Over recent years, numerous strategies have made the compelling case for how arts and culture can help reimagine our towns, high streets, and also strengthen community ties. This has been reflected in government initiatives.

The Community Renewal Fund, Levelling Up Fund White Paper and UK Shared Prosperity Fund all highlight the role of culture and heritage initiatives in post pandemic recovery and step-change in places.

The influence is evident in Arts Councils 10-year strategy (Let’s Create), for how arts and culture can also play a key role in addressing local challenges, strengthening community ties and encouraging inclusive and clean versions of growth.

These themes continue to be explored in the recent Culture & Place in Britain report (ACE & Key Cities – Feb 2023.) The report advocates that culture needs to be positioned at the heart of a renewed drive for hyperlocal devolution to empower communities and drive local growth.

In this Round Table format, we invite the audience to contribute to conversation along with invited contributions from:

• Kasper de GraafKey Cities Innovation Network, Design Manchester, Images & Co
• Anthony Engi Meacock – Founding member Assemble Studio
• Jen Cleary – Arts Council England – Director Combined Arts and North
• Professor Dave O’Brien
• Josie Cahill – Director of Place – Media City
• Cllr Quesir Mahmood – Blackburn with Darwen Council
• Ibukun Baldwin – Artist and facilitator
• Lauren Zawadzki – Director National Festival of Making / Deco Publique
• Neil Harris – Business Manager for Culture, Heritage and Arts at Wigan Council

During this session the contributors representing the arts, creative practitioners, cultural organisations, academics, policy makers, strategists and thought leaders consider:

• How best do we mobilise culture for regeneration and recovery
• How do we reimagine places in a responsible and sustainable way
• How do we engage and include under-served communities
• What support is needed to best facilitate ongoing engagement
• Who are the additional stakeholders, brokers, enablers who need to be involved
• What would the infrastructure or framework look like to support step change in places
• How we consider Cultural Memory & Communal Significance in how we encourage a more inclusive approach to projects

This session will crucially explore the potential of events such as National Festival of Making and the role of all stakeholders in an ecology that is needed to sustain effective interventions and influence system design that embeds support for people and communities, creating opportunities to trial new approaches and innovative ideas at the local level.

Session format

On arrival, a Networking Lunch will be provided.

The event will begin with a 15 minute Keynote Provocation followed by a Roundtable format discussion which will run for 2 x 45 minute sessions.

After the sessions, there will be the opportunity to attend a tour of the Season Five Art in Manufacturing Exhibitions led by National Festival of Making Director and Curator, Elena Jackson

This event is delivered in partnership with Creative Lancashire