People are being asked for their feedback on forming a new Cultural Strategy for Sefton.
New figures reveal that Sefton is one of the poorest funded areas in the North West when it comes to cultural events.
Sefton Council is now aiming to develop a plan to change that ahead of being awarded the Liverpool City Region Borough Of Culture in 2025.
Sefton last received that accolade in 2020, and had a series of spectacular events lined up – only for them to be decimated by the sudden arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Forming a new Cultural Strategy for Sefton will help to shape the events that take place in 2025 and will hopefully be able to attract more arts funding.
In a report to councillors, Sefton Council’s Localities Team Manager, North (Communities Department) said: “Despite its wide range of cultural activity, analysis of Cultural Grants Data suggests that Sefton is disproportionately unsuccessful in its applications for funding when compared to other areas in the North West region.
“In February 2022 Arts Council England identified Sefton as one of 109 Levelling Up Places for Culture.
“With a low Average Annual Investment Per Capita (17/18 – 19/20) of £2.32, the borough was described as an area of ‘High Need and High Opportunity’.
“However, Sefton narrowly missed out on being assigned status as a ‘Priority Place’ which would have led to greater levels of strategic support.
“Attendance data from the Audience Agency’s Engagement Area Profile also suggests that Sefton has slightly lower levels of cultural engagement overall when compared to the rest of the North West.
“Sefton’s last Borough of Culture year was scheduled for 2020 but the emerging programme was undermined by the impact of the Covid pandemic.”
The new Cultural Strategy for Sefton aims to:
- Develop a shared vision for culture in Sefton
- Support development of the local infrastructure for culture and creative engagement
- Strengthen relationships between Sefton and the wider professional sector for culture and creativity
- Reveal, celebrate and promote opportunities for cultural and creative participation across the borough
- Provide a strategic context in support of stakeholder bids for external funding.
Research undertaken by the steering group suggests there is a range of cultural venues, artistic practitioners and other cultural stakeholders already active in Sefton. The ambition is to develop further the infrastructure for cultural engagement and collaboration.
The delivery of an evidence-based Cultural Strategy will also foster stronger confidence with key funding bodies such as Arts Council England
An important phase of the strategy will be to understand the barriers and challenges communities face in engaging with culture, and identify the ways in which these obstacles could be addressed.
Consultation and engagement will be carried out with the support of external consultants.
Following a Sefton Council procurement exercise CounterCulture LLP have been commissioned to support the project.
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