Cllr John Pugh calls for stronger marketing of Southport’s Arts Quarter

The role of art in civic regeneration is well understood and local government understands well how culture can enliven and develop places but councils don’t create culture. 

They can only act as a catalyst.

Sefton is putting significant investment into developing cultural activities as part of the regeneration of Bootle - encouraging both commercial and amateur ventures- particularly at the Salt and Tar Venue

In Southport, while it waits for the replacement for the Southport Theatre,  progress has been made on other cultural projects including developing the decades old strategy of transforming the Market St area into an 'Arts Quarter'.

Liberal Democrat opposition leader on Sefton, Cllr.John Pugh, thinks though that we need to think harder about marketing Southport’s art and cultural potential.

“The strategy that goes back 30 years is fundamentally right, but it’s not something that a council can deliver by itself,” he claims. " Events beyond its control like the closure of Broadhursts bookshop can undermine progress - just as other commercial developments can support it. 

The paradox is that Southport has a really big 'arts and craft' base and history, but this project has struggled for some while- sometimes because events, activities and craft shops pop up scattered all over the place. There is though a known commercial benefit in clustering and a craft shop that is hanging on in side street can prosper when similar businesses trade side by side and an area acquires an identity, becomes a quarter.”

Getting that to happen is down to marketing- successful marketing of Southport's Market (Arts) Quarter- explaining the idea and hoping those in the community respond-particularly those who combine artistic aspiration with business know how. Cllr. Pugh’s analysis is presented here. https://youtu.be/ok_M-e_5vv0

Whether Market St becomes the new Montmartre or a mini one isn’t something a council can make happen. Art and culture belong to the people not the Town Hall.      

There have been commendable attempts to mount an annual Southport Arts Festival but that’s not the same as having a sustainable marketplace and focus for arts and crafts.