Lambeth’s Creative Economy strategy takes shape
July 11th, Southbank Centre.
Over 100 representatives from Lambeth’s culture and creative industries gathered to input their ideas into the Council’s refreshed creative economy strategy. Industry leaders, local stakeholders, and creative professionals all had their say.
The Creative Industries are a recognised growth sector in Lambeth and there is acknowledgement of the important role the culture and creative industries play in realising our bold & ambitious borough plan, playing a pivotal role in making the borough of Lambeth A Place We Can All Call Home.
The strategy will lay out the Council’s commitments to enabling this vibrant and dynamic industry to thrive in ways that enable all residents to contribute to, and benefit from, a vibrant and dynamic creative economy.
The day started with a review of the new government’s commitment to arts, culture, and creative industries. This was received positively overall, with a feeling that we now have a government that recognises the value of the creative economy and understands the importance of the ecosystem that underpins it. There were some questions, however, particularly around how smaller organisations and sole traders will be supported to access the opportunities laid out.
After setting the scene in a national context the workshop zoomed in, diving into a range of themes with local resonance. One key point that came up throughout was that Lambeth Council plays a key role in convening the sector, and making space for these conversations was a commitment made on the spot.
Over the day we discovered that organisations of varying sizes are often facing the same challenges, just on a different scale. Some of the borough’s nationally renowned arts organisations are facing huge costs for the maintenance of buildings and estates and Government funding and focus have been redirected from London, making it more difficult for cultural organisations of all scales to survive.
As the discussions wrapped up, it was clear that Lambeth’s Creative Economy strategy is set to be shaped by a collaborative effort, focusing on support structures, ecosystem building, innovative placemaking, inclusive education, and sustainable infrastructure. The input from this engaging forum will be instrumental in guiding the future of Lambeth’s cultural and creative industries.