People and organisations come to us with conundrums and quandries, opportunities and obstacles in the ever changing world of the arts and creative enterprise.
We provide a supportive process to clarify issues, challenges, likely impacts and help them deliver viable route maps forward.
This is a period where a new order is emerging, post the pandemic and with societal shifts embedded. Emergency funding is long- gone and, for now, its clear that audiences have large appetites for the immersive experience, leaving the kitchen sink drama for the home screens. Its clear that there is less public funding for the arts and, for now, the steep decline in local authority funding means that some of the old models are no longer sustainable. Public priorities throughout the UK are divided: for some, inclusion, addressing inequalities and creating sustainable creative ecosystems are important. Partnerships are more important than ever.
Artists are responding to technological advances to create innovate and immersive work
Over the years we have helped many clients (of all types and scale) design and achieve change including: Abbey Theatre Ireland, Aberdeen Performing Arts, Barbican Centre, English Pen, National Theatre of Scotland, Ovalhouse / Brixton House, Northampton Theatres, Queens Hall Edinburgh, Roundhouse, Royal Opera House, Sadlers Wells, Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Yorkshire Dance. These assignments variously include governance, management and staffing development and the refinement of business models and processes.
For the Abbey, Citymoves Dance Agency and Scottish Youth Theatre we have further provided services as Transition Director.
We have supported the business development of recent arts venues breaking the mould, for changed times. In our role as Arts Council mentors, we worked over several years with both Factory International (Aviva Studios) and Shakespeare North.
- Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is a recent example where BK has supported a new company in rapid business planning. EIFF was founded 70 years ago and was amalgamated into the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) which collapsed in 2022. A new company was formed in 2023 with the task of refreshing the Festival for a full programme in 2024. With a skeleton staff and board, EIFF also required to produce an ambitious and realistic business plan to maintain the confidence of its several major funders. BK supported this fast-track process, working with the new ideas and energy of the team while contributing our challenge and experience
- York Central is a large brownfield site of 45 hectares adjacent to the city’s railway station and the existing National Railway Museum which is undergoing its own significant expansion. York Central is one of the UK’s largest current regeneration projects which includes plans for 2,500 homes to transform underutilised railway land into distinctive residential neighbourhoods, cultural spaces, high quality public realm and a high-quality commercial quarter. BK has been commissioned to explore options for cultural use including how the development might complement York’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts.
- In another UNESCO context, BK worked in Farnham which was made a World Craft City in 2020 but had yet to capitalise on that accolade for the local craft sector. BK worked with the town council to use the opportunity to reinvigorate local makers and create routes for users and visitors to bring the sector together. Informed by national and international comparators, the Council invested in promoting the town’s unique positioning as a craft town with positive economic impacts.
During the pandemic and its aftermath we worked intensively with clients to support change including:
- Developing strategic business plans including the Civic, Tallaght, Tyne Theatre & Opera House and Liverpool’s Royal Court. In each of these cases, there was a focus on sustainability, diversity and role and position in the cultural and civic ecology post Covid
- Working collaboratively with clients to build on new activities, income streams and audiences including Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens in County Durham
- Supporting Strathearn Artspace in Perthshire to review its governance and management systems
- Helping venues successfully reopen such as the Barrington Centre, Ferndown, Dorset