Call for Evidence – Inquiry into Culture, Place and Liveability
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the West Midlands is launching a review into the current provision for Culture, Place and Liveability across the region. We are delighted to share that Erica Love, CEO of Culture Central is Chair of the Culture, Place and Liveability workstream for the APPG advisory board and will chair the inquiry.
All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are informal, cross-party groups formed by MPs and Members of the House of Lords who share a common interest in a particular policy area, region or country and can be used to deepen knowledge and influence policy.
Following on from our work on the regional growth enquiry and A Creative West Midlands, this review will explore how cultural policy, investment, and practice contribute to the region’s identity, wellbeing, and economic vitality, and assess how effectively current national and regional frameworks support sustainable, inclusive growth.
Dave Robertson MP, Chair of the WM APPG, said: “A central aim of this inquiry is meaningful local engagement. We want to hear from cultural organisations working in cities, towns and rural communities across the West Midlands, so that our final report reflects real experience on the ground and supports future policy and investment that benefits the whole region.”
The inquiry will conclude with a comprehensive report containing recommendations to the Government on how to transform the West Midlands into a place where culture, creativity and liveability sit at the heart of thriving, healthy communities.
We are asking the sector to support the inquiry by providing evidence on:
The impact of financial precarity on the creative and cultural life of the people and places of the region.
The impact of the reduction in formal cultural and creative education and the uptake of creative qualifications on the future workforce.
Advocate for the role culture has in fostering pride of place, wellbeing and community cohesion and demonstrate the social value impact of culture in the West Midlands.
To submit your evidence please log onto the portal using the password WMAPPG26 and complete the form. The questions can be found here.
You can submit your evidence as an organisation or from a professional perspective or as an individual resident of the West Midlands.
Background and Context
70% of people in the West Midlands consider themselves to be a creative person and 55% of people in the region want more opportunities to be creative. This effectively means that 3 million people in the West Midlands want more creative and cultural opportunities.
In contrast, the West Midlands cultural sector is currently in a precarious place financially, with Culture Central’s 2024 regional growth enquiry showing that public investment in culture in the region has fallen significantly below 2016 levels and is forecast to fall further.
Funding in 2024 was 33% below the level it would be, had it kept up with inflation. This impacts not only the potential economic growth of the region, but the value culture brings to the vitality and wellbeing of the people and places of the region.
The West Midlands stands at a critical juncture. Despite a wealth of creative talent, world-class institutions and diverse communities, the region’s cultural and creative sectors face sustained financial pressures, rising inequalities in access and participation, and a need for stronger cross-sector alignment in planning and public health.