Regional Arts Board

		Directory





		The ten Regional Arts Boards in England work with the Arts Council of England, the British Film Institute and the Crafts Council to support and develop the arts in England. They aim to place the arts at the heart of their region's cultural, social, economic and educational life. The Arts Council of England and the Regional Arts Boards often work together to jointly fund library initiatives, so your RAB is a good first point of call for advice advice and help on the promotion of literature. Your RAB officer can also be an invaluable source of information and can advise on the availability of local resources. Here are some details of how the Arts Board in each region works with librarians and provides support for libraries.

		Eastern Arts
		Eastern Arts has worked closely with the seven Library Authorities in its region and enjoys regular meetings with representatives from each county who now make up the East of England Library Forum, which provides a network for support, ideas and advice. Eastern Arts Board and the Forum organise exciting new promotions of literature annually, with associated training days. Literature Development Workers in the region also work closely with libraries on a range of projects. Most library funding takes place through the Library Forum and by agreement with Local Authorities but some extra limited funding may be available from Eastern Arts Literature Projects and Schemes. For scheme guidelines or further details of the Library Forum please contact: Emma Drew Eastern Arts Cherry Hinton Hall Cherry Hinton Road Cambridge CB1 4DW Telephone 01223 215355 Email emmad@eab.eastern-arts.co.uk


		East Midlands Arts
		East Midlands Arts has developed a very strong relationship with the four Library Authorities in the region funding with them, on a partnership basis, a range of initiatives to support Literature promotion in Libraries. East Midlands Arts also hosts four Literature Development Workers, one in each county of the region. East Midlands Arts has also developed a Library Policy and Strategy through regular meetings of the East Midlands Chief Librarians Group. Library Power initiatives can be supported by a variety of means including a regional Writers Directory, a Literature Newsletter, a workshop funding scheme (Artists at Your Service) and a Writers in Performance Scheme (Writers Live). For further details librarians should contact: Sue Stewart East Midlands Arts Mountfields House Forest Road Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 3HU Telephone 01509 218 292 Email sue.stewart.ema@artsfb.org.uk


		London Arts Board
		The London Arts Board is looking to extend its work with libraries throughout Greater London, particularly in the promotion of library services and in the areas of new and under-represented writing, writing from the black and other ethnic minority communities and children's literature. The LAB also welcomes initiatives to develop readings, talks and storytelling in libraries, in particular in conjunction with third parties, for example publishers. Finally, the LAB is keen to encourage closer involvement of the public library network with organisations such as writers groups. The Literature Officer will be pleased to discuss and advise on particular projects and ideas. Funding may take the form of funding agreements with local authorities or one-off project funding with individual libraries. In either case, other sources of funding are required. Librarians should contact: John Hampson Literature Officer London Arts Board Elme House 133 Long Acre London WC2E 9AF Telephone 0171 240 1313 Email john.hampson.lab@artsfb.org.uk


		Northern Arts
		Northern Arts Board offers varied support to the five library authorities in the region. This includes funding towards a year's programme of literature based workshops, readings, residencies and public art projects; funding towards schemes developing reading with the under fives using professional writers/storytellers; support for storytelling and author's readings; funding towards conferences and symposia on issues relating to literature; funding towards writer residencies and literature development worker posts. Criteria for funding include excellence and innovation in programming and promotion of quality reading and writing. All proposals should include matching funding. Priority is given to partnership projects, including educational and arts organisations. All enquiries should be directed to Janice Campbell Published and Broadcast Arts Department Northern Arts 9/10 Osborne Terrace Jesmond Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 1NZ Telephone 0191 281 6334


		North West Arts Board
		Individual libraries and library authorities play an important role in the North West Arts Board region as partners in the delivery of the Literature Department's objectives. NWAB has collaborated with libraries in establishing Literature Development Officer posts (in Blackpool, Cheshire, Oldham, Wigan and Knowsley, to date) as well as supporting a range of promotional events in individual libraries and across authorities. The department has a small budget for literature development training in libraries and is collaborating with all interested authorities in the region in delivering this training in libraries which should lead on to development projects. Project funds are available for creative writing development and literature in performance activities and NWAB will support creative reading and writing development through advice and information. The department is interested in supporting projects specifically in those authorities that have had little contact with the Arts Board and is actively encouraging Local Authority Arts Development Officers to work with libraries to develop literature provision across the region. Librarians should contact: Bron Williams Media Officer: Literature North West Arts Board 12 Harter Street Manchester M1 6HY Telephone 0161 228 3062 Email literature@nwarts.co.uk


		South East Arts Board
		South East Arts Board has developed very strong relationships with its four library authorities, supporting a variety of training, promotional and writing projects. It has also actively supported a number of Arts Council Library Fund initiatives. Over the past five years, South East Arts has also co-funded a number of literature development posts in the region, which have developed very close relationships with the relevant authority. South East Arts also provides support, advice and funding to each authority through its directory, live literature scheme and literature newsletter. In addition, it will also be hosting a libraries awareness day in partnership with Surrey Libraries during 1996, the aims of the day being to celebrate the work of the Surrey Literature Development Initiative and to begin the process of developing a regional library forum. For further information contact: Anne Downes South East Arts 10 Mount Ephraim Tunbridge Wells Kent, TN4 8AS Telephone 01892 515210.


		Southern Arts
		This region's library authorities have a long history of successful collaboration with Southern Arts. As well as supporting the Arts Council's Library Fund initiatives in several authorities, Southern Arts also supports training, promotion, performance, and Literature Development Worker's posts at every opportunity. Southern Art's contact for Libraries is: Kieren Phelan Southern Arts Board 13 St Clement Street Winchester Hampshire SO23 9DQ Telephone 01962 855 099


		South West Arts
		South West Arts continues to support strategic initiatives which develop the work of children's libraries as promoters of contemporary literature. We are particularly interested in imaginative literature events with a strong educational element and initiatives which involve collaborations with writers, storytellers and arts organisations. Funding is only available to applicants within the South West region. For details on funding schemes and deadlines contact: Sara Williams South West Arts Bradninch Place Gandy Street Exeter EX4 3LS Telephone 01392 218 188 Email sara.williams@artsfb.org.uk


		West Midlands Arts
		West Midlands has given wholehearted support to the eleven Library Authorities in the region towards a variety of notable projects and programmes of work, several of them supported also by the Arts Council's Library fund, and in developing more active services for readers and writers. Literature Development Workers are attached to Libraries and Arts in Solihull, Hereford and Worcester, Sandwell and Walsall and a post is being created in Staffordshire, also with Arts Council support. WMA hosts an annual meeting of library/arts representatives from all the authorities. The West Midlands Regional Libraries system is currently running 'project development'/staff training for all the authorities in the region, with support from the Arts Council's Library Fund. WMA's funding has been mainly through funding agreements with local authorities and not through schemes or other one-off budgets, and this means it is unlikely financial support could be found towards Library Power projects as such. Printed advice and information - on writers and storytellers, on writing groups etc. - is available and the Literature Officer will be happy to discuss and advise on particular projects and ideas. Please contact Adrian Johnson West Midlands Arts 82 Granville Street Birmingham BI 2LH Telephone 0121 631 3121 Email adrian.johnson.wma@artsfb.org.uk


		Yorkshire and Humberside Arts
		YHA will part-fund readings by, and workshops with, writers in libraries through our Live Writing Scheme. We also support individual projects such as creative reading initiatives and poetry promotions. YHA also offers a Literature Development for Libraries Training package, covering information on the literature sector, event promotion, literature and reading promotion and black literature. The package leads to a practical and ongoing plan for development implemented in conjunction with YHA and other funded literature organisations. Librarians should contact: Steve Dearden Literature Officer Yorkshire and Humberside Arts 21 Bond Street Dewsbury WF13 1AX Telephone 01924 455 555 Email steve.dearden.yha@artsfb.org.uk