Opportunity: West Midlands Cultural Compacts+ Advocacy & Toolkits
Culture Central, on behalf of the West Midlands Cultural Compacts Plus network, are looking for an organisation or individual to deliver an evidence and advocacy plan and toolkit for the network.
Cultural Compacts are partnerships designed to support the local cultural sector and enhance its contribution to development, with a special emphasis on cross-sector engagement beyond the cultural sector and local authority.
Cultural Compacts, despite their strategic importance, face challenges advocating across sectors. While there is already significant evidence and research stating the importance of Culture, there is a need to bring this all together and design a programme of advocacy for the Compacts to support their cross-sector work.
This includes outputs such as:
A synthesis of research, evidence and case studies on the social and economic impact of culture.
A series of themed advocacy presentations to be used by regional cultural compacts for a range of sectors, including planning and development, health, philanthropy, placemaking and transport.
Plan and deliver a series of advocacy activities, co-created with the network. This might include a series of round tables, events or conference attendances showcasing the strategic power of Cultural Compacts and Culture more broadly.
The Cultural Compact+ network includes:
Birmingham
Cannock
Coventry
Herefordshire
Redditch and Bromsgrove
Sandwell
Shropshire
Stoke on Trent
Stratford upon Avon
Walsall
Warwickshire
Wolverhampton
Worcester
Total amount available:
£20,000: This includes materials and event costs, VAT, travel and expenses.
How to apply:
Please send in a short application to info@culturecentral.co.uk that includes:
3 examples of relevant work
Up to 1000 words outlining your approach to the brief and how you will work with the Compact Plus network.
A proposed activity plan including potential outputs as outlined above
A fully costed quote for the work
Timescale:
30th November 2023 (10am) Deadline for submissions
6th December 2023 Commission awarded and work plan agreed
11th December – 26th January 2024 Evidence gathering
30th January 2024 Evidence report and toolkit outline agreed
1st February – 15th March 2024 Development of toolkits and events delivery
31st March 2024 Final report
Questions
For any questions or clarifications, including any access requests to support applying for this opportunity please contact info@culturecentral.co.uk
What is a Cultural Compact?
Compacts are partnerships designed to support the local cultural sector and enhance its contribution to development, with a special emphasis on cross-sector engagement beyond the cultural sector itself and the local authority. Cultural Compacts are a national initiative endorsed by the Department for Culture Media & Sport and supported by Arts Council England.
The purpose of a Compact is to facilitate the co-creation and co-delivery of an ambitious vision for culture in a place. Each Compact is expected to lead a step-change in the sustainability and contribution of culture to the life of that place. The form, functions and activities of a Compact are expected to vary according to the place where it is set up.
All Compacts are expected to be defined by the ambition of developing the local cultural sector and boosting its engagement with health agencies, business, universities, and other sectors. Compacts are not intended to support existing partnership arrangements but rather to widen the support base for culture around a compelling vision for the role of culture in the place.
There are four central objectives for the Cultural Compacts programme:
Increase the connectivity between the arts and cultural sector and broader aspirations and priorities, including local recovery plans within Compact areas through strategic partnerships with relevant sectors.
Facilitate the development of a shared ambition among project partners for culture’s contribution to local development; and the adoption of a coordinated approach to deploy cultural assets in support of joint priorities.
Increase capacity and strategic planning for the development and delivery of joint initiatives that strengthen the local cultural ecosystem and leverage resources (human, financial, and property) to support these.
Secure commitment from Compact members to continue working in partnership and support sector-recovery efforts.
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Header Image: National Writers Conference 2022. Photo Writing West Midlands/ Paul Stringer
