WORK is underway to measure the real-world impact of Wrexham’s Tŷ Pawb cultural hub on quality of life in the county borough.
The news came as one councillor argued that the authority needed to accept that the centre would never reach a ‘cost neutral’ position and should be seen as an investment in society.
During Wednesday’s meeting of Wrexham County Borough Council’s Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee, councillors welcomed the news Tŷ Pawb had reduced its projected annual deficit from £89,272 to £78,877.
Over the last four years the deficit has fallen from a high of almost £200,000.
“A few years ago we had a £200,000 black hole and I didn’t think we’d be here having this discussion today,” said Overton and Maelor South Cllr John McCusker.
“I want to thank everyone who have worked to make Tŷ Pawb a success.”
Chirk North Cllr Frank Hemmings echoed his view, but asked whether expecting the deficit to continually come down was realistic.
“Do we expect to provide an arts facility free of charge,” he said. “Tŷ Pawb is going to cost us money. Does the lead member see us getting to a point of having no deficit?
“I see it as part and parcel of what we do with the centre.”
Cllr Hugh Jones, lead member for Strategic Planning and Public Protection accepted the point and said work was underway to measure how Tŷ Pawb contributes to people’s lives in Wrexham.
“We do recognise that the provision of arts and culture is something that will always cost the local authority,” he said. “What we need to do is look at the financial benefit of what it brings to the wellbeing of communities.
“Reaching hard to reach communities, improving the quality of people’s lives and even providing warm spaces for people in times of cold weather and high living costs are things that don’t appear on the balance sheet.
“The headline provision of arts and culture will always be a cost but we need to quantify the benefits.”
He revealed that Wrexham University is working with Tŷ Pawb’s advisory board on how to measure that impact reliably.
Amanda Davies, the Culture Bid Director for Wrexham City of Culture 2029, said that a full report on the social value of Tŷ Pawb would be presented to councillors by April.
“Social impact and the social value of culture in general is key to our bid for City of Culture,” she said. “We are working to record that accurately.
“Following the deadline for expressions of interest on February 8, a long list of eight candidate cities will be chosen with a final decision on the 2029 City of Culture due in the summer. The social impact study will need to be ready well before then so we are looking at April to deliver that.”
