I am responding to a letter on the Your Say page of the Guardian, March 26 written by John McMurtrie, entitled Time for Epsom to have an arts festival.

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr McMurtrie’s sentiment about the need for Epsom to celebrate its creative industries and heritage. There is a distinct lack of commitment towards the arts within the council, and I too feel it is missing a valuable opportunity.

Unlike other boroughs locally, Epsom and Ewell does not have an arts officer, This would make a tremendous difference, as there would be a dedicated person focusing on the arts in the area. They would be responsible for supporting local artists, organising and coordinating projects and events, as well as applying for arts funding from the Arts Council, Heritage Lottery Fund etc. and seeking sponsorship from local business. Although the position would need funding by the council, it would more than pay for itself in the economic benefit it would bring to the borough. You have to ask why don’t we have one, when other boroughs do? 

However, I would also argue that the University for the Creative Arts is partly at fault. Since it merged with several other art colleges several years ago, many of their departments are now  centralised in Farnham, and their community engagement in Epsom seems to me to be minimal.

My opinion has been informed partly by my involvement with a group of local artists a few years ago, who wanted to support the arts and artists in the borough. We set up Epsom Contemporary Artist’s Network (ECAN), and for three years ran a contemporary arts festival at Bourne Hall, supported by the council. However, after the first year, support was withdrawn, and after the third one, we could no longer sustain it without adequate funding.

I also agree with Mr McMurtrie's comment "We are not just famous for salt and a three minute horse race each year". In particular, why do we not make more of the suffragette Emily Wilding Davison’s connection to the town? Her death is arguably the most important historical event ever to have taken place here. Finally, in 2013, the centenary year of the tragic events at the Derby, a modest plaque was placed on the railings at Tattenham Corner by the Jockey Club. However, is this really a sufficient tribute to a woman who was prepared to risk her life to protest the lack of the vote for women at the time? I have been involved in the Emily Davison Memorial Project, which is committed to creating a significant contemporary piece of public art on the Downs, to commemorate Emily, and women like her, past, present and future, who have made sacrifices and achievements for what they believe in. The local artist who designed the memorial, Mary Branson, is currently Artist in Residence at the Houses of Parliament, and is working on a piece of art based on the archives of the suffragettes there. The Emily Davison Memorial would undoubtedly become an iconic landmark, connect Epsom to the seat of our government, and serve as a reminder of women’s contribution to our society.

Such an opportunity to have a contemporary sculpture of national significance on our doorstep should not be missed. It would bring many advantages to Epsom and Ewell, such as highlighting the area’s creative and historical heritage, greater tourism, educational opportunities and economic benefits for local business. However, the council feels it cannot commit funding to the project, which will have to be funded through local people, businesses and grants funding. (For more information on this project, go to www.facebook.com/pages/Emily-Davison-Memorial-Project/1385448118339434).

It is true that local councils everywhere are being squeezed significantly by central government, and money is extremely tight, but I believe that this is only part of the problem in Epsom. A lack of commitment and appreciation of the benefits to be had from a greater focus on the arts is equally to blame. An Epsom Festival of the Arts is a great idea, but without proper funding and coordination with local creative education institutions, I believe it will never happen. I agree with Mr McMurtrie that after the elections, our new council should re-examine its commitment to the arts.

Sarah Dewing

UCA graduate