The report of the Strategic Director, Place Document “V”) will be submitted to the Committee and provides a progress-so-far update on the first eight months of activity in regard to the new 10-year cultural strategy for the district.

Recommended –

That Members comment on any aspect of the report.

(Nicola Greenan – 07866 005482)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “V”) was submitted to the Committee to provide Members with an update on the progress made during the first eight months of activity on the new 10-year cultural strategy for the District.   The presentation to members came in light of the announcement that Bradford had been shortlisted for the 2024 City of Culture status award. 

A new cultural strategy was launched in March 2021.  ‘Culture is our Plan’ was made up of 10 ambitions/actions and was adopted by the Council Executive.

The report was broken down into headings for each ambition giving an overview of the aim of each one, a ‘What we’ll do’ and ‘progress to date’ section.

Officers advised that the District would not have been shortlisted for the City of Culture award without the ‘Culture is our Plan’ strategy and stated that the ambitions were ‘living, deliverable and active.’ The plan included feasibility studies to attract funding as and when it became available.  The strategy would redefine what culture meant and would represent the District’s demographic.  Members were also shown a short film called ‘Bradford Unlocked’

The 10 ambitions were:

·         Creativity thrives in every corner of the district

·         Making the most of what we have

·         Making the most of who we are

·         Network capacity

·         Thinking big

·         Live life better

·         Creating an explosion of opportunity

·         Having fun 

·         Bradford will know itself better

·         We will tell our own story

The meeting was attended by local representatives who each addressed Members providing them with their own view on the impact the plan is having on them as they were directly involved.  They each explained how they were enabled to be involved.

The people Powered Press representative explained how it had evolved and defined it as ‘what it is to be the North’.  The press had been relocated from Leeds to Shipley which reinforced the potential impact the strategy was having and could have going forward.  A Community Interest Company (CIC), the People Powered Press was working with 16 different community groups across the district and had an open door for all every Friday. Paid workshops would subsidise non-income generating activities.

A ‘music instigator’ also attended and provided a passionate and animated presentation of what was being done.  These included working on busking guidelines for professional level buskers, supporting artists and linking them up with industry professionals and providing advice on grants and funding opportunities, supporting promoters and work with Bradford Football Club and BCP Radio among a number of other projects.  She further stated that music had the power to bring people together and wanted live music to continue, to inspire young people and give performance opportunities.

The next presenter was a Social Designer from a company called Fayakunu who explained how the work undertaken would help address some issues specifically aiming to help young men, refugees, and provide space for the senior community members to improve mental health through the Arts.  His presentation included details of a space that was being created to facilitate this sustainable work in a derelict basement that was undergoing renovation to be ready for the summer.  Details of the various cohorts who could benefit was provided and how this would look, which included, amongst other things, opportunities to become self-employed.

Members were then given the opportunity to comment and ask questions, the details of which and the responses given are as below.

·         The opportunity to inspire and influence others was key and Members would want to see it spread across the District, how would those not already participating be engaged?

·           Officers advised that they also wished for a District wide offer and to start to grow it out, it needed partnerships as it could not be done by one group of people only

·         Members stated that they could look at the pipeline of projects to see whether they considered that anything was missing and Officers welcomed the idea of that dialogue taking place

·         A question of representation of the Kashmiri community was raised and if not, could something new be considered to address this?

·           Officers advised that the breakdown of statistics had been provided by LEAP but further conversations could take place outside of the meeting if needed

·         The Chair commented that it was key to consider protecting versus losing culture and to understand Bradford as a whole.  Asian figures should be broken down.

   Resolved –

1.    That special thanks be extended to those involved in the cultural strategy and especially to those who attended the meeting. 

2.    That the report be noted

3.    That another update report on activities be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time

Action: Strategic Director, Place