CULTURE
Gibraltarian culture is a fundamental expression of our identity. Through our arts we share our unique vision with the world, express our national narratives and export our values.
The last few years have seen our cultural product completely transformed for the benefit of an “events led tourism” agenda. From a cultural point of view, we believe that this has made our cultural offering much less diverse - as well as much more costly. We are extremely proud of our artists in all disciplines and wish to build on their successes by providing better and more innovative opportunities to showcase their talent. We wish to foster greater public involvement in our cultural scene and build a greater awareness of our cultural calendar.
Cultural Projects
Funds for cultural projects are often allocated arbitrarily and on an ad hoc basis, thus limiting access to those less connected to the institutions of the cultural establishment.
We will:
Give all stakeholders an equal chance at showcasing their work.
Put forward a programme of fair and transparent open grants for projects in all artistic disciplines.
More Disciplines in Culture
We are currently not exploring and promoting all the forms of art and culture , both old and new. We place little emphasis on disciplines such as filmmaking, digital art, poetry and other forms of art and culture.
We will:
Incentivise our creatives by holding competitions, exhibitions and regular events on other forms of art outside of the realm of the existing exhibitions.
Create a short film festival/exhibition so we can nurture filmmaking and explore a new creative scene for Gibraltar.
Create a Poetry Slam.
Generate Exposure
Not enough is done for our artists to gain exposure outside of Gibraltar.
We will:
Develop links and partnerships to facilitate cultural exchanges that will allow us to export our culture and art internationally.
Set up a street art community group with artists, town planning, tourism and urban regeneration, to designate popular walking routes and design and plan street art.
Music Festivals
Annual music festivals absorb the majority of our cultural budget, but do not provide suitable levels of economic and cultural value. Together Gibraltar will aim to revive the spirit of the GMF days.
We will:
Put the festival out to tender with a sustainable budget and a focus on quality and cultural value over quantity.
Work closely with the tourist board and stakeholders to ensure we maximise this potential with a cohesive branding and marketing campaign.
Consider formats that allow for other disciplines to be featured in the festival.
Create a ‘Battle of The Bands’ and a singer/songwriter competition as an annual event, with the winner taking the best ‘slot’ for a local act at the music festival, encouraging the composition of new music and providing them a platform to showcase their material locally and internationally.
Support
Newer Art groups/Organisations feel they do not get the support needed when organising exhibitions and events, or even to help each other develop skills in their own particular art form.
We will:
Incorporate the values of equality, diversity and inclusion by working with ALL groups and organisations to ensure their needs are met when creating an exhibition or performance.
Expand on multidisciplinary formats such as the Youth Arts Jamboree, providing varied and accessible productions of great cultural value in synch with schools and the youth department.
Introduce a monthly cultural calendar with an option to subscribe for free and promote these activities in conjunction with the departments of tourism and education.
Theatre and Performing Arts
A bricks and mortar structure might build a theatre, but the dramatic and performing arts need to foster talent in its actors, directors, stage managers, set designers, musicians - in short, everyone involved with writing, producing and performing. This requires physical spaces, a variety of revenue streams and long-term support.
We will:
Support the development of appropriate spaces for rehearsals and performances with a central Performance Arts centre at the Queens Cinema location. From that central hub, Together Gibraltar will work in partnership with local theatre groups, groups of drama students, local and international organisations and businesses to fully engage the community in the development of the performing arts.
Engage international groups to visit Gibraltar and run workshops to foster local talent.
Encourage the development of street theatre and street performances in our parks and public spaces.
Continue to support the Drama Festival.
Literature
The story of a place is the sum of the stories of its people. It is time for Gibraltar to explore and develop its own unique stories and to grow its own body of literature. Local writers need support for small projects in terms of publishing, cultural exchanges, or even conference attendance. There are currently only a limited number of cultural grants available for this, and applications are only open once a year, giving little flexibility.
We will:
Review the Literary Festival to ensure its continuing relevance to literature and writing.
Seek to attract a greater variety of writers whose works are appreciated and add value to the local community.
Enhance the festival experience by working with the Department of Education and local schools, college, university, the library and youth centres to hold workshops, readings, poetry slams, open mic sessions and other events so that we can truly celebrate our written and spoken word.
Provide support to those on low income to make the Literary Festival more accessible, including with discounted ticket bundles.
Ensure the Literary Festival meets all the requirements of public accountability and that it is put out to tender as appropriate.
Expand the concept of the Literary Festival and hold alternative fringe festivals and literary events such as ‘poetry in the park’, in various locations
Work in partnership with local writers to encourage the formation of writers’ groups.
Develop a system of grants that will encourage writers to develop their talents and support them in publishing their work, promoting it both locally and internationally.
Offer a bursary to create the position of a “writer in residence”, a position that will last twelve months, earned through a writing competition and carrying a requirement to help develop Gibraltar’s growing literature and literature as an art form.
Work in conjunction with schools, college and university to establish co-operation with the English departments to encourage the taking up of creative writing at any age or stage in life.