New commission launched to promote role of culture

The Local Government Association is launching a new commission to promote the role of arts and culture in the nation’s recovery from the pandemic and to level up communities across the country.

The Independent Commission on Culture and Local Government, chaired by Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey, will bring together national, regional and local organisations, to make the case for the unique role of council funded and supported culture in contributing to economic growth, and addressing inequalities in communities across the country.

Publishing it’s first report in December 2022, the body which establish the evidence for the value of essential cultural services and a vision for sustaining local cultural provision through shared investment and collaboration.

Local cultural services, such as libraries, museums, theatres and arts centres, reached out to communities in lockdown to address isolation, support mental well-being and provide educational opportunity. As we move towards recovery, council leaders have stressed that these important community services remain vital, but are under pressure.

Councils remain the biggest public funders of culture, spending over £1 billion a year in England alone. They run a nationwide network of local cultural organisations, including 3,000 libraries, 350 museums, 116 theatres and numerous castles, amusement parks, monuments, historic buildings, parks and heritage sites.

Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: “Local organisations form the backbone of our cultural infrastructure and play a vital role in supporting social mobility, boosting pride in communities, providing a pipeline of skills for the creative industries and supporting economic regeneration.

“Whether by delivering direct cultural services like libraries, or by commissioning freelancers and providing spaces for artists and performers to develop their creative skills, councils are critical to our cultural ecosystem and developing the creative talent of the future. The commission will bring together voices from across sector to ensure the final report reflects the contribution culture can make as we build back from the pandemic.”