Arts and heritage plans for Jersey may not be deliverable

Detailed strategies for arts and heritage were launched in 2022

Plans for arts and culture in Jersey may not be achievable, a report claims.

The report examines the Government of Jersey's delivery of the new Arts and Heritage Strategies.

Lynne Pamment, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), said it was "not possible to demonstrate that the ambitious strategies are deliverable", without detailed and costed plans.

She also said a clear plan was needed on refurbishment at the Opera House and Arts Centre.

A detailed strategy for arts and another for heritage were launched in 2022.

The C&AG's report focusses on the effectiveness of the plans and processes in place to implement and monitor delivery of the strategies.

Ms Pamment said key performance indicators "should be measurable and should inform a judgment on the added value delivered by both sectors following the additional Government investment".

The report also considers the adequacy of government arrangements to award grants to and to oversee arts, heritage and cultural organisations.

In 2022 grants to four arts, heritage and cultural organisations totalled £7.5m compared with £4.8m in 2020.

Ms Pamment said appraisal processes for awarding grants had "not been revised to reflect the new strategies and the greater expectations that should arise from additional funding".

Regarding the Opera House and Arts Centre Ms Pamment said refurbishment grants were approved in 2021 "when it was evident that meeting the deadline for spending the grants would be challenging".

She said both projects ultimately failed to meet deadlines.

Ms Pamment said she found the government had expressed a clear commitment to arts, heritage and culture through investing 1% of governmental net revenue spend from 2022.

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