We are just asking for the right level of support to enable St James to continue

A thriving arts space is not necessarily a profitable one. Most cultural venues around the world rely on grant support from local authorities and government agencies and St James is no exception. St James strives to be as sustainable as possible, but with a population of just 65,000, a venue of its size will always struggle to break even.

This was recognised by the States in 1990 and is still recognised today. The failure to index the grant has resulted in a loss of over £1m in funding since 1990. Our annual accounts show that we have tightly controlled our administration costs, but the shortfall in funding has resulted in an annual operating loss for many of those years, and the almost complete depletion of our financial reserves.

The annual challenge to gain grant funding from the States and charitable funds creates huge financial uncertainty and reduces our confidence and ability to operate – to book events, recruit staff and invest in St James.

You suggest that our funding request should be challenged as a bail-out in isolation from the Guernsey Arts Commission’s ‘Plan for the Arts’. St James has been working closely with the Arts Commission in developing its services and a vibrant event space is a key part of the Commission’s Plan for the arts. However, given the lack of States funding available to deliver the Plan for the Arts, St James has had to pursue its own funding needs separately.

In the world of venues, capacity is the most important number. St James can seat 450+ people, allowing us to sell enough tickets to be able to afford to host larger acts, but in a population of 65,000, we cannot run the frequency of events in order for a 450 capacity venue to be profitable.

So we diversify and support smaller organisations, offer free practice space, run free community events, undertake extensive educational programmes and welcome many parts of the island’s community to use the venue in support of their activities. We constantly evolve and learn how best to serve our island, and the diverse range of events we now host is testament to that.

St James’ role on the island is far more than just being a venue. Our vision is to maintain St James as a centre of excellence for the arts and a cultural hub for the whole community of Guernsey. Diversification of our offering to make St James more accessible, and enabling people of all ages, socio-economic background and cultural interests to learn, perform and enjoy the arts is a key part of that vision.

Like Beau Sejour, the Performing Arts Centre and Guernsey Museums, St James is a resource for the people of Guernsey, part of the cultural fabric of the island, and one that has delivered for 40 years. We are just asking for the right level of support to enable us to continue serving the island for another 40.

MERISE WHEATLEY

President

St James