How is a cultural enquiry going to affect Bournemouth’s artists and business’?

A cultural enquiry for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has been launched. The enquiry will explore the opportunity for a long term cultural vision for the community.

The Culture Enquiry 2019 that was initiated yesterday has the aim to realise the potential for Arts and Culture to become very prevalant in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Many organisations and key figures are contributing to the enquiry including Bournemouth University, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and and Lighthouse.

The whole point of this enquiry is to engage with a massive range of people from local artists to the general public.

One local artist is Rosemarie James who owns a pottery company in Dorset.

Rosemarie believes that Bournemouth has become a bit of a “cultural desert” since she first moved to the area back in the 1960s.

A big cultural drive would be a popular asset in Rosemarie’s opinion, she said: “It could positively affect everybody in the community.”

Rosemarie added that she would like to see, “a new community centre where arts and crafts lesson were on offer.

“It would be lovely to have one in the community so that art and culture could be promoted a lot further.

“I used to teach arts and crafts to adults with learning difficulties and I saw how much they all got out of it,” she added.

On a personal note she explained that there is a massive demand for classes and that she always has people contacting her for lessons but being as it is only her in her two person studio she cannot meet the demand.

Rebecca Forsyth, who works for Whitewall Galleries in Bournemouth, is very excited about the prospect of a boost to the art culture in Bournemouth. When asked how she could see the possible changes mentioned in the enquiry could benefit Bournemouth she said:

“It would be amazing, you can even see at Christmas when they put the lights up in the gardens so many people it drew so many more people and it was a good thing for Bournemouth.

“You have got a lot of shop closing down round here at the moment so do something (bid for UK City of Culture) like that it could regenerate Bournemouth and get it back on the map.”

Rebecca described how there is a different form of art for everyone and how different regions lend themselves to different things, she said: “sea scapes have been very popular down here and we have sold a lot of traditional artwork as well.

Rebecca went on to explain how that Bournemouth and the surrounding area lacks places where art fanatics can go to view and buy art.

She then added: “People love the fact that they can come here and see shows which is all part of art culture.

“And if the outcome of the enquiry can add to that I think it will be brilliant for the community.”

The enquiry is going to be overseen by Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy. Tom Fleming said: “We are very excited to be undertaking this Cultural Enquiry on behalf of the partnership.

“For the UK’s newest city region this is a unique opportunity to ensure that culture is positioned at the heart of the area’s future success, contributing to improving the quality of life and quality of place.

“Our engagement process will range from individual interviews to large, open public events.

“Culture is for everyone and we will ensure that our work captures as broad a spectrum of voices as possible.”

The enquiry will set out a clear framework for the next ten to fifteen years of what different ambitions can be realised and how.

Further to that it will also quantify the economic and social advantages from an investment in arts and culture.