DEVOLUTION + CULTURE How do we engage councils around the need to support the arts?

With Culture being added as an area of responsibility for Strategic Authorities through the English Devolution Bill, what strategies or thinking do we need to have in place to help our artistic ecosystem thrive? 

How do we build a relationship with local government? 

Already lots of funding in local government, and the arts funding is a really small piece - the narrative we are given is that money is not available or not worthy (i.e. ambulances v theatre), but this is a false dichotomy

Worth a conversation with the CLOA (Chief Cultural & Leisure Officers Association) - a national voice to influence policy, lobby for sector support and provide a networking hub for officers to share best practice

Interesting conversation about the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act in Wales. Is this missing in England and the broader UK?

Good idea to discuss these ideas with Trevor Macfarlane (Culture Commons)

Some gentle catastrophising - councils can divest themselves of responsibility by agreement with a provider (i.e Fairfield Halls and BH Live). This means that even though they have a responsibility to Culture via the Devolution Bill, they could tick this box by farming out the work to other organisations

Some strategies to mitigate harm/promote better engagement from councils:

Get elected as a councillor 

Invest in contacting local councillors (worth looking up the budget to understand just how large the funding of the individual local council is

Invite Mayor/councillors to all events

Be careful not to underestimate the narrative of the arts/the reward for local government