Joint Cultural Needs Assessment 101
If you’re preparing bids for Town or City of Culture, delivering Pride in Place or place partnership programmes, heritage-led regeneration projects or developing policy and place-based strategies – come along to find out how developing a Joint Cultural Needs Assessment can help.
Jonothan Neelands will take you through the process, benefits and outcomes of having a JCNA, and will share learnings from his work in Coventry and the current pilots Culture Central is supporting in Sandwell, Stoke-on-Trent and Worcester.
A Joint Cultural Needs Assessment (JCNA)
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community and reduce inequalities for all ages. They are not an end in themselves, but a continuous process of strategic assessment and planning – the core aim is to develop local evidence-based priorities for commissioning which will improve the public’s health and reduce inequalities. The Joint Cultural Needs Assessment (JCNA) applies the JSNA principles and processes to cultural needs. While it is not a statutory responsibility, the JCNA will provide a strategic plan, grounded in evidence-based priorities, to improve access to cultural opportunities for all, that are distinctive to place and the needs of local communities.
Jonothan Neelands PhD, DSc, FRSA
Academic Director for Cultural Partnerships, University of Warwick
Professor of Creative Education at Warwick Business School
I believe that culture has the power to bring people together, build confidence and shared purpose, and shape the stories we tell about who we are. I have spent much of my working life supporting places and communities to use culture as a way of strengthening civic identity, belonging and opportunity. My approach is collaborative and evidence-led, grounded in co-creation and in working closely with local government, cultural organisations, anchor institutions and communities. I value cultural experiences that bring joy, shared memory and connection, and that create the conditions for long-term cultural and economic renewal.
Getting involved
These meetings take place online at 9.30-10.30am (UK) on the second Tuesday of every month. If you would like to join the learning sessions, please sign up using the form linked below or email info@culturecentral.co.uk.
We aim to facilitate and accommodate all accessibility needs. Please do let us know below if you have any specific questions, needs or comments and we will do our best to meet them.
About WMCRU
Set up during COVID, our regular West Midlands Culture Response Unit (WMCRU) meetings were a vital lifeline for the sector in connecting, sharing and getting practical information and advice. WMCRU has continued to be a useful space for organisations and individuals that Culture Central continues to support as a collective and collaborative space for all those that are interested in the cultural ecology of the region. In 2024-25, WMCRU meetings will explore key strategic challenges and opportunities that affect the sector and the region.