The Big Meet – The Power of Culture in Cumbria’s Future

What contribution can culture make to the new combined mayoral authority for Cumbria? How do we make sure it’s realised?

In May next year, Cumbrians will elect a mayor to oversee the new Cumbria Combined Authority.  At the Big Meet, we’ll be looking at what this means for culture, and we will be celebrating what culture can contribute to the future mayor’s priorities.

We’ll be joined by a range of speakers from across England with expert knowledge of culture and devolution, who will help us understand the national devolution picture, the role culture plays elsewhere and what the arts and culture sector has to offer the new Cumbrian mayor.

This event is for anyone active in Cumbria’s cultural ecology, whether that is running a venue, practising as a creative or volunteering as a trustee.

📆 Wednesday 23rd September
📍 Sunbeams Music Centre, Penrith
⏰ 9am – 3.30pm
🎟️ Get your tickets here

Trevor MacFarlane – Founding Director and CEO of Culture Commons, Trevor leads national policy development programmes and strategic partnerships across the UK’s creative, cultural and research sectors. Earlier this year, Culture Commons set out the case for including culture as a formal area of competence within the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, drawing on more than two years of research and open policy development. As a result, MPs endorsed the inclusion of ‘culture’ within the Bill. He’ll set culture in Cumbria within the national devolution picture.

Helen Pheby – Head of Culture, Heritage and Sport for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Helen convenes The Great North Creative, a collective of all the culture leads from mayoral authorities across the North of England, chaired by Jude Kelly CBE.  Helen will explain how culture works on her patch, to help us learn from their successes and challenges.

Cumbria Cultural Impact Study – We’ll also hear from the people leading the work currently taking place in Cumbria, looking at the contribution of culture across the county. What are the main findings and how will the study be useful?