheduled for2022, includingthe reopeningof KingsSquare andsubsequent eventscalendar, included at3.9.2 inthe report.

98.3    The Chair asked for clarification on the insurance situation, given that manyevents throughout 2020 and 2021 had to be cancelleddue to Covid-19 restrictions. He queried whether it was now more difficult for organisers tosecure insurance.The Headof Cultureconfirmed thatthis hadbeen achallenge fororganisers throughoutthe pandemichowever followinglobbying of central Government, there was now a specific insurance schemein placewhich hefelt shouldmake apositive differenceto the sector.

98.4    Councillor Wilson referred to the narrative at 3.8 confirming that the previouscarnival artspartnership hadnot appliedfor fundingfor GloucesterCarnival in2022 andasked whetherthere wasa concernthat thecarnival wascoming to an end. The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure confirmedthat there were some challenges posed by health and safety requirementsduring thepandemic butnoted thatthere wereproposals beingdeveloped fora different approach in thefuture.

98.5    Councillor Pullen referred to the draft calendar of events at 3.9.2 in the reportand notedthat theKings Squaredevelopment wasshortly dueto becompleted. Heasked whether theCabinet Memberintended torelocate some events which traditionally take place in The Docks into Kings Square.The CabinetMember forCulture andLeisure notedthat itwas nothis intention to encourage the relocation of events from The Docks but hopedthat the events taking place across the city would complementeach other. He confirmed his hope that the events team would receive recommendationsfrom the public as to how they wanted to use the Kings Square space, notingthat he waskeen to engage with young people in particular.

98.6    Councillor Organ commented that he would like the city to continue to bepromoted as a tourist destination. He expressed the view that the KingsSquare development would provide a good opportunity to link different areasof the city together and that it was important for Members to raise awarenessof events taking place in the city. The Cabinet Member for Culture andLeisure commentedthat theRetro Festivalwas aprime exampleof asuccessful city-wide eventand thatthe infrastructure was alreadyin place.

98.7    Councillor Hilton noted that he was pleased to see the Council using localcontractors for the development of Kings Square. Councillor Hilton noted hisview that Kings Square would be an asset to the city in due course buthighlighted that there was a need to make sure that it complemented eventsrather than overtaking them. Councillor Hilton referred to narrowboat eventsin the Docklands which previously took place on alternative years and askedwhether therewas a possibility thatthese events could take placeyearly. The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure responded that Members werewelcome toshare theirideas withthe team.

98.8    Councillor Sawyer stated that she would like to see more diverse culturalevents taking place and promoted in the city, such as Chinese New Year andDiwali celebrations. She also noted her support for a children’s festival andasked for clarification as to who Members shouldcontact to share their ideas. The Head of Culture confirmed that Members could approach theEvents team with their suggestions. The Cabinet Member for Culture andLeisure explained that he was hoping to expand the Tredworth street partyand also noted that the Polish festival was very much orientated towardschildren. He commented that there was much diversity in the city whichought to be celebrated.

98.9    Councillor Durdey noted his agreement with the suggestion of more culturalevents celebrating diversity in the city. He expressed the view that makingGloucester more inclusive should be a priority and that Councillors shouldengage with theircommunities toencourage participationin theseevents.

          RESOLVED – That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee NOTE the report.