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[SEETLLD AGWG-P14]
REVIEW OF SCOTLAND'S COLLEGES
WORKING GROUP: ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERNANCE
ARTS AND BUSINESS SCOTLAND
Purpose
1. To provide members with information on Arts and Business Scotland.
Background
2. Following the ASC's report on 'Updating Governance in Scotland's Colleges', the Working Group was asked to consider how college Boards and other educational institutions could work together to attract new Board members and generate interest in this part of the public service. The Executive was asked, in particular, to investigate the role of Arts and Business Scotland, an existing initiative, and inform of any potential assistance they may offer.
3. Arts and Business is a UK national charity dedicated to encouraging and developing effective partnerships between business and the arts. Delivery takes place over 12 regions across the UK, with Scotland being one of them.
4. Arts and Business Scotland was established in 1986 and as well as receiving income from the business and arts members, it receives funding from the Scottish Executive, Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Museums Council, Hi-Arts and Scottish Screen.
Membership
5. Arts and Business Scotland has over 250 members drawn from both the arts sector e.g. theatres, performing art groups, film companies and galleries and the business sector e.g. chambers of commerce, banks and building societies, distilleries. Membership costs are dependant on the size of the company and range from £250 + vat for businesses with less than 25 staff to £1500 + vat for companies with over 250 staff. Membership also allows access to consultants and to developing specifically tailored training for their projects, with rates varying from £40-£95 + vat per hour. The Professional Development Programmes which they deliver, including the Skills Bank, Board Bank and Mentoring schemes are charged at rates of £500 + vat per individual placement.
Benefits
6. Arts and Business Scotland provides a membership network for organisations including events, expertise, information, publications, resources and access to their services:
Professional Development programmes - offering employees a creative route to develop skills and experience.
Sponsor's Forum - for business membership contacts, who are involved in the arts sponsorship decision making within their company, giving them the opportunity to discuss informally the issues they are collectively facing.
Events programmes - creative entertainment organised through themed, theatrical and fun events, allowing the arts to be more accessible to the guests.
Advice on New Partners investments - exists to encourage and promote sustainable partnerships between business and the arts.
Board Bank
7. The Board Bank is a body of business people, from a wide variety of sectors and professions, purely looking to join an arts organisation or museum. Members are interviewed to ascertain their skills set, experience and arts interests. Then after a half day Introduction to Board Membership, they are carefully matched with an arts organisation. To help Boards fulfil their potential, through strong effective governance, Arts and Business offer a range of facilitation packages, training, tools and best practice for arts organisations.
Skills Bank
8. The Skills Bank is a matching process and ongoing support for middle to senior business managers working on specific time-limited projects with arts organisations. This matching process promotes sharing of their professional skills in order to achieve their objectives.
Mentoring
9. Arts and Business Scotland operate a mentoring service. This service matches senior business managers with arts professionals, to provide professional development support on a one-to-one basis, broadening their understanding of the creative challenges of arts professionals whilst enhancing their coaching skills.
Reviews Team
June 2006