Cultural capital investment interim impact evaluation

This report provides interim impact evaluation evidence on a major initiative to develop the quality and opportunity of cultural provision in the East Midlands. Eight venues across the region have been supported through an investment totalling £120 million, which include a mix of brand new buildings and bringing new life to existing facilities. This report sets out what the investment has achieved so far and how information on the impact of the venues will be collected in the future

Impact de la culture sur la créativité (L\u27)

Ce document est le résumé en français d\u27une étude commandée par la Commission européenne, et publiée en anglais sous le titre suivant: The impact of Culture on Creativity. Cette étude explore les liens encore largement méconnus entre culture, diversité culturelle, créativité et, plus largement, innovation sociale, scientifique et économique. Au moyen d\u27exemples concrets tirés de différents secteurs et ouvrant toute l\u27Europe, cette étude illustre les synergies et effets d\u27entraînement positifs que produit la culture – par la créativité qu\u27elle génère – dans des domaines aussi variés que l\u27éducation et la formation tout au long de la vie, l\u27acceptation et l\u27utilisation par le grand public des nouvelles technologies de l\u27information et de la communication, la stimulation de la recherche, le développement de produits et services nouveaux, le positionnement des villes, le renforcement du capital social, la motivation du personnel, la modernisation des services publics etc.Ces effets d\u27entraînement sont d\u27autant plus importants que l\u27Europe – à l\u27instar d\u27autres régions du monde – est en passe de devenir une société de l\u27immatériel dont la principale matière première est la capacité à créer et à innover. L\u27étude conclut que l\u27Europe gagnerait à renforcer ce potentiel de la culture à renforcer créativité et innovation. Elle propose en conséquence des stratégies à développer à tous les niveaux de gouvernance

Spiritual attitudes and visitor motivations at the Beltane Fire Festival, Edinburgh.

Outside the peak season for tourism to Edinburgh, Scotland, during the evening of April 30th, visitors attend a festival with ancient Celtic overtones. Frequently, the evening is cold and windy. Our objectives are to: identify motivations for attending the festival; trial questionnaire items on spiritual attitude; and assess whether spirituality might be relevant in assessing visitor intentions. The method of investigation involved exploration and confirmation phases to test structures in distinct subsamples. Further, a strict approach was applied to identify factors that had theoretical value. Spirituality attitude is found to be a factor, as well as the motivations of cultural adventure and escape. Given the nature of the event, the time of year and composition of the audience, encouraging repeat visitation and using this to develop and manage Edinburgh's tourism strategy has potential. Recommendations are made to management

ABCD plan for cultural recovery in Brighton & Hove: creative worker income guarantee research project. Final report

Overview Universal Basic Income (UBI) initiatives have been given greater policy attention and emphasis since the Covid-19 pandemic, and a range of schemes have been introduced that are designed to support workers in the Cultural and Creative Industries at both city and national level. BOP Consulting was appointed to explore this context and outline a pilot for a Creative Worker Income Guarantee (CWIG) focusing on Brighton & Hove, working on behalf of the University of Sussex and the ABCD Cultural Recovery Programme. To achieve this, this study includes detailed assessment of three international case studies, engagement with the local sector and key national and local stakeholders, as well as financial planning to understand the quantum of these schemes. These proposals are illustrative rather than definite

Down by the sea: visual arts, artists and coastal regeneration

This paper takes a critical approach to the arts-led regeneration of Margate, south east England. It argues that regeneration policy has effectively utilised local characteristics to recreate Margate as an artful space, and has stimulated a local milieu of artistic and cultural activity. However, though the work of local artists is vital in producing Margate as a creative place, local artists are marginalised by policy interventions focussed on attracting new consumers and investors. Thus, this paper argues that a misplaced policy emphasis is failing to support the labour and social relations on which the interpretation of places as ‘creative’ is built, and arguably undermines the sustainability of an arts-based regeneration. This has implications for culture-led policy, calling for greater attention to be paid to the specific locations in which it is deployed, and to the networks of producers whose labour is critical to its success