This page brings together publications and presentations relating to the various projects on cultural strategies:
- Cultural strategies, compacts and futures (2022-23) funded by Public Policy Southampton (University of Southampton)
- Connecting and placing cultural strategies (2025-26) funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council Impact Acceleration Account at the University of Southampton.
- Cultural Strategies – Approaches to Consultation and Evaluation (2025-2026) funded by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Strategic Research Fund (University of Southampton)
Publications
Cultural strategies: Layers of place and policy (Arts Professional, March 2024)
Analysis of cultural strategies in England by University of Southampton researchers recently covered in Arts Professional provides evidence of the drive for places to have current cultural strategies. In this article, Professor Dan Ashton focuses on recommendations from the Cultural strategies and futures report (co-authored with Makanani Bell) and considers the challenges faced in aligning cultural strategies to changing policy and geographic landscapes.
Accessible at Arts Professional here
Accessible Open Access here
Presentations
Cultural Strategies Think Kit (Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association/Local Government Association, November 2025)
Recording and slides accessible on CLOA website 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, which includes practical resources, tools and templates linked to various areas to focus on in developing and maintaining a cultural strategy.
During the session we will also hear user case studies from two CLOA Members on how they have connected with the resources and the components that have been particularly helpful within their working context:-
- Michelle Butler, Culture Development Officer Canterbury City Council
- Elise Hurcombe Arts Development Manager at Bristol Council
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.
Cultural strategies and futures (Queen’s University Belfast, November 2023)
In the UK, cultural strategies documents are widely used by local government and culture trusts (and other emerging collectives and partnerships) to plan and coordinate cultural activity within a specific place. This presentation will introduce the ‘Cultural strategies, compacts and futures’ project (funded by Public Policy Southampton), reflect on some of the findings of the project around priority themes (place, health, environment) and introduce for discussion the twelve recommendations suggested in the project report.