MP Bob Russell criticises art gallery spending (From Gazette)
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MP Bob Russell criticises art gallery spending
8:40pm Thursday 21st October 2010 in News By James Calnan
COLCHESTER MP Bob Russell has launched a scathing attack in Parliament on the Firstsite gallery project, formerly known as the Visual Arts Facility.
During a Commons debate on the importance of historic villages and towns, the MP charted the town’s long history, pointing out it was the Roman capital when London was merely a collection of huts.
He went on: “The last Government recognised tourism had an important role and it provided millions of pounds, through the Arts Council and urban regeneration funding, for the arts.
“In the case of Colchester, what they thought would make a great tourist attraction was not all that Roman or Norman heritage...no, it was decided what Colchester needed was not something to do with history, but rather a Visual Arts Facility to promote contemporary Latin American art.
“Such art is a subject the people of Colchester constantly talk about. Actually, I think not.
“The original project price of that facility was £16million.
“Today, the construction of the facility is running approximately four years late and £8.5million over budget.
“I recognise that money came from different pots, but I am criticising the previous Government for channelling it through culture when, in the case of Britain’s oldest recorded town, it should have been channelled through history and gone into the town’s history.
“If that £25million had been spent on the various Roman and Norman sites, it would have been far better spent.
“Most people in Colchester did not want it, but it was dumped on them, and now taxpayers will have to find £600,000 a year to subsidise the facility.”
Comments(20)
ALMONDS
says...
9:02pm Thu 21 Oct 10
Feisty CBC wrote:It will always be the VAF (Very annoying farce) to me. The words I have been asked to enter to get my comment added are "poor-site", very apt I think.
Well done BOB! Also, would the Gazette please stop referring to the VAF as Firstsite. There has been no name change. Albeit, The muppets running the said facility would have you think different. TIA
The REAL Norm
says...
11:03pm Thu 21 Oct 10
Sdapeze
says...
11:52pm Thu 21 Oct 10
The REAL Norm
says...
12:15am Fri 22 Oct 10
Boris
says...
2:25am Fri 22 Oct 10
An art gallery, however unpopular, qualifies as a public amenity. A commercial venue does not.
Therefore the VAF must be devoted only to arts exhibitions, film showings and so on. Anything else will be a breach of the conditions.
And the very idea of replacing the remains of the bus station to provide a grassy space alongside a commercial venue is utterly obscene.
Sdapeze is right in that we can't unbuild the VAF (that will happen spontaneously). Nor can we refuse to pay for completion of the building.
What we can do is stop paying the Firstsite buffoons. Let them find the money for their own salaries and expenses from some other source.
Sparkfilms
says...
9:24am Fri 22 Oct 10
We have approached Firstsite to see if they will allow us to premier 'Layer Road - Life, Death & Destruction' next October at the VAF.
The film is about change, based around the move from Layer Road to the new stadium, however, I would like to think that we are trying to convey other messages.
It's being made as a sound / art piece, and it's another year out of my life working on a project that is self funded.
I am also speaking to East Anglian Film Archive about purchasing some non football footage to help reflect the changes in the town.
Although I have been opposed to the VAF since its inception this does seem an ideal opportunity for both parties to put on something of ( if I might say ) substance.
If this should go ahead, and despite anything that may have been said by myself or others I will be happy to put Bob Russell and Andy Hamilton on the guest list.
Andy Hamilton
says...
10:52am Fri 22 Oct 10
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I must admit my efforts to publicly expose the obscene waste of public money on a failed project is the complete opposite. And yes I realise the VAF will open and the money cannot be recovered. Unfortunately the restrictive conditions of Essex County Council and the Arts Council mean the present free entry art gallery will be heavy subsidised to keep it open.
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Also the defective VAF building will be expensive to maintain. Most of these costs will fall on the local taxpayer now the government cuts have been announced.
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I have repeatedly asked Colchester Council to renegotiate the one sided Art Council grant conditions but they have always refused. Similarly Colchester Council insists Firstsite must lease the VAF even though these financial parasites lack the skills to manage such a complex project.
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Firstsite have always refused public access to their committee meetings and the fabled "business plan" is kept secret. Yet this drespicable private arts group will be handling about £2.5million of public funds once the VAF opens. According to the last public accounts, a single page, they have £800,000 spare cash.
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Firstsite never respond to public comments knowing their jobs are secure as councillors view them as a priority. By the way I did picket the Firstsite shop on its opening day but gave up after lunch. So few went in that day and even today this shop is normally empty.
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ALMONDS
says...
11:07am Fri 22 Oct 10
Sdapeze wrote:Embrace it, no way, like many people I will not be going anywhere near it.
Bob is leaning on an open door over this. He speaks for the people. But the VAF exists. It isn't going away. Embrace it for heavens sake. These constant attacks are pointless.
arthurfoxhaig
says...
11:35am Fri 22 Oct 10
just so you know, all your work is highly appreciated, by those of us too lazy to actually do more than moan about this, keep up the good work fella!
ALMONDS- I wouldn't go embracing the vaf if I were you, it's likely to collapse around you and you'll have to be dug from under the expensive golden rubble!
Mr Anory. Jack
says...
11:37am Fri 22 Oct 10
Put it into context, the last shower of power ordered a gold plated deal for 2 warships, that we cant use for 10 years, but only cost £5.2 BILLION pounds.
No amenity that one either, but like the VAF, was ordered, never fully paid for, but while Labour sanctioned it / them.
Scandalous.
Gary A
says...
12:48pm Fri 22 Oct 10
Yes history is important, but what about making an effort to educate visitors in the cultures of peoples around the world? Art is one of the best ways to get under the skin of the people that created it.
Let's be less inwardly-focussed.
I'd be interested to see how the so-called "anti-VAF majority" breaks down as a demographic.
The REAL Norm
says...
1:18pm Fri 22 Oct 10
You can put lipstick on the VAF pig all day long, but it is still a pig...
Read the Council budget consultation document, which they all seem quite happy to ignore...'This was followed by ‘Arts and Culture’ with 351 negative responses against 77 positive'
http://www.colcheste
r.gov.uk/news_det.as
p?art_id=12055&sec_i
d=27
love Dr
says...
6:16pm Fri 22 Oct 10
ALMONDS
says...
11:14pm Fri 22 Oct 10
arthurfoxhaig wrote:I did say I would not be embracing it and I would not be going anywhere near it. I have lived in Colchester for over 45 years and have never been in the minories art gallery.
To Andy Hamilton, just so you know, all your work is highly appreciated, by those of us too lazy to actually do more than moan about this, keep up the good work fella! ALMONDS- I wouldn't go embracing the vaf if I were you, it's likely to collapse around you and you'll have to be dug from under the expensive golden rubble!
Boris
says...
6:24pm Sat 23 Oct 10
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Sparkfilms, good luck with your test of Firstsite's good faith. I'm sure you have a plan B for when they refuse.
Boris
says...
6:25pm Sat 23 Oct 10
Andy Hamilton
says...
6:53pm Sat 23 Oct 10
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Now Colchester Institute is running it I hope it will have interesting exhibitions to promote the students' work.
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It is sad to see our elected representatives unable to understand that whatever public money they squander they will never be anything but cultural barbarians.
Sparkfilms
says...
9:35pm Sat 23 Oct 10
Other possible venues include The Odeon, Moot Hall, Mercury Theatre, Lakeside Theatre at Essex Uni and Colchester Arts Centre.
We may even project it onto a building somewhere or hire an alternative venue.
BTW - Offers for Layer Road site are being processed in two weeks time.
£900,000?
Boris
says...
12:46am Mon 25 Oct 10
I hope your film is going to be entered for various competitions. I would love to see you win a prize for best documentary at Cannes or Berlin or San Sebastian or somewhere like that.
Thanks again for the DVD of "Made in Colchester", I still have to check whether our DVD player is working OK, and I'll e-mail you once I have viewed it.
Feisty CBC says...
8:48pm Thu 21 Oct 10
Also, would the Gazette please stop referring to the VAF as Firstsite. There has been no name change. Albeit, The muppets running the said facility would have you think different. TIA