Agenda item

Report of the Managing Director.

Members received a report of the Managing Director providing updates from the Barbican Directors on their respective areas.

Members commented positively on the role of the Barbican Ambassadors and urged that more be done to showcase their role and input on the website. The recent closure of the stalls bar was also commented on, with it noted that the Risk Committee had discussed the issue in some depth at its recent meeting.

Members discussed the potential effects of Brexit on the Centre and in particular the impact on those members of staff from the European Union who were not UK citizens, both in terms of the immediate impact on morale and the longer term outcome as to their continued residency and working rights. In addition, there was a potential impact in respect of attracting young global talent to the Barbican in years to come, a problem potentially shared by the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Members expressed particular concern that steps be taken in the shorter term to assuage the concerns of staff, particularly through the use of appropriate communication and messaging. The Managing Director reassured Members that some initial messaging on these lines had already been circulated amongst staff. In respect of the wider issue of communicating the Barbican’s position to the external world, the Barbican was working with others in the sector and through the Arts Council to ensure a coherent message was put out. Members agreed that it would be important to ensure that the arts voice was as united as possible on this issue in order to maximise the impact of any messaging; it was also suggested that it would be helpful to have an understanding of the potential impact on current staff, with a view to assessing the scale of risk in respect of motivation and morale. Members added that the impact of Brexit should also be added to the risk register once the position and potential effects were clearer.

The Chairman observed that care would need to be taken to ensure that any messaging was consistent with the City Corporation’s position.

RECEIVED.