Commissioning for culture and sport

Friday 5th December 2014, 10.00 - 16.00

West Suffolk House, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3YU

Morning programme
Arrival and refreshments
Welcome Heidi Bellamy, Director Culture First
Cultural Commissioning Programme - Jessica Harris, Project Manager will present

1000
1015
1020

the findings from the recent research report, focusing on where the arts and cultural
sector is particularly strong in its ability to deliver public service outcomes, where the
challenges lie for the sector in engaging with commissioning, and some of the ways of
tackling these challenges.
Case study Tony Witton, Arts & Culture Service Manager and Jay Edwins,
Partnerships Manager at Kent County Council, one of the Cultural
Commissioning pilots, on how they are adopting a structured framework for
incorporating arts and culture into the health and well-being services.
Commissioning for Sport and Leisure Mark Allman, Vice-Chair cCLOA and Maria 1110
Reader, Relationship Manager Sport England will share the key learning from the
national project that aimed to equip sport and leisure practitioners with a
sophisticated understanding of local need, help build relationships with
commissioners and re-shape the service offer to deliver priority outcomes.
Case study - Jim McManus, Director of Public Health in Hertfordshire will
contextualise commissioning as a means of place shaping and affecting large scale
culture change. Hell also cover how a countywide approach to commissioning
exercise referral, exercise for older people and those with disabilities will contribute
to the prevention of long-term disease.
1210
Panel Q & A Your chance to quiz the panel on how our sector can meet the
challenges of delivering public sector outcomes
1230 Lunch and Networking
1330
In the afternoon there is an option of workshop sessions as detailed below

Workshop Descriptions 1330 1425

The role of Councillors in supporting commissioning opportunities for culture and sport
Councillor Teresa Heritage, Chair of Hertfordshire Lifestyle & Legacy Partnership will talk about
the role of Councillors in making the case for the contribution of culture and sport to wider health
and community services. Eddie Gibson, Senior Manager EELGA will also give a brief update on
public procurement rules and why it is important for Councillors.

Commissioning opportunities for physical activity Jill Dickinson, Head of Leisure, Central
Bedfordshire
Find out how Central Bedfordshire is beginning to engage in commissioning, following the
support available through the cCLOA/Sport England project. This session will offer insight into
how best to approach the task, drawing on the Engaging in Commissioning resources. Jill will
reflect on the process, highlight the opportunities identified and share the learning.
How Cambridgeshire Libraries have been commissioning arts activities through devolved
budgeting Lynda Martin, Service development Manager for Cambridgeshire Libraries.
Working through CS3, a consortium of providers, this programme of community-led
commissioning for arts and libraries is transforming the way in which services are planned and
delivered. The model encourages community decision-making, delegates budgetary control,
builds volunteer capacity and transforms libraries into local performance spaces.
Arts on Prescription: a means to a new beginning - Gavin Clayton, Executive Director and Susan
Potter, Research Manager, Arts and Minds will present the origins, research methodology and
findings from their mental health intervention Arts on Prescription, which was independently
analysed by health economists at London School of Economics. Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has
recently cited the scheme, acknowledging the cost savings across health and social care and
suggested that other authorities should give careful consideration to the recommendations.

Workshop Descriptions 1435 - 1530

A facilitated discussion led by Linden Rowley, advisor to both the cCLOA/Sport England
commissioning project and Cultural Commissioning Programme, on the behaviours and
leadership traits necessary for providers to engage in commissioning as strategic players. A new
style of collaborative leadership will be required throughout the sector that will transform what
we do and how we do it. This workshop session will enable participants to think about the
challenges they face and how they will need to develop new skills and behaviours to ensure their
organisation are fit for the future.
Six Ways to Wellbeing - A collaborative programme developed by Kent County Council Arts &
Culture Service and Public Health, Artswork and Royal Opera House Bridge.
Over the last two years an effective partnership has been developed in Kent to explore cultural
commissioning. This relationship has resulted in a cultural commission to deliver creative
interventions for young people at risk of mental health issues based around the Six Ways to
Wellbeing themes and for a support programme, evaluation and toolkit.
Commissioning as a mechanism to increase participation in sport and physical activity - Richard
Hunt, Head of Service Development, Culture, Sport and Communities, Suffolk County Council
This session will explore the partnership and strategic commissioning framework developed as
part of Suffolks 2012 Olympic Legacy, to address physical inactivity in the county. Suffolk has
adopted a long term ambition to help create the Most Active County in England. Richard will draw
on the learning to date and share examples of early commissioning successes, including the
positioning of the programme within the Suffolk Health and Well Being strategy.
Making Connections a discussion session led by Lucie Stephens Head of Co-production, New
Economics Foundation.
Relationships and networks are key to changing the local commissioning environment. Making
Connections, which is part of the Cultural Commissioning Programme, aims to build stronger
relationships between commissioners and arts and cultural organisations in localities. This
session will be an open workshop sharing ideas and stories from elsewhere, hearing about what
has been successful locally and exploring how we could help to create more opportunities in
future.
It may be necessary, for reasons beyond the control of Culture First, to change the content and
timing of the programme, speakers and venue.