Arts groups to have say in regeneration project

The prospect of a cultural input into the discussions about the important subject was made public this week.

The members of the Vision group of organisations, which has a place on the regeneration partnership board set up by Arun District Council, are considering extending their membership.

The intention is to recognise the potential contribution the arts could make to a revived Bognor.

Vision group current member Tom Frears, speaking at a meeting called by Hotham Arts Centre operator Arun Arts, said it was believed a need existed for the views of arts groups to be heard in the debate about Bognor's regeneration.

'The Vision group meets most months. Our aim has to be to provide a voice for those bodies who are not heard in the town.

'When we take our place on the partnership board on which developer St Modwen sits, they can hear very clearly what the views of those groups are,' he commented.

'We are interested in getting involved with the whole spectrum of arts groups and see what response we get.

'At the moment you are doing a fine job here,' he told the Arun Arts' trustee directors Steven Emck and Jan Cosgrove.

'We believe the town as a whole needs regeneration on both sites (Hotham Arts Centre and Hothamton car park). We want to give St Modwen the opportunity to come forward with their plans.

'If they include a 500-seat theatre, cinema, bowling alley, shops, bars and restaurants we will support it.'

End of the pier international film festival founder Bryan Gartside said: 'It's not the building. It's the ethos and spirit that needs regenerating.

'Do we want Bognor to be a place of old people and kiss me quick hats on weekends and bank holidays. Or do we want it to be a place where we are proud to come from.'

Centre general manager Adam Cunard said: 'Regeneration which has not got cultural regeneration at its core is a sham. It will not serve the town and will be just a way of making money with flats.'

But he warned against assuming a multi-purpose arts centre would be better than the existing Alexandra Theatre.

Such a centre could end up costing more than the theatre which served stage productions well. 'There are a lot of things these multi purpose centres do not do as well as a theatre,' he stated.

Mr Cosgrove said: 'This centre is an invaluable resource. Even though it has done far better recently than it has been for many years we want to see it bursting at the seams.

'This is the heart of art, music and entertainment in Bognor. That expresses exactly how we see the building's role.'

l Arun Arts on Tuesday held its first annual meeting since the Hotham Arts Centre re-opened last June. A review of the charity's activities up to the end of August detailed the winding-up order which had closed the building, run by previous trustees, in March 2005 and the generosity of Harold Winton in settling the debts.

The review, by trustee directors Stephen Emck and Jan Cosgrove, paid tribute to the untiring efforts of volunteers who kept the building going despite the lack of grants from local councils during the period.

The volunteers carry out a range of tasks from office work to the box office, charity shop and maintenance work. A team of 46 helpers take turns with the work. Their unpaid efforts were worth an estimated 118,000 in wages between January and August 2006. The centre has one paid member of staff.