Proposed closure of Network arts

LATEST UPDATE ON THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF NETWORK ARTS

On Wed 22 July 2009 the healthier communities select committee REJECTED the proposal to close Network Arts.

Proposed Closure of Network Arts -WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

We ask you to contact your local councillor and ask them to do whatever they can to save the project. For a list of councillors and their email addresses, click HERE

In March 2009, COS (community opportunity services) published a document detailing proposed changes to COS services. Their intent was, and still is, to close Network arts and the picture framing group, and also to discontinue the weekend drop-in services. The publication of the proposals was followed by a one-month consultation period, during which all interested parties were invited give feedback on the proposals.

As a group, we had 2 choices. We could either accept that this vital service will no longer be available, or we could do everything we can to save it. A meeting was called and ALL members and staff agreed that we would not accept our demise and go away quietly. Collectively, we would do whatever we could to save the project.

As part of the consultation process, many Network arts members wrote letters to senior COS managers, local councillors, MPs and a variety of other people. As a result of the letters sent, several local councilors came to visit the project and speak to members and staff directly. So impressed were they with what they saw and heard, that they pledged to do what they could to help. The proposals were brought to the attention of the healthier communities select committee, and the issue was put on the agenda to be discussed during their meeting in May 2009.

Several Network arts members attended the meeting at the Civic suite, Lewisham Town hall, but were allowed only to spectate, not to take part in the debate. We were however able to appoint a few people to speak on our behalf. We are especially grateful to Councilor Chris Mains (Vice-Chair of the Healthier Communities Select Committee), councilor Chris Flood, Alan Bailey ( from Lewisham Link) and S.N.A.P member Mike Pike, all of whom put considerable time and effort into preparing for the meeting and delivered speeches to be proud of. COS were represented at the meeting by Hilary Charlton and Tracey Power.

The committee were not asked to decide whether or not Network arts should be closed, rather they were asked to determine if closure of Network arts would constitute a "significant variation to services".

Following a debate, during which Hilary and Tracey struggled to satisfactorily answer questions about the proposals, the committee UNANIMOUSLY voted that the closure of Network arts WOULD constitute a significant variation to services.

Although this was undoubtedly a positive outcome, it by no means removed the threat of closure. It did, however mean that COS could not proceed with the proposed closure immediately. COS were required to present more detailed proposals at the next meeting of the healthier communities select committee on 22 July 2009. Publication of the new proposals was to be followed by a 3 month public consultation period.

At a full council meeting on 20 May 2009, the proposed closure of Network Arts was bought to the attention of the mayor. Councillor Chris Maines tabled a motion, which was seconded by Councillor David Edgerton. The motion read as follows:

“This Council notes with concern the proposal by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to shut the Network Arts project as part of their reorganisation of the Community Opportunities Services in Lewisham. The council recognises the success of this arts-based project which is based in the Lee Centre. It offers a great opportunity for its users to develop creative skills and enhance their lives. It calls on The Mayor to work with SLaM to ensure Network Arts remains available for Lewisham residents.”

The motion was put to the vote, and by a majority vote, was agreed.

The new proposals were published in mid July 2009. Despite the fact that COS invited, and recieved, feedback from many people, there is no indication within the re-vamped document that any of the members views were taken into consideration. The document is essentially the same as the original, with a few figures juggled around and makes clear their intention to proceed with the closure of Network arts regardless of the opinions of those people who rely on the project. COS has invited feedback on the new proposals, but as many people have already written letters, and as there are no significant differences between the first and current versions of the proposal, members are quite rightly angry, and feel there is little point in repeating what they have already said. Having said that some members have set up a campaign group and the fight to save Network arts will continue. Network arts staff and S.N.A.P will also continue to do what they can.

Click here for a summary of the proposed changes

Click here for the full proposal document

PLEASE keep reading, we really DO need your support!

We realise that the full document may be a bit heavy reading for some, and the summary document contains only basic information. We have selected some of the important sections of the full document and will comment on them here

The document contains many inaccuracies and statements that do not reflect the true qualities and value of Network arts.

Examples of these inaccuracies are shown below, along with our responses to them.

Pg 11: " All service users now have an allocated COS Team Worker, and those on CPA have and allocated Care Co-ordinator and are also involved in a range of other activities in addition to attending Network Arts"

This is untrue. For many members, Network arts is the ONLY activity they are involved in, and losing it would be a tragedy for those people who rely on Network arts to provide the only opportunity they have to socialse as well as create some wonderful art work. Check out the gallery and members pages to see for yourself.

Pg 11: "There were 14 people who used sessions at a frequency of once-weekly or more - Of these 14 people three (21%) were from BME groups and two (21%) were under 35 (average age 43) which indicates that the sessions are not targeted effectively at priority groups"

This is misleading as the method in which the statistics were obtained was not made clear. Someone who had been a member for less than 1 year had their attendances adjusted accordingly. So for example if someone had been a member for 6 months and attended 20 sessions, their attendance would have been adjusted to 10 sessions.

To say that Network arts does not effectively target priority groups is outrageous given that we can only accept new members if they have been refered to us by COS. It is COS that does the targetting, not Network arts

The photograph below was taken on 16 July 2009, during a normal mosaicing session and clearly shows that we do NOT have problems engaging people from BME groups.

This photograph was NOT staged. Nobody was asked to position themselves either in or outside of the field of view based on their ethnicity. This is what an average mosaicing session looks like.

Pg 12 - "We have already agreed with the following projects to provide access to alternative groups for COS service users who may be using Individual Budgets or Direct payments:
Organisation A (Camberwell): Art Activities
Organisation B (Sydenham): Horticulture; Art Activities
Organisation C (Deptford): Art and Design
Organisation D (Catford): Art Activities for people from BME groups
Organisation E (Deptford): Art Activities
Organisation F (New Cross): Art Activities"

COS has as yet not named these mysterious organisations, despite assuring us that they have agreements with them. This makes it impossible for members to contact these organisations and ask for information, which means that they cannot even begin to look into what their options may be should the worst happen and they lose Network arts.

Pg 12 " COS staff will continue to provide a weekly Arts group at the Lee Centre, the current base of Network Arts. This will be available for current users of Network Arts as well as new people"

Are COS staff qualified to run art classes? The implication is that the sessions will be staffed by whichever COS worker happens to be available. What art activities would be available during these weekly sessions?

How do COS propose to cater for the 50+ current members along with new people in a once weekly group?

pg 12 "COS would also provide six to 10 week taster courses according to demand and interest, covering a range of arts based activities. We will be able to offer a far wider range of creative opportunities including drama and creative writing, not just focussing on visual arts"

Mo and Steve had intended to provide taster sessions themselves. These sessions would have required no additional funding as they would have utilised materials currently available at Network arts, and Mo and Steve already have the skills required. However, they were prevented from runnibg the sessions by COS, who cited a lack of evidence of there being demand and interest (despite the fact that many members had expressed an interest in the sessions.

pg 15 "Savings from the changes will be used to increase funding for Individual Budgets and Direct Payments" and "The Trust has made a commitment to making at least £45,000 available for Direct Payments and Individual Budgets if these proposals are developed"

COS has given a figure of £45,000 as the minimum annual budget for direct payments. If this money were equally distributed between the 1000 service users COS currently works with, each would have a hefty budget of £45 per year, a whopping 12p a day. Clearly the money will not be distributed in this way, but no details of how it WILL be fairly distributed are given.

Taking the COS figure of £30 a session, the anual cost of attending one session per week would be £1560. £45,000 would therefore allow 28 service users to attend one session per week of an art (or comparably priced) activity. This equates to less than 3% of the 1000 service users that COS currently works with.

Again taking the COS figure of £30 per session, £45,000 would buy 1500 sessions per year. Network Arts Curently provides 76 sessions per week, 52 weeks of the year, a total of 3952 sessions, significantly more than would be available via direct payments.

It is worth noting that the healthier communities select commitee reccomended that COS delay implementing direct payments until research has been completed on how the system has worked in other parts of the country.

pg 12 "It is also worth noting that the current building used by Network Arts is nadequate. And "To move to more appropriate premises would cost up a significant amount in rent for one year"

We are fully aware that our current base at the Lee Centre is less tha ideal. We were previously based above Olbys (the plumbing merchant in Lewisham high St). Olbys provided a much bigger space, and included seperate workroom and a gallery, shown below. Having our own gallery space enabled us to stage regular exhibitions.

In 2005, Network was relocated from Olbys to the newly refurbished Independants day centre in Blackheath. Having moved all of our equipment, materials and members work into Independants rd, we were informed that the building was not safe to use. Network arts was left homeless, and for 6 months sessions could not run. We were then moved into our current location at the Lee centre. Lewisham Council agreed to give COS £78,000 per year to cover the cost of renting more adequate premises for Network arts and associated projects such as the picture framing group. COS have not used that money for it’s intended purpose and thus we remain in inadequate premisis. A spokesman for the council confirmed, at the healthier communities select committe meeting, that this £78,000 is available.

Much of our equipment remains at Independants road, along with materials and members work which we do not have the space to accomodate at the Lee centre. Until very recently, our property was protected by 24 hr security at Independants rd, which was no doubt very expensive. The premesis at Independants rd has recently been sold, and at this point we do not know what has happened, or will happen to our property.

Our hope now is that Lewisham council will find us premisis and pay the £78,000 directly to us. This would allow Network arts to continue the amazing work it does within the community, and to develop into a flagship project that any council would be proud of.

We ask you to contact your local councillor and ask them to do whatever they can to save the project. For a list of councillors and their email addresses, click HERE