About
Culture Central

Our Principles, Values & Practice

  • A collective, and a collective voice

    Speaking with and for all sizes of not for profit and commercial organisations, individual practitioners and freelancers who work in the sector, across all forms of arts, culture and heritage.

    We work across the rural and urban areas throughout the West Midlands region (including Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Herefordshire, Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire).

  • Inclusivity & Collaboration

    We work to promote genuine partnerships and collaborations across and beyond the cultural sector and region.

    Everyone is invited and welcomed, with positive action to ensure representation, equity and access so the sector is a place for all to thrive.

  • Transparency & Authenticity

    We are open with our communication and information and listen carefully and thoughtfully to all voices. We work to develop and support the cultural sector as a supporter, not a producer, of artistic work. Everything we do is for this purpose.


Our Priorities

  • We are supporting cultural change, recovery, resilience and innovation in the sector through research, thought leadership and cross-sector work through new and unusual partnerships.

  • We identify national and international opportunities and priorities and then bring together the collective power of the region's cultural offer to capitalise on them. Through collectively sharing practice, information and resources, we advocate for a high quality, varied and sustainable cultural offer for people in the West Midlands and beyond.

  • We make the work of the cultural sector visible, democratic and open through intersectional approaches that foreground the people and the places of the West Midlands.

    We create spaces for people to have challenging conversations about the changes we need to see in the sector and society.

  • We highlight the role that culture has in supporting and growing communities across the urban and rural environments of the West Midlands. We ensure that culture is foregrounded in planning for regeneration, development, and sustainable growth.

  • We leverage existing assets, share knowledge and create the environment to connect freelancers, artists, leaders, organisations and partners at local, regional and national levels. We are a powerful voice and critical friend for culture and creativity in the West Midlands.


  • Programmes

    Find out more about what we’re working on and explore our previous work.

  • Meet The Team

    Who’s who in the Culture Central team and board.

  • Join Us

    Be part of the collective voice. There’s a membership option for everyone.

  • Partners & Funders

    Thank you to our partners and funders for their support.

Header image: Ming De Nasty/Stan's Café.
Other images: Anne Marie Hayes/Birmingham Museums, Birmingham Rep/Graeme Braidwood, B-Side Festival, Graeme Braidwood/Culture Central, Bill Cooper/BRB, Open Theatre.