With just over a week to go until the next Big Meet, sponsored by TryBooking.com, we are extremely excited to welcome a line-up of fantastic speakers. In May next year, Cumbrians will elect a mayor to oversee the new Cumbria Combined Authority and at the Big Meet, we’ll be looking at what this means for culture whilst also celebrating what culture can contribute to the future mayor’s priorities.
We’ll be joined by a range of speakers from across England and Wales 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.
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.
Jacob Ellis – Director for External Relations and Culture at the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Jacob advises public institutions including the Welsh Government to implement the Well-being of Future Generations Act, which marked its 10th anniversary in 2025.
His responsibilities include advocating for public bodies to reinforce the positive impact of cultural well-being and supporting them to make urgent changes to promote culture and creativity. He is currently leading the Commissioner’s campaign for a Culture Act for Wales.
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?
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. If you are attending and you have any dietary requirements, please let us know by the 14th of September by emailing hello@cacn.co.uk.
We do not want cost to be a barrier to accessing The Big Meet and we have launched a limited number of travel bursaries. If you are interested in applying, please email us on hello@cacn.co.uk. Please also contact us if you have any other access needs for which we can provide assistance.The Big Meet is kindly sponsored by TryBooking.com.
