Guernsey needs to stop thinking about the arts as a “cost” and realise that it benefits the economy, according to the head of a leading arts venue.
Jon Bisson, Director of St James, told Express the venue spent five times more than it gets in funding from the States – boosting local hotels, bars, and restaurants.
Mr Bisson said St James received £67,000 a year of funding from the States, but spent more than £340,000 in the local economy last year, with the remainder coming from ticket sales, sponsorship and grants.
However, without increasing its States funding the venue could be forced to close as soon as next year.
Mr Bisson said: “We will run out of money – it’s as simple as that.”
Deputy Paul Montague, President of Education, Sport and Culture, told Express the committee recognised “the important role that arts and cultural organisations play in island life” and was looking at ways to support them better.
He said St James was “a very important venue for the arts”.
Restaurant owner Pepe Giampetruzzi said he’d noticed more people coming out to eat on days when St James has an event on.
Mr Giampetruzzi, who owns Gusto on nearby Smith Street, told Express people who came after the shows “stay here, they spend more, they enjoy it and they’re happy”.
“Definitely when there’s a show on at St James, we work more,” he added.
He said customers always said “nice things” about the St James shows, often striking up conversations with people on neighbouring tables.
Mr Giampetruzzi said it was “busy – it’s good for business, especially this time of year”.
Mr Bisson said St James needed about £215,000 a year, to cover staff costs and give the venue “stability”.
“That money [the States gives us] isn’t disappearing – it’s going into hotels, restaurants, flights and local suppliers.”
He said he was asking the States to “honour the original agreement and grant enough to cover the core staff”.
Mr Bisson added: “Once St James goes, you won’t get it back – the relationships, the infrastructure, the expertise, it’ll all be gone.
“This isn’t just about shows – it’s education, it’s skills, it’s giving young people somewhere safe to go.”
‘Easy target’
He said the amount of money needed was “peanuts” in government terms.
“We’re talking about the cost of one government consultant, or even less.”
He said there was a danger the arts would be seen as an “easy target” for cuts as part of the wider debate on tax reform.
However, he felt that would be a mistake both for the island’s culture and its economy.
“When done right, the arts isn’t a cost – it generates money,” he added.
Cultural strategy
Deputy Montague said ESC recognised “the important role that arts and cultural organisations play in island life, and we have been meeting with a range of grant recipients in recent months to discuss exactly this, including understanding the challenges they face and how we can support them”.
He told Express: “Like many sectors, cultural organisations are dealing with rising costs, leading to increasing demand for financial support.
“At the same time, all areas of government are being asked to make cuts and ensure spend delivers clear value for taxpayers.
This included “the need for all grant recipients to be able to demonstrate how their activities meet the States’ agreed priorities and objectives”.
Deputy Montague praised St James’ recent output, including the Guernsey Choral and Orchestral Society’s recent performance of Mozart’s Requiem.
He said: “We met with representatives from St James earlier this year and are looking forward to receiving some important metrics and information from them prior to our next meeting scheduled in the coming weeks.”
ESC was “actively developing a cultural strategy for the island”, which would “recognise the significant contribution arts and culture make to the local community and economy”.
The strategy would provide “a framework through which we can ensure available funding delivers the greatest possible benefit and impact for the island, while also helping to celebrate and nurture the sector”, he added.