Updates

The Cultural Strategies Network facilitates conversations on the development and sustaining of cultural strategies and supports engagement with the Cultural Strategies Think Kit.

Current activities include a LinkedIn Group and bi-monthly online meetings. The first session is Wednesday 10th December 2025 at 12pm (register here). This first session of the Network is an opportunity to:

• share and support
• explore ideas and suggestions for the Network
• identify areas to focus on for future sessions
• familiarise with the LinkedIn Group and Think Kit

Please sign up to Think Kit here for updates.

On Thursday 6th November, Ian Leete and Dan Ashton launched the Cultural Strategies Think Kit in a joint Local Government Association and The Chief Cultural & Leisure Officers Association webinar.

Many thanks for all that participated, especially Donna Pentelow for chairing and Michelle Butler and Elise Hurcombe for sharing their experience and insights.

• The slides are available on the resources page (accessible via the Think Kit here)
• The recording of the webinar can be accessed here.

This collaborative webinar with LGA and University of Southampton will be hosted by CLOA Chair Donna Pentelow and will provide practical support for councils undertaking cultural strategies.

The session will feature an introduction to the context for the Cultural Strategies Think-kit from Ian Leete, Senior Adviser – Culture, Tourism and Sport at LGA.

Dan Ashton, Professor of Cultural and Creative Industries at University of Southampton, will introduce the Cultural Strategies and Futures research and how the recommendations from the report were developed through a community of practice into a Think Kit. The Think Kit includes practical resources, tools and templates linked to various areas to focus on in developing and maintaining a cultural strategy, including: access; consultation; evaluation; policy; themes. We will be featuring case studies from two of the councils involved in the community of practice.

This is a timely session for all those officers seeking to align culture with broader outcomes such as place, health and wellbeing and the environment through cultural strategies and compacts.  It will also be of relevance in preparing for devolution and reorganisation.

Full details are available from the CLOA website.

The University of Southampton and the Local Government Association are delighted to be collaborating on ‘The Connecting and placing cultural strategies’ project which will bring together a Community of Practice of those currently involved, or about to be involved, in creating a cultural strategy to share and shape practice.

Full details are available from the LGA website: https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/culture-and-sport/cultural-strategies-community-practice-call-participants