Braintree: Arts group are asked to fill gap (From Braintree and Witham Times)

Braintree: Arts group are asked to fill gap

10:40am Wednesday 8th July 2009

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A voluntary arts group is having to fill a “vacuum” following the axing of an arts post by the district council.

Braintree District Arts Voluntary Association (BDA) supports and promotes arts in the district, such as through the F7 Arts Festival which runs over the summer.

As a result of Braintree Council not continuing with an arts officer post, BDA member Brenda Baker said the group had been asked to take on the work.

Ms Baker, George Yard Shopping Centre manager, said: “There’s a vacuum there and BDA are being asked to step into that vacuum. The problem is it’s a question of who’s going to pay for it.

“We are a small group of volunteers. We are very willing as a group to do that but we have to find a way to make sure we are covering all our costs.”

Some of the work BDA carries out includes input into artwork projects at the new Braintree Community Hospital.

She said the not-for-profit organisation, which has been breaking even over the last three years, needed extra funds to carry out extra work, but also much could be achieved through sharing resources and communication.

BDA chairman Agnes Bishop said there were grants available, but as Braintree Council had not listed arts and culture as one of its priorities they were difficult to obtain.

BDA was currently in discussions with the council as somebody needed to be employed by the council to handle some of the work, she added.

Tim Wilkinson, deputy cabinet member for enterprise and culture at Braintree Council, said losing the post did not mean the council was no longer interested in the arts.

He said: “We are continuing to try and support them in ways we can.”

The council and strategic partners were making £6, 500 available to BDA, he said.

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