This year Bridgwater Town Council took on the direct running of the famous Bridgwater Arts Centre. Now part of the new, expanding Town Council, in the wake of Sedgemoor’s demise and Somerset’s belt tightening, Bridgwater has secured the future of the first arts centre in the country for generations to come. This week Town Council leader Brian Smedley announced that a new ‘friends of’ group would be set up to ensure the popular arts venue would be rooted in the work and aspirations of its members, volunteers and users. A key launch meeting will be held on Wednesday 24th July at the Art Centre to establish the Friends group and to elect a Chair. Cllr Smedley said “The Art Centre will be run in the same form as the rest of the Town Council which is via the Triad system. There will be 3 parts to thesteering group -the elected councillors, the professional staff and the members. Each will form one side of the Triad. For the Friends group that means electing 4 delegates including one as chair of the Art Centre. The Town Council’s interest is preserving this crucial piece of the towns heritage for future generations and ensuring that everybody has a say in the running of the place. I urge all supporters, members, volunteers and users to attend the meeting, sign up to become ‘friends’ and then take the art centre forward knowing it has the full backing of the town council.”
Notices sent out to members, users, and volunteers have been dispatched as follows.
Friends of Bridgwater Arts Centre
Dear supporter of Bridgwater Arts Centre
Bridgwater Town Council has agreed on a governance structure to take the art centre forward into the future bringing together the community of groups and individuals that constitute the organisation in a new democratic and workable structure so that every body has their say in the future
The main body will be the ART CENTRE STEERING GROUP
This will be a TRIAD structure that would meet c.6 weekly and comprise the following
- 4 x Councillors – Elected each year – currently Smedley, Mander, Leavy, Hubble
- 4 x officers – Beccy Armory (manager) , Scott Mason (director of amenities) , Nathan Leach (caretaker) , Helen Round (Bar)
- 4 x FRIENDS if the Art Centre – to be elected from a newly established ‘Friends’ group. 1 of whom should be CHAIR
1st meeting will be 6th August 4pm, Bridgwater Arts Centre.
Members and supporters and users of the art centre will be organised into 4 sub groups as follows
- A volunteer group
- The visual arts committee
- A group of Regular users
- A new ‘membership’ group with benefits
ALL of the above are invited to join the umbrella group FRIENDS OF BRIDGWATER ART CENTRE.
This group will be a discussion forum for art centre related issues but will be constituted via a formal membership (£5 per person per year).
This group will hold its inaugural meeting on WEDNESDAY 24TH July at 7pm at the Art Centre and is open to ALL the above plus any newcomers.
At this meeting all paid up members can elect from its own membership 4 delegates, 1 of whom is the CHAIR for the ART CENTRE STEERING GROUP
The Friends group can then elect a secretary and if they wish a treasurer and/or other officers and set their own terms for meeting. They must meet at least once in advance of an annual meeting to re-elect their 4 delegates to the steering group.
Please support this new initiative
Cllr Brian Smedley
Leader Bridgwater Town Council