Key Cities – the national network representing 27 urban centres across the UK – has today published a new report calling for a more inclusive approach to stimulating the economy and highlighting a link between low cultural engagement and deprivation.

Culture and Place in Britain, a new report produced by Key Cities in partnership with Arts Council England, cross references new data on cultural engagement within these cities with their scores in the ONS Index of Multiple Deprivation. The findings show a clear correlation between cities with a limited cultural offer and higher socio-economic deprivation.

By looking in detail at what culture means in the 27 cities and how that translates into public funding programmes, the report highlights the role culture can play in boosting places and supporting communities.

Specifically the report recommends a £100 million investment in creative industry microclusters to spread economic growth and opportunity more evenly around the country, urging a renewed drive for hyper-local devolution to connect policy agendas and empower communities.

City leaders and councils are best placed to drive positive change within their communities, whether through improving local services, facilitating partnerships or working with other stakeholders. Funding is crucial, but giving places the powers to instigate their own initiatives is central to ensuring their long-term success.

Presenting extensive data about cities in England, Wales and Scotland, supplemented with expert contributions from cultural organisations and universities in the Key Cities Innovation Network, this research and analysis presents a strong case for investment in culture as a means to help places to help themselves.

Other recommendations include:

• Government develops more long-term programmes aimed at patient building of ecosystems and scaling up capacity needed for deprived areas to compete
• Government supports local authorities to enable public libraries to continue evolving their offer to meet local need, and to continue providing free public libraries as an essential service
• Government through Arts Council England funds the establishment of a cooperative platform for and owned by Cultural Compacts to promote collaboration, knowledge exchange and best practice.

Cllr Alan Waters, Key Cities culture portfolio lead and Leader of Norwich City Council, said:

“Culture and Place in Britain shows unequivocally that culturally engaged communities do better –not only by bringing people together, but also by creating a positive social and economic legacy.

“As we look to level up communities across the country, we hope the Government will see the role culture could play in reimagining and regenerating our towns and cities. But to do this devolution needs to go further and deeper. We urge those in Westminster to empower Local Authorities so they can better serve their communities.”  

Laura Dyer, Deputy Chief Executive Places, Engagement & Libraries, Arts Council England, said:

““Culture and creativity bring a wealth of benefits of people, places, and communities across the country – from support for our health and wellbeing through to the driving economic growth and regenerating the places in which we live, work, and play.

Local authorities have long been an important partner for the Arts Council in supporting individuals and organisations to bring about these positive impacts – both as a funding partner and as a strategic partner.

The Culture and Place in Britain report is an example of what can be achieved through the combination of strategic collaboration and investment in arts, culture and creativity; I hope it will be a catalyst for further partnerships, helping to ensure that more people, in more places have the opportunity to experience and benefit from all that arts, culture and creativity have to offer.”

 Download the report here.