Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Huw Morgan and Amy O’Sullivan.

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 1st December, 2016 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Committee meeting held 1^st December 2016 be approved and signed as a correct record with the following amendments:

Item 11 Update on Flagship Galleries Network Project

Add to the first paragraph ‘The Committee resolved that we would be supportive of the Flagship Galleries Project’.

Item 12 Feedback from Trustees Meeting

Add at the end of the paragraph ‘including securing insurance sponsorship’.

Item 13 Insurance Sponsorship

Add at the end of the first paragraph ‘It was noted that UNIQA was providing insurance to cover the costs of restoration (deleted phrase) of the collection, in the event of disaster, up to the value of £1,000,000’.

Item 14 Art Gallery Bi-Annual Report

Add new fourth paragraph ‘The Committee recommended that the National Art Director be involved in the recruitment process and they requested an opportunity to comment on the job description.’

Matters arising

Item 15 Chipperfield Bequest Fund Bank Accounts and Appointment of Financial Advisor

The Service Director, Growth reported that the Trustees were unable to appoint a financial advisor to the Committee.  It was agreed that the Committee would write a report to the Trustees setting out their reasons for a separate bank account and how this should be administered. 

The Committee to pay tribute to the retiring Art Gallery Curator, Tim Craven. 

The Chair, Liz Goodall paid tribute to Tim Craven for his 37 years in service.  Tim started his career as a Conservation Officer before taking on restoration.  Tim has been a force to recon with as he has demonstrated how art should be handled.  He took on the Art Loan Scheme, within a year income from the scheme had risen from £2k to £20k.  Standards were set for the Art Gallery lend art works to show all parts of the world as Tim introduced ‘Tate’ style crates.  Since becoming Curator in the 1990s Tim’s passion and encyclopaedic knowledge has seen an increase in bequests which has resulted in the Art Gallery’s importance.  On behalf of the Committee, Liz thanked for being their part of the history of the Art Gallery and wished Tim best wishes for his new career as an artist. 

To receive the report of the Arts and Heritage Manager, attached.  

The Committee received an update report on the Annual Report to be submitted to the Trust in July. 

The report was noted with the following amendments:

3 - add the following bullet point:

·  Active promotion and participation in support of the Gallery.

7 – final report to include how many of the 33k visits were learning visits.

8 - the Committee welcomed the opportunity to feedback into the audience research project and suggested the Gallery implemented quick wins to improve customer experience.   

9 - third paragraph: ‘Once a successful candidate is appointed, their training period will include one to one mentoring with Tim Craven (add) and time with proposed Flagship Galleries Director’.

It was agreed that the Committee should have access to copies of The Morris Dancer and The Rat Catcher catalogue in order to promote the Art Gallery themselves. 

Discussion took place regarding the need for a FAQs page on the Gallery website to give advice and reassurance when considering bequests.  The Committee agreed to consider appropriate FAQs and forward to the Chair for collation.

10 – The Morris Dancer and The Rat Catcher - misspelling of Jonathan Clark corrected.

10 – Still Hanging Around – add to the paragraph ‘Hilda Margery Clarke is a resident of Southampton and has been a friend of the Gallery for many years’.

10 – Looking at – amalgamate the two paragraphs on page 7 of the report relating to Stephen Snoddy’s exhibition.

12 – accounts close at the end of June, no information available until then.  Delete the first and last sentence of this paragraph.

13 – delete paragraph. 

15 – link to website opens up last years statement of accounts at present. 

It was agreed:

·  Finalised report to be presented to Trustees on 19^th July;

·  As a standard practise all sponsors are included in future catalogue productions. 

The Committee discussed with the Cabinet Member and the Service Director, Growth how the Committee spend their time and energies.  It was agreed that they would give time to the Flagship Galleries Project and support the new Curator induction process.  It was also agreed a joint work stream event would take place looking at the terms of reference and workings of the Committee leading to a more satisfactory outcome for the both the Committee and the Council. 

The Committee welcomed the discussion with the Council in clarifying roles and responsibilities for the future.