Cornwall 365 has spearheaded an innovative approach to marketing Cornwall as a distinctive cultural destination, supporting growth in the visitor, cultural and creative sectors. This case study forms part of the Value of culture - regeneration section of our online Culture Hub.
Background and history
Cornwall 365 is a cultural tourism programme funded through Cultural Destinations, a strategic Arts Council England and Visit England funding stream. Creative Kernow, working with Cornwall Council and Visit Cornwall, took a lead in bringing together potential partners for consultation and joint bid development, and in 2013 secured funding for the three-year programme to improve collaboration between the culture and tourism sectors.
Following a successful first programme period, partners secured funding to extend this until autumn 2018. They are looking to extend the programme further beyond 2018.
Timeline
- 2013 – Cultural Destinations funding secured
- 2014 - Commencement of Cornwall 365 project
- 2017 - Extension funding secured
- 2018 - Phase 2 Commenced
Delivery of activities
- Annual funding for Cornwall 365
- £100,000 Arts Council England ‘Cultural Destinations’ fund
- £55,000 earned income (including advertising revenue)
- £10,000 Cornwall Council
- Total annual funding: £165,000
Cornwall 365 is hosted by Creative Kernow, working to develop Cornwall’s cultural offer and market Cornwall as a year-round destination for arts and heritage. Cornwall 365 aims to promote the distinctive cultural activity to attract new and repeat visitors, through a structured business engagement programme and a central online and printed ‘what’s on’ guide for the region.
The project seeks to connect the creative and visitor economy sectors more closely, organising familiarisation trips, sharing joint research briefings on visitor trends and opportunities, as well as supporting networking and sharing examples of valuable collaborations between cultural and visitor economy firms. The project has supported inland locations to better identify and promote visitor attractions through town-based cultural itineraries, and through collaboration with the ‘Cultivator’ programme has developed skills development sessions, particularly focused on digital marketing skills.
Impacts
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1/3 of the £165,000 annual budget spent with local artists and businesses |
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2/3 of businesses attracted more visitors as a result in engaging with Cornwall 365 |
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cultural sector development including cross-marketing between attractions |
- direct job support – through around one-third of the annual budget of £165,000 being spent with local artists and businesses
- two-thirds of businesses attracted more visitors – as a result of engaging with the Cornwall 365 project, strengthening the tourist sector
- cultural sector development – through skills development and better coordinated marketing and cross-marketing between attractions.
Learning points
Instilling a collaborative approach: demonstrating the benefits of collaboration to cultural and visitor economy businesses, which are to some degree in competition with one another, can be challenging. Cornwall 365, however, has shown that cooperation and shared marketing can bring mutual benefits across the sector, helping to instill this approach for the longer term.
Making resources available online: the Cornwall 365 site contains useful resources for the wide range of network members engaged in marketing the cultural/visitor offer. These include partner details, skills development opportunities, a shared knowledge bank, and case studies of collaborative projects between culture and tourism businesses.
We as a council are very keen to continue supporting the cultural sector in Cornwall because we feel it’s really important for the people of Cornwall, for the economy generally, and for economic regeneration in specific places. As far as possible, with constrained budgets, we will be continuing to support cultural activity in Cornwall.
Councillor Bob Egerton, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy, Cornwall Council