Stevenage’s 10-year Arts & Heritage Strategy is centred on a co-production approach between the council and community, responding to community needs and ensuring sustainable cultural growth. A particular focus on working with and developing marginalised communities also ensures cultural growth addresses socio-economic inequalities, including disproportionate impact of COVID-19.
The challenge
The council worked with Arts Council England to co-commission a strategy, involving ArtReach to undertake extensive community consultation to develop its framework and ambitions. The council invested in an officer post to facilitate and worked with the community to set up a public forum for participation/leadership. The forum developed into a Community Interest Company called Junction 7 Creatives (J7C), who developed a partnership agreement with the council.
Since launching the strategy in 2019, the council, including Stevenage Museum (SM), and J7C have collaborated on various initiatives centred on addressing inequality, growing our local cultural industry, increasing pride of place, and regenerating the town centre.
How is the new approach being sustained?
Coinciding with the biggest regeneration programme in the East of England, the council will build on its co-production model and experience to further develop J7C, SM, and partners and support socio-economic agendas for sustainable and inclusive growth. Moreover, the partnership will seek further funding support to build on public art and Stevenage Day programming, cultural activity/exhibitions in J7C and SM spaces, and organisational capacity, with an eye toward the development of a civic hub that will enhance services across the partnership and significantly contribute toward placemaking.
Contact
Nick Mallinger, Arts & Cultural Development Officer – Stevenage Borough Council
Email: [email protected]