Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Stephen Bobasch, Dennis Cotgrove and Nigel Steward.

There were no declarations.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2013.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2013 were approved subject to an amendment being made under item 5.

Verbal Update by the Principal Curator, Keats House.

The Committee received a verbal update by the Visitor Services Director regarding weddings at Keats House.

The Committee were advised that following extensive consultation, the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee had endorsed a revised approach. Under the new approach Keats House would work with the local community to raise the necessary funds to fill the shortfall in the House’s budget.

The Director added that if after one year, insufficient funds had been raised the City Corporation would re-open discussions with Camden Council with regards to a licence to hold marriage and civil ceremonies at Keats House.

Verbal update by the Principal Curator, Keats House.

The Committee received a verbal update by the Principal Curator regarding the events programme at Keats House.

The Principal Curator advised Members that the events programme was proving busy and popular, with approximately two events being held per week. Members were provided with notable highlights, which included, a new Family Day where crafts, dancing and literary activities took place. The Principal Curator reported that the January Family Day had attracted 250 visitors to the House.

In addition to the weekly events programme, the Principal Curator advised that progress was being made towards programming the 2014 Keats Festival (6 - 15 June) and Daljit Nagra had been confirmed as a future Poet in Residence.

The Chairman expressed the Committee’s thanks to the Principal Curator for her work in increasing activity at the House in the relatively short time since her appointment.

Verbal update of the Principal Curator, Keats House.

The Committee received a verbal update of the Principal Curator concerning visitor information at Keats House.

The Principal Curator laid comparative visitor figures, including those for social media, newsletter and website hits around the table. The figures provided were 2012/13 and 2013/14 (to date).

The Principal Curator advised that visitor numbers were consistently higher than in previous years and it was hoped this trend would continue into 2014/15.

In response to a Member’s question, the Principal Curator responded that 2014 – 2021 marked the 200^th Anniversary of Keats greatest period of activity, adding that there would be a series of events to mark various anniversaries throughout the period, beginning in 2014 with ‘Finding a Voice’.

Verbal update of the Principal Curator, Keats House.

The Committee received a verbal update of the Principal Curator regarding the partnership with Keats Community Library.

The Principal Curator advised that the Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee had recently approved an extension of the Library’s license. She added that subject to the approval of one other City Corporation Committee the licence would continue until 20 April 2017.

In response to a Members’ question, the Principal Curator advised the Keats Community Library currently had a team of 50 volunteers and the House itself was in the process of expanding its own volunteer programme.

Verbal update by the Principal Curator, Keats House.

The Committee received a report of the Principal Curator concerning a new partnership with the Department of English at University College London.

The Principal Curator advised that the new partnership was supported by a £10,000 grant from Share Academy, an Arts Council England project exploring ways to develop partnerships between museums and academia. She added that through the partnership, a programme of teaching and collections-based sessions at Keats House and the London Metropolitan Archives would be delivered for UCL students, in addition to public events throughout 2014.

RESOLVED  - That the date of the next meeting be 16 September 2014 at 14:30, to take place at Keats House.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.