Culture and Heritage
Current Strategy
An Arts Strategy was developed for the Borough of Fareham in 1999. The intention was to elevate the status of the arts, raise awareness and make the arts an integral part of the Borough Council's policy framework. It was noted that in terms of the arts, Fareham Borough Council has several roles to play:
- Direct provider
- Funder
- Joint provider
- Enabler
- Local planning authority
- Partner
The strategy recognised that good quality arts facilities form an important aspect of modern life and have an increasingly important role to play in the economy. They can help to develop the Borough as an attractive place to live, work and locate business as well as encouraging tourism expenditure within the area. Culture and heritage are central to the development of the individual, the community and society in general.
Current Provision
Culture and heritage covers a diverse range of entertainment and artistic
pursuits.
The three main venues for the arts provided by local authorities
are:
- Ferneham Hall, provided and managed by Fareham Borough Council.
- Ashcroft Arts Centre managed by Hampshire County Council.
- Westbury Manor Museum provided jointly by Fareham Borough Council and Hampshire County Council
Ferneham Hall is a multi-purpose arts and entertainments venue and offers a varied programme of concerts, shows, cinema and light entertainment. The Ashcroft offers the opportunity for the local community to get involved in arts activities and includes a small exhibition gallery and space for performances that would not normally be shown at Ferneham Hall. Westbury Manor Museum includes a display of local history and also hosts touring exhibitions.
The area contains a number of ancient monuments, e.g. Portchester Castle and retains strong naval traditions. There are a number of other venues of cultural interest in the borough including Bursledon Brickwork's Museum and Conservation Centre, Fort Nelson Royal Armouries Museum and Titchfield Abbey, which plays host to a number of events each year.
Community schools, community centres and adult education centres also offer a range of arts facilities and opportunities for lifelong learning.
Fareham Borough Council encourages public art, helping to give Fareham "a sense of place". The Henry Cort Millennium Project in West Street includes a significant exhibition of sculptural ironwork.
The Borough Council also provides an arts development service of advice, support and networking. A current example of this is the Youth Music Action Zone, a joint three year initiative with Southern Arts, Hampshire County Council, the Hampshire Music Service, Gosport Borough Council and Portsmouth City Council.
A full list of cultural and heritage opportunities in Fareham are included in Appendix B.
It should also be noted that Fareham lies in a sub region rich in arts, with high profile areas for major facilities (Portsmouth Southampton), major cultural events (Chichester Winchester, Salisbury) and entertainment (Bournemouth, Poole). Local authority boundaries have little relationship to cultural, heritage and entertainment needs. Regular liaison takes place with Gosport Borough Council on arts programmes and possible future provision of cinema facilities.
There are also 13 Conservation areas in Fareham and 435 Listed Buildings on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. These contribute to local distinctiveness, an understanding of the present and the past and add significantly to the overall quality of life.
Consultation
Consultation carried out in connection with the 1999 Arts Strategy showed that 65% of respondents felt that arts and entertainment facilities were very or fairly important.
The main findings of the consultation carried out in 1999 were as follows:-
- There is a high demand for a cinema complex in the borough.
- There is a need for more exhibition space for larger exhibitions.
- The main auditorium at Ferneham Hall needs to be improved in terms of audience comfort -new seating and other improvements have subsequently been provided.
- There is demand for a medium sized performance venue (c. 400 seats).
- There is a shortage of public art.
A public consultation in 2000 revealed that less than four in ten residents had visited the Westbury museum in the past year. It was concluded that usage levels reflected public interest. Ferneham Hall had been visited by almost 50% of respondents in the previous year and again satisfaction levels were high.
A feasibility study in connection with the possible redevelopment of Ferneham Hall and Fareham Leisure Centre was carried out in 2001. Seven in ten respondents said that either they or someone else in their household had been to Ferneham Hall in the past year. A wider choice of events coupled with better publicity were, according to respondents, the two main things that might encourage greater use.
What does Fareham need?
A market analysis of Fareham in 2001 concluded that there was unlikely to be a market for additional theatre space in Fareham and recommended that existing facilities be improved rather than new facilities constructed.
The proposed Market Quay development in the centre of Fareham includes plans for the development of a 5-screen cinema. This needs to take account of the requirements of disabled people.
If Ferneham Hall is rebuilt or redeveloped the opportunity can be taken to upgrade and refine facilities in line with market demand.
Strategic Objective
- To improve and extend Ferneham Hall, implement buildings/maintenance improvements and attract new audiences (see Local Context section)
- To attract a multiplex cinema to Fareham
- To continue to support the Ashcroft Arts Centre
- To encourage greater collaboration amongst community schools so that they offer a complementary arts development programme
- To work in partnership with Fareham College to carry out arts development and outreach work
- To work in partnership with Westbury Manor Museum linking performances and events.
- To develop a network of arts groups, organisations and users of Ferneham Hall for co-ordination and promotion of events and performances
- To improve and develop arts programmes at community centres
- To support arts initiatives and promote the availability of funds to local arts organisations
- To act as an "advocate" promoting partnerships with developers, agencies and sponsors including funding bodies
- To endorse a Public Art policy to take advantage of any opportunity to create features to enhance the environment.
- To seek opportunities for special events and festivals within the borough.
- To specifically work with agencies such as English Heritage to improve access to, whilst continuing to safeguard for future generations, the historical buildings within our community
- To develop a partnership approach both within the Council and with other agencies.
- To develop opportunities for young people to become involved in arts and cultural activities
- To investigate the establishment of a trust to manage Ferneham Hall
- To improve accessibility to cultural and heritage venues.
Relationship to Other Strategies
The Cultural and Heritage strategic objectives inter-relate with other Council strategies in a number of ways, e.g.
- Development of the Local Economy - providing a range of cultural and heritage opportunities which contribute to making the borough an attractive place in which to live, work and relax;
- Partnerships and Youth - developing a number of youth oriented initiatives such as the Youth Music Action Zone in partnership with other agencies;
- Lifelong Learning and Community Involvement - developing community based arts initiatives;
- Social Inclusion - ensuring that facilities and opportunities are available to everyone;
- Community Partnerships - developing service level agreements with community schools, Ashcroft Arts Centre and Fareham College;
- Planning Policy - attracting developer contributions for public art.
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