HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF

CULTURAL INTERMEDIARIES

Ian Grosvenor

Natasha Macnab

Overview

Scoping and data collection Birmingham City Archives closure likely

to be brought forward from Jan 2013 Initial scoping of Manchester Archives

Issues I

Periodisation:

… every period historians identify segments the continuum of time … [and] there are continuities that connect the 1970s with earlier and later decades [Walker 2002: 8].

Movement – Ted Little: Brum, London, Brum.

Issues II

Contexts

Place (Hayden & Massey)

Cultural Policy

Social, cultural, economic and political events

Birmingham

Arthur Young called Birmingham 'the first manufacturing town in the world‘ (1791).

Beginning of the 19th C, Birmingham industry based on a multitude of workshops using hand-operated machinery (Hopkins, 2002).

‘The city of a thousand trades’

Expanded quickly in the 19th century, developing specialities in four employment areas:

*Guns*Jewellery*Buttons and *Brass products

Industrial sector in Birmingham and WM distinctive in the UK as it was founded on small firms with highly skilled workers

By 1950s Birmingham (and Coventry) fastest UK growing economies behind London.

By 1970s employment in the West Midlands was directed in four areas of industry –

*Metal Manufacture

*Engineering and Electrical Goods,

*Vehicles and

*Other Metal Goods.

1970s and 1980s, Birmingham experienced relentless de-industrialization

Lost 191,000 jobs between 1971 and 1987, which accounted for almost 30% of its employment total and almost 50% of all manufacturing service (Henry et al., 2002, p. 117; Spencer et al., 1986).

The city’s response to this employment crash was considerable investment in the service industries, especially business tourism (Henry et al, 2002).

Culture and creativity key factors in urban regeneration

Population change

1811.................

1821.................

1831.................

1841.................

1851.................

1861.................

1871.................

1881.................

1891.................

1901…………….

1911……………

1921……………

1931……………

1939……………

1951…………..

1961…………..

2001……………

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

Series1

Source – BCC; Spencer, 2010; ONS

Migration to Birmingham

Bangladesh*  

India  Jamaica  Kenya  Pakistan  Republic of Ireland 

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

1961

1971

1981

1991

2001

Source – Connecting Histories

Cultural Intermediation 1955-1965 Many community organisations developed

in response to the particular needs of migrants particularly in relation to the issues of housing, employment, racism and education:

*Pakistani Welfare Association (1945)

*Afro-Caribbean Organisation (1966).

*Charles Parker involved with Harborne Players and CCARD (1961)

Cultural Intermediation 1975-1985 Political activism of 1960s, 1970s and

1980s huge impact on cultural activity. Wider manifestation of “arts for everyone”

(King, 2004) - Democratising the arts. Chance to depict groups who would have

been unrepresented or misrepresented. Community groups associated themselves

with socialism and class/equality struggles.

Indicative Cultural Intermediation in Birmingham

Birmingham Arts Lab Banner Theatre The Triangle Community Photography eg:

WELD

Ten:8

Trinity Arts

Community Photography & Cultural Intermediation

Social issues, such as race, riots, gender equality, strikes, unemployment and deprivation were highlighted by community photographers.

Additionally, the skills that were needed to take photographs were being taught in the community, making it possible for members of the community to become part of the growing community photography movement (James, 2002).

… community photographers continue both a photographic and communal tradition … we think that community photography can actively involve people in social change. We believe that it can be a vital step in taking control of our own lives. [Editorial Camerawork 17, January/February 1980: 2]

Structure I Documentary Photography 1930s-1960s Community Photography as Cultural

Intermediation 1975-1985: Contexts Community Photography as Social Practice

1975-1985 Birmingham: WELD, Ten:8, Handsworth Cultural

Centre, Born to Work, Vanley Burke & Tarik Chawdry

Manchester: Daniel Meadows, Martin Parr, David Chadwick, Manchester Studies Archive

1976 Policy Selected Social, Cultural and Political events

Vanley Burke’s documentation of the Black community in Birmingham, Handsworth from Inside, is exhibited in the foyer of the Alexander Theatre, Birmingham

Redcliffe-Maud report Support for the Arts in England and Wales published

Formation of Rock against Racism to combat the rise of neo-Fascism in politics and popular music

David Chadwick , Hulme Housing Estate photography project

Death of Mao Zedong

Rioting at Notting Hill carnival Nick Hedges Fellowship from West Midlands Arts

Arts Council, Gulbenkian Foundation and Community Relations Commission commissioned report The Arts Britain Ignores by Naseem Khan published

First ‘Right to Work March’ from Manchester to London organized by unemployed

Minorities Advisory Service (MAAS) established

First issues of Camerawork, Artscribe, Arts Monthly and History Workshop Journal published

Peace Movement demonstrations in Ireland and England Sterling crisis forces UK to seek loan from IMF Anarchy in the UK released European Commission on Human Rights found Britain guilty of

torturing internees Grunwick dispute begins with walkout of photography

processors

Connections: Photography Workshop, Leeds Pavilion Project, Watershed Bristol

Community Photography & CI in decline

*Fragmenting of alternative photographing practice (access v representation)

*Fragmenting of the left

*Neo con attacks on the arts

*Reduction in funding

Structure II

WELD (Westminster Endeavour, Liaison and Development) 1968 Community arts project began as a small

organisation based at Westminster Junior School.

Sponsored by a range of organisations in Birmingham*The Inner City Partnership

*The City of Birmingham Education Committee *Leisure Services Subcommittee

*The Social Services Committee

*WM Arts

*Barrow and Geraldine S. Cadbury Trust.

Ten:8 magazine1975-1985 (1979) Founded by Bishton, Brian Homer and

John Reardon in 1979. Title derived from the standard size of photographic paper. Initially funded by WM Arts later Arts Council GB.Inspired by Camerawork, East London photographers' collective.

Aim was ‘to represent the working class and migrant communities’ (Brittain in Dewdney, 2011, p.263) of Birmingham.

Daniel Meadows: ‘Free photographic omnibus’

David Chadwick: ‘Hulme Estate Project’

Discussion Points Level of detail? Breadth of coverage? Wider Context – what to include? Intention to track a type of cultural intermediary

through three time frames eg Parker and Banner Theatre Birmingham; Community Photography through two time frames; CI which began in our third time frame eg Birmingham Opera Company?

Manchester – same approach?