An endangered species?

Here at Sandwell Arts Trust we love pink elephants. We allegedly have one after all. Ours is a strange and complex animal proclaimed by others as a fuchsia-hued counterpart to the much derided white elephant, but it is a term we have learned to love. Taken out of what would ordinarily be its natural environment (trendy parts of cosmopolitan cities or arts districts surrounded by equally intriguing beasts), where people flock to see its quirky jellybean windows, unconventional interior and interactive art, it is not surprising that this elephant had a difficult birth. Based in West Bromwich, an area known for its traditional low participation in the arts, and one of the most economically deprived boroughs in the UK but with a reputation for innovation and big ideas, this is a far cry from that natural habitat.

The original concept behind The Public was a sound one: a place which would use the arts as a catalyst for raising aspirations and attracting visitors to the town. Now, as any journalist or commentator who does not do any contemporary investigation or research and simply quotes past history will happily tell you: The Public did indeed go over budget before it opened, elements in the proposal did not go ahead, the majority of local people ‘didn’t get’ this pink and black building nor understand why it had to be in their town, and a number of companies managing the project went into administration before it even opened.

Being a generous host means being able to showcase and present work produced by local people and groups

Jump forward to August 2009, the creation of Sandwell Arts Trust and the opening weekend of The Public and that ‘troubled project’ story changed dramatically. From that summer onwards we consciously decided to do things in a different way, ensuring that while we were custodians of this world-class building, we wanted to be judged on what we had achieved and that would always be rooted in running this building for the benefit of local people.

In 2009, what type of organisation were we and what building did we open? While big, bold, impactful and a curiosity, the elephant was still finding its feet. Locals were cautious and outraged, funders tired and embarrassed by it, what wonders (or not) lay beyond those imposing pink doors? Tenanted areas remained conspicuously absent of all but one tenant, a conference suite was still to be completed and the future was far from certain. If The Public was to have a future, it needed to engage fully with the people we run the building for. Why should Sandwell’s citizens care about art, why should they care about investing time and energy in a building which has already had so much money and resources, and how could it make a difference to what matters to them?

By May 2010 about 90,000 visitors had stepped through those pink doors, the conference suite was complete and people were starting to see the potential of this colourful and vibrant space. As an organisation, we had completed our recruitment process and had a team from a variety of backgrounds which helped drive our vision: a place presenting inspiring art in a creative place which could change lives.

The concept of ‘generous host’ has been banded around the arts and cultural world for a while, but it is one we decided to fully embrace. As recipients of public money, there is a duty of care which we are extremely conscious of to ensure that the money we have received is invested for the benefit of the general public. Being a generous host means being able to showcase and present work produced by local people and groups with respect and in the same professional way we exhibit an established artist. It means throwing our doors wide open to the community – to the 160 senior citizens who waltz the afternoon away once a fortnight tea dancing, to the writing groups or the group of knitters who regularly take over a corner of the café, or become the focal point for celebrations such as St Patrick’s day. For us, generous host means working with artists and technologists early on in their career to provide a platform to experiment and explore, and welcoming school groups to see set-ups and contribute to the programme. We have always attempted to treat everybody with the utmost respect and integrity – this is their building after all and they paid for it.

These are challenging times, and we feel very lucky and honoured to be receiving public money while life and death frontline services are being cut, and like most other arts organisations, we have had to develop a strong commercial focus. From the conferences and hires, the need to attract tenants and the ability to put on a programme of events which make money, we have increased income over the last four years. Immediately around us is a large regeneration programme which will see the opening of restaurants, retail and leisure facilities. Although our surroundings have not looked that attractive to prospective clients and partners, we were always going to be part of this regeneration.

We are extremely proud to say that four years on, The Public has become a hive of creativity and operates as a unique eco-system with tenants (29 organisations are based here), groups (such as Sandwell’s University of the Third Age), artists (from professional to amateur) and visitors (383,336 in the last year – up 46%) and local people coming together every day to experience the building in the way they want to experience it.

Success does not necessarily guarantee security in the current climate

Despite these accomplishments, we are again under threat. Many of those commentators are once again looking to the past rather than recent achievements. A debate is raging locally about whether the building should continue as an arts venue or be handed over in its entirety to a college and converted into a sixth-form centre – remodelling its architecturally innovative interior and using at least 80% of the space for teaching while maybe allowing for limited exhibition space on the ground floor.

Success does not necessarily guarantee security in the current climate, which is true for any arts organisation – and we will know by the end of summer what the future holds for Sandwell Arts Trust and its vision The Public. People have now come to love this pink elephant, they love how it allows them to create, share, explore, be entertained and know that people care about them and what they do. There are not many places you can come to in towns similar to this, hear music, see comedy, attend a festival and see interactive work and a drawing by your granny or child in the same building as Turner prize-winning artists. If you think of a pink elephant it might make you smile. The Public is a building you see and it makes you smile.

Neil Anderson is Business Manager of The Public.
www.thepublic.com