Worcestershire Arts Partnership (WAP) Membership

Worcestershire Arts Partnership (WAP) Membership

 

Hello

We are contacting you because you are in some way involved with Worcestershire Arts Partnership (WAP) – maybe you’re on the Steering Group, or attend sub-group meetings, or have taken part in WAP events, or maybe you just have an interest in Arts across the county and follow us on social media….

However you’re involved, we want you to know about an exciting new development for WAP, as it prepares a Membership option for anyone who wants to become an official WAP Member and receive a range of benefits. 

Once you’ve read the information below, please take 2 minutes to complete the survey in this link by 12^th May 2017 (the survey is not committing you to anything but it is important to help us understand likely numbers).

 

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/W22HLZL 

 

What will I get?

A while ago the WAP network were consulted on what they most wanted from WAP.  Results included networking, training, brokering projects.  This has influenced what we are now offering within membership.  By becoming a WAP member, you will get:

 

-          Free place at a minimum of 4 WAP CPD training events each year – and a say in topics to be covered (NB: previous training events have included crowd-funding, social media, income generation)

 

-          Free or subsidised place at annual WAP Conference with keynote speakers – and a say on themes

 

-          Full involvement in and access to any of the 4 WAP sub-groups

 

-          Access to online resources in a WAP member area (includes case-studies; latest national/regional initiatives; arts business advice localised for Worcestershire)

 

-          Full use of WAP branding on your promotional material

 

-          Ability to quote WAP membership in your funding bids

 

-          Automatic notification of any projects or funding bids being co-ordinated by WAP (and WAP has had many recent successes with Jump Start, CYP and Health sub-group bids)

 

-          Greater publicity of your organisation over WAP’s social media channels

 

-          We are also exploring the possibility of WAP offering administration of DBS checks

 

-          The satisfaction that you are enabling the continuation of the only county-wide arts infrastructure partnership across Worcestershire, a collective voice for the arts, and the great arts development work that this brings for artists. 

 

What will it cost me?

We know that many arts organisations and artists provide their time and energy now to drive WAP forward in its work.  But, as with all organisations, WAP can’t sustain its exciting activity, enabling and providing all sorts of opportunities for artists, unless it develops sustainable funding streams.  Arts Council funding for infrastructure support has now come to an end.  Membership is an essential avenue for continuing WAP’s work and will be part of a number of different ways in which WAP will continue to fundraise and develop.

 

These are the planned annual costs of WAP Membership, to receive benefits listed above:

 

Individual members:

Annual earnings of £40,000+                          £60 p/a

 

Annual earnings of £15,000 - £39,999            £40 p/a

 

Less than £15,000, students,              £20 p/a

not in paid employment, retired

 

Organisational members:

Turnover of £100,000+                                   £250

 

Turnover of less than £100,000                      £100

 

NB: Organisational members funding WAP at £250 will automatically be included in WAP’s Steering Group, informing decisions that drive forward the work of WAP

 

 

What will you do with the money?

The money will go directly into funding WAP’s work for you, specifically….

-          Funding the artist leads of each sub-group (Health, Artist development, Children and Young People, Economy) to co-ordinate and drive forward eg: writing funding bids and organising artist workshops

-          Funding all costs associated with artist training sessions and annual conference

-          Funding online resource development for members

-          Funding an increase in social media promotion of WAP members’ work

 

 

What happens if I don’t join?

You will still receive WAP newsletters and information, but WAP will need to start charging non-members to attend WAP CPD training sessions, annual conference and your organisation won’t be able to cite official WAP membership in funding bids.  The less people who take on WAP membership, the less effective support for members will be; a critical mass is needed.  Sub-groups may not continue, bringing in funds for artist opportunities.   

 

 

What happens now?

We plan to launch the membership programme this Summer, but at this stage we just want to understand how many people will be signing up.  Knowing how many members we are likely to have means we can clarify the amount of support we can give.  It’s a bit like Crowdfunding – the more people sign up, the more we can offer in return. 

Please can you take just 2 minutes to complete this short survey, asking about your likelihood to take up membership.  Please complete by the 12th May 2017.

We are not holding you to this.  It is just to give us an idea before we go live with the plans: 

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/W22HLZL

 

Thank you for continuing to support WAP. 

 

Debbie Birch, WAP Development Manager.