Culture

Hertfordshire continues to provide a wide range of cultural activities that are available to all members of the community

Hertfordshire Association of Cultural Officers (HACO) believes that culture is essential to the quality of life of our communities. Equally, it plays an important role in the local economy. HACO recognises that cultural activities support community cohesion, skills development, our mental and physical well being and allows us to express and celebrate our identities.

It is also important that we value and support our diverse range of cultural assets. The 'magic and wonder' of the experiences they provide are essential to the health of the sector and our communities.

The Active People Survey

The Active People Survey¹ is an annual national questionnaire that surveys adult participation in cultural activities, sport and active recreation. Data is collected for every English local authority and includes variations between social classes, genders, ages, ethnicity, household structure and disability.

A key performance indicator of the Active People Survey is the measure of at least 3 x 30 minutes, moderate intensity adult (16+ years) participation in sport and active recreation per week.

Sport and active recreation (in Hertfordshire)
3x30mins moderate exercise per week
2006	22.0%
2007	22.2%
2008	21.7%
2009	-0.3%

Source: Active People Survey 2009

The findings from the last three years include:

Overall levels of participation remained static
A high level of inactivity, across Hertfordshire, particularly with increasing age and disability
A high level of female inactivity
Substantial variation between male and female inactivity
Differences in participation by socio-economic classification.

These findings are common to all districts with the exception of Welwyn Hatfield, although the extent of the differences in participation varies. 57.3% of adults in Hertfordshire stated a desire to do more sport in APS3. The highest levels of demand are among people aged 16 to 54 and among non-white people of all ages.

Libraries, Museums and Engagement with the Arts

From 2007/08, the Active People Survey has measured the proportion of adults, who in the last 12 months had:

used a public library service at least once
attended a museum or gallery at least once
engaged in the arts at least three times.

Adult usage of the library service in Hertfordshire decreased from the baseline in the two years it was measured. At district level, usage of the public library service ranges from 44.8% in Watford, to 55.8% in Three Rivers.

Adult attendance at a museum or gallery decreased from the baseline. At district level, visiting a museum or gallery ranges from 45.7% in Broxbourne, to 65.1% in St Albans.

Adult engagement in the arts saw no statistically significant change between year one and year two. Approximately half the adult population reported engagement in the arts at least three times in the last year. At district level engagement varied from 43.7% in Broxbourne to 53.7% in East Hertfordshire.

Library usage shows the greatest differences between socio-demographic groups in terms of gender and ethnicity. Male usage was 42.7% compared to 59.1% females usage and 50.0% of white compared to 64.2% non-white users.

Museum or gallery attendance showed notable differences in respect of ethnicity, disability and socio-economic status.

Engagement in the arts showed notable differences in respect of gender, ethnicity, disability and socioeconomic status. (This detailed analysis is not available for the most recent year of the survey (2009/10)).

Hertfordshire Library Services

Over 5.5 million people visited Hertfordshire libraries between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010, there were nearly 400,000 visits to the libraries website and library staff helped with over 1.5 million enquiries.

Nearly 7 million items, including books, DVDs, CDs, talking books, music scores, newspapers and magazines were issued, nearly 225,000 people borrowed at least one item from the library and over 50,000 new borrowers were registered during the year.

7,569 people of all ages attended 209 one off or 'ad hoc' events, including author events, special Rhyme and Story Times, workshops and learning events. In addition, 14,354 children joined the 'Space Hop' Summer Reading Challenge.

The graphs below show a comparison in activity between 2008/09 and 2009/10 for libraries across Hertfordshire. Visitor numbers have increased in all but three of the areas, but issue and renewal numbers have decreased across all areas.

Indicator L2 Hertfordshire Libraries

Usage comparison 2008/09 and 2009/10 - Library Visits

Source: Hertfordshire Libraries Service, October 2010
download and view this data in excel - disclaimer

Usage comparison 2007/08 and 2008/09 - Issues and Renewals

Source: Hertfordshire Libraries Service, October 2010
download and view this data in excel - disclaimer

Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS)

HALS aims to promote and preserve Hertfordshire's unique heritage for the study and enjoyment of all. The service helps to stimulate community involvement, active citizenship, social cohesion and enhance health and wellbeing.

HALS regularly hosts learning events and introductory tours, 6,277 people took part in learning events during the past year. 432,441 entries were added to 'Herts Names Online', launched in 2009/10 and enthusiastically received by users worldwide. Other projects include 'Making Memories', which has created eight community archive websites, increasing IT skills, and preserving local records, photos and memories.

Volunteering in archives has become increasingly popular, and 77 people of all ages have participated in indexing and listing projects. 'Herts Memories' volunteers have been capturing audio and video material and adding readings of wartime letters and diaries, to the website: www.hertsmemories.org.uk

In the year 2009/10 there were:

77 volunteers
60 exhibitions shown
229 learning events held
4,362 hours worked by volunteers
6,277 people attending learning events
11,683 people doing research at the Archives Centre
13,479 documents produced from the Strong Rooms
47,646 enquiries received
127,767 people visiting HALS online resources.

Conserving the Past, Creating a Future: conservation volunteering at HALS

In 2007 HALS offered opportunities for volunteers to participate in archive conservation tasks. Since then one volunteer has achieved a Diploma followed by an MA in Conservation at London University of the Arts. Another volunteer has just embarked on a Diploma course at the same University. The HALS’ Conservator offered mentoring throughout their university training.

Conservation volunteers start by cleaning and making folders for historic documents dating from 1230 onwards. Under direct supervision they are encouraged to move on to minor repairs to paper documents.

Hayley, a young job seeker, contacted HALS to gain workplace experience. She found she really enjoyed archive conservation, discovering a new talent for repairing old documents with painstaking precision. She also had the opportunity to help with public tours of the archives, demonstrating her newly acquired skills, and inspiring others to become volunteers. Having completed her Diploma she returned to HALS as an MA student, undertaking a practical project to successfully restore an old manuscript map.

White Water Rafting – Olympic Centre Opens

The Lee Valley White Water Centre² was the first brand new London 2012 venue completed. The new, world-class sporting facility, located near Waltham Cross in the heart of the 10,000 acre Lee Valley Regional Park, was unveiled in December 2010.

This early Olympic legacy will host the canoe slalom events during the Games, however before and after 2012, the venue will be owned and operated by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) as a sporting and leisure facility for canoeing and white water rafting, as well as a major competition and training venue. The venue will open to the public for rafting and canoeing in April 2011.

'Hertfordshire is Ready for Winners'³ is the County’s official partnership, supporting the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) in the delivery of the 2012 Games.

Inspiring the Future - Filmmaking Project Dacorum Heritage Trust

This project targeted young people aged 16 to 25 years. It was based at the Museum Store in Berkhamsted and took as its starting point inspirational people from Dacorum’s past.

Five young people produced a series of three short films on the First World War. They used the experiences of two local people and the effects of war on the area. During the project the participants worked with a community filmmaker, wrote a script, produced a storyboard and chose costume and props. To make the film as historically accurate as possible they filmed at various locations and interviewed local people.

The project has allowed a younger generation to learn about local history and disseminate their knowledge. The participants felt that the project built their confidence as well as developing new skills in filmmaking, interviewing, script writing, time management and working in a team. The films can be viewed at: www.youtube.com/user/DacHeritage?gl=US&hl=en#p/a/u/1/g0kw9HasIwo

Count Us In, Hertfordshire

November 2010 saw 200 Hertfordshire students playing as a single ensemble alongside members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and Hertfordshire Music Service at Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre. This event was the finale to the year long countywide ‘Count Us In’⁴ programme, supported by a £200,000 Department for Education award to Hertfordshire Music Service and partners, the RPO and Orchestras Live.

Pupils from nine secondary schools and several primary schools and youth projects were challenged to develop their musical skills and motivation to learn by working alongside members of a professional orchestra. Many participants were playing an instrument for the first time. The workshops, in and out of schools, were supplemented by additional concerts at the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield; St Andrew and St George’s Church in Stevenage; and The Ark Theatre in Borehamwood. Cllr. Robert Gordon, Leader of Hertfordshire County Council, said: “Schools who have committed to ‘Count Us In’ … have supported a vision to inspire their students’ experience of learning through music. I fully expect that this concert, with the chance for these students to play as part of a large ensemble with the world renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Hertfordshire Music Service, will become a lasting memory for all the participants, as well as being a landmark event for music education provided in the county.”.

Hertfordshire pupils participating in the 'Count Us In' music project

Footnotes

1 For more information on the Active People Survey see: www.webreport.se/apd/login.aspx

2 For more information on the White Water Centre see: www.gowhitewater.co.uk

3 For more information on the partnership see: www.hertsisreadyforwinners.co.uk

4 For more information on the 'Count Us In' project see the Orchestras Live website: www.orchestraslive.org.uk