Webinars
The recordings of all previous Arts & Culture Finance webinars can be found below, offering a range of informative insights and guidance on a wide variety of topics related to social investment. These can also be found on our resources page.
Demystifying Due Diligence
The concept of ‘due diligence’ seems to go hand-in-hand with raising investment – but what exactly does it mean? What does it involve and how can arts & culture organisations be more empowered to go through this process?
In this webinar and Q&A we were joined by Jay Haigh, of Can’t Sit Still. The recording is available above and you can access the slides here. You can access a full transcript of the webinar here.
Social Investment in Times of Uncertainty
The UK’s arts, culture and heritage sectors are facing an unprecedented mix of economic challenges: from the lasting impact of the pandemic to the looming cost of living crisis; from the increased cost of borrowing to rising inflation. There’s also significant uncertainty around which organisations will qualify as part of Arts Council England’s national portfolio, with the news being announced in October or early November. These factors have understandably prompted organisations to look more broadly at their funding options, including the possible role for social investment. So, what is the role for social investment and other forms of repayable finance in this challenging context?
In this webinar and panel discussion we explored what social investment is (and how it works), how arts and culture organisations can use it to help them deliver on their missions, and the misconceptions and risks around it – along with how these can be mitigated. The Arts & Culture Finance (ACF) team were joined by Marcel Baettig, Founder and CEO of Bow Arts Trust, and Steve Mannix, Executive Director of Mercury Theatre Colchester. The recording is available above and you can access the slides here. You can access a full transcript of the webinar here.
Grassroots Cultural Placemaking
How can creative social entrepreneurs take ownership of cultural assets in their communities? In this webinar and panel discussion we explored the knowledge, skills and resources required to make the most of the opportunities. The Arts & Culture Finance (ACF) team were joined by Nichole Herbert-Wood, CEO of Second Floor Studios, Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust and Bonnie Hewson, a place-based investment manager at Power to Change.
The session focused on what support creative entrepreneurs can access, the role of finance and case studies of successful projects. The aim was to empower artists, social entrepreneurs and local groups to seize the opportunities for cultural asset ownership and breathe new life into their communities. The recording is available above and you can access the slides here.
Creativity and Wellbeing
In this webinar, the Arts & Culture Finance (ACF) team speak with Victoria Hume, Director of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance and Thomas Hardy, Learning & Participation Director of Saffron Hall about the different ways of working with the health sector in a cultural setting, how to measure impact with care for the participants and how social investment can play a role in developing sustainable business models.
The Q&A with Victoria and Thomas begins at 18:20, preceded by an introduction from the ACF team that explains what we offer, what we look for and other examples of health and wellbeing projects that the team have invested in.
Measuring Impact
In this webinar, the Arts & Culture Finance (ACF) team gives an overview of our approach to impact measurement and assessment, followed by a Q&A with Beverley Glean MBE and Rosie Lehan from IRIE! dance theatre.
You can find out more about ACF’s approach to impact, including how we assess investment applications, on this page and you can download the webinar slides here, which contain useful links to help you think about how you can measure impact and begin to develop (or adapt) a theory of change.
Developing New Revenue Streams
In this webinar, James Birchall, Director of Fuse Arts Space and CAMP FR, talks about his experience of taking on repayable finance to facilitate a completely new revenue stream that is designed to support the ambitions of another project. James runs Fuse Arts Space in Bradford, a performance and gallery space that hosts exhibitions, concerts, workshops as well as running a record label and publishing imprint. CAMP FR is a residential arts facility in the French pyrenees which was born out of Fuse and the relationships developed there. The camp runs 5-day residencies on art, music and writing, taught by exciting practitioners from their field including Terry Riley, Julia Holter and Simon Armitage.
The Q&A with James begins at 22:04, preceded by an introduction from the Arts & Culture finance team that explains what we offer, what we look for and other examples of similar projects that the team are currently pursuing.
Growing Programmes and Services
In this webinar, Judah Armani, Founder of InHouse Records, talks about his experience of taking on repayable finance as a small organisation. InHouse works in prisons with learners that want to be involved with a record label, giving them the opportunity to pursue work as an artist, in management or in production, which continues when they leave prison. InHouse has been running for three years and the reoffending rate of those who have taken part in their programme is less than 1%. The team is now looking to expand their work across the UK and the US.
The Q&A with Judah begins at 20:10, preceded by an introduction from the Arts & Culture finance team that explains what we offer, what we look for and other examples of similar projects that the team are currently pursuing.
Undertaking Capital Projects and Buying Equipment
In this webinar, Steve Mannix, Executive Director of The Mercury Theatre in Colchester, talks about his experience of taking on repayable finance to undergo a complete refurbishment of their existing building. The original theatre was run down, inaccessible and didn’t have the capacity for all their activities. The loan from Arts and Culture Finance was part of a wider, £10million fundraising effort to create a building worthy of the theatre’s programmes and ambitions and was used to underwrite future fundraising and build confidence with other funders. The Mercury took their customers on a journey with them throughout the fundraising and refurbishment process, to build excitement and keep an open dialogue with their community, a ticket levy on all tickets sold from 2016 onwards went towards meeting the costs of the loan.
The Q&A with Steve begins at 15:52, preceded by an introduction from the Arts & Culture finance team that explains what we offer, what we look for and other examples of capital projects that the team are currently pursuing.