Pride in place: transforming communities through capital investment in culture

Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of getting back on the train and seeing how communities are renewing and reanimating themselves after the pandemic. What I’ve noticed is that the buzz of towns and cities is now often centred on cultural and creative hubs, and I’m not surprised.

Last year’s High Street Renaissance (PDF, 1.16 MB) research showed that half of adults want to see more cultural experiences on their high streets. In fact, people want culture and leisure opportunities in their local towns just as much as they want retail options . But if we are to deliver on people’s desire to put creativity at the heart of their communities, we need to make sure that cultural infrastructure is fit for purpose. Capital investment plays a vital role in achieving this vision. 

Our investment will make creativity and culture more accessible for everyone, now and in the future. And in turn, creativity and culture will transform our communities.

The evidence supporting capital investment is all around us. Look at areas like Derby and Sunderland. The Derby QUAD, an international centre for contemporary art and independent film, has directly contributed £20 million to the local economy since it opened. Sunderland’s new state-of-the-art auditorium and outdoor performance space at The Fire Station has over 150 events planned for its first full year in 2022/23, drawing thousands of people to the heart of the city’s new cultural quarter.

The benefit of high-quality cultural institutions goes far beyond economics with more than two thirds of people saying that culture on their high street makes their area a better place to live. 

That’s why today’s announcement is so exciting. 66 organisations across England will get a share of £22.7 million to transform their digital or physical infrastructure. With these grants of £100,000 to £750,000, cultural hubs from Darlington to Hastings will make their buildings more accessible and safer to work in post-pandemic. They’ll be able to invest in better technology and to reduce their environmental impact. In short, our investment will make creativity and culture more accessible for everyone, now and in the future. And in turn, creativity and culture will transform our communities. 

This is one of the ways we are delivering on our promise to focus on places which have historically had the least access to public funding. We used our priority places to guide the Capital Investment Programme, and 78% of funding will go to organisations outside of London. 

I’ve seen this for myself when I’ve been in areas as geographically far apart as Barrow-in-Furness and the Isles of Scilly – both places I’ve visited since Covid-19 restrictions have ended. People in Barrow will be able to take part in workshops at their new gallery and community culture centre, while residents of the Isles of Scilly will be able to begin the journey of reopening their museum as a fully-accessible creative hub. I know these projects – just like all the organisations in our Capital Investment Programme – will make a tangible difference to their communities. 

We were hugely impressed not just by the quality of all the applicants to our Capital Investment Programme, but by the sheer number of organisations that share our vision of a fit for the future cultural sector. I’m delighted we were able to increase our budget from £20 million to £22.9 million so we could support even more change.

The quality of the organisations we’re investing in goes beyond the ambition of their projects. For the first time, we asked applicants to show how they will commit to all four of our Investment Principles. This is a perfect example of our role as England’s development agency for creativity and culture. By encouraging organisations to take action on Environmental Responsibility, Inclusivity & Relevance, Ambition & Quality, and Dynamism, we are guiding the sector towards a society where everyone has access to high-quality cultural experiences led by organisations that reflect their communities. And we are supporting organisations through this change, not only through one-off announcements, but through sustained, long-term projects and guidance.

So, although today marks one capital funding announcement, it should be seen as the beginning of a new wave of cultural transformation that will drive community regeneration. Just yesterday, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced £128 million investment in the Cultural Investment Fund, with more funding already committed for the next few years. 

The future is bright. Thanks to today’s announcement, 66 creative organisations will have transformed what they offer their community within three years. I can’t wait to visit the new creative space at CarriageWorks in Swindon, to marvel at Mahogany Community Ventures’ costumes during London carnivals, and to hear how many books Norfolk’s Electric Mini Mobile Service has hand-delivered to families who are struggling financially. There will be something for everyone, and that will be just the start of the community’s regeneration. I hope you’ll join me in celebrating our communities through creativity.