Members of Bristol’s Cabinet, met on Thursday, July 22 to consider a new report on the possible options to support music in the city and help secure the long-term, sustainable future for the Colston Hall. It was agreed at this meeting that steps would be taken to establish a music trust for Bristol.

The report discussed sets out the advantages of creating a trust to run Colston Hall and a number of options for alternative governance arrangements. The options offered include the creation of:

· Stand alone Trust or Community Interest Company or
· Partnership with one or more other cultural organisations or
· Strategic Trust with an overview of music needs in Bristol

The new Colston Hall foyer building opened in 2009 with an award winning celebration of Bristol music. The building was the result of a partnership between Bristol City Council (£13m) and Arts Council England (£7m). It is one of the best-used cultural buildings in Bristol (400,000 people a year attending over 200 events) with revenue funding of £900k from Bristol City Council, and this report forms part of a programme to ensure a sustainable future of the Colston Hall itself.

Phil Gibby, Regional Director of Arts Council England, commented: “We are pleased to see that the organisations in Bristol are approaching greater partnership working to deliver an integrated music offer to the city. We look forward with interest to the outcome.”

This is the first agreed stage in a phased approach to achieving the a city-wide strategic music trust with an overview of music needs in Bristol.

Trustee positions will be advertised in September (2010). In the meantime, if you have any thoughts about how to get this unique initiative working really well by next April, get in touch with Bristol City Council. You can contact Cherene Sorhaindo on legacy.commission@bristol.gov.uk

Copies of Cabinet reports can be found at www.bristol.co.uk and you can view webcasts of Council meetings here