Regional agencies - Culture Club

You may have heard of England?s Regional Cultural Consortiums (RCCs), but how much do you know about what they do and how they relate to you or your organisation? Jo Hammond gives you the low-down.

Back in 1999, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) anticipated the increasingly important role that the cultural sector (broadly categorised as the arts, sports, heritage, creative industries, libraries and tourism) would play in developing the Government?s regional and regeneration agendas. It identified a need for a regionally-led presence that could unite the sector and ensure that culture was adequately supported at regional level. These organisations would have a Chair appointed by the Secretary of State and boards of between 12 and15 leading cultural figures from across each region. They would act as cultural ?mouthpieces? for the sector, identify issues affecting the region and the sector; and presenting a united, coherent view of culture and creativity from within the English regions. Under former Secretary of State, Chris Smith, a Regional Cultural Consortium (RCC) was established in each of the English regions and given four main areas of responsibility; strategic development; advocacy; regional intelligence/advice; and identifying/brokering links.

Setting priorities

The first task given to each RCC was to develop a Regional Cultural Strategy. As the lead bodies for culture in each region, the RCCs set out to agree a set of objectives and priorities in consultation with the key cultural, development and administrative agencies in their region. The resulting eight Regional Cultural Strategies were written on behalf of and by the cultural sector in each region and for the first time set out the combined vision and long-term aspirations for culture and creativity within each of the English regions.

As well as driving these strategies, the RCCs also have a responsibility for promoting the sector and ensuring that the cultural agenda is understood within the framework of regional economic, regeneration and social inclusion programmes. By identifying high level priorities that are common to the arts, heritage, libraries, creative industries and tourism, the RCCs are able to add leverage and an independent dimension to well-rehearsed arguments from within the different corners of the cultural sector. As impartial bodies speaking on behalf of the whole sector, their influence can raise awareness of topics across and beyond the cultural sphere. For example, a collective RCC presence at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister?s Urban Summit last year, not only allowed the RCCs to make the case for cultural regeneration to an influential audience, but also helped identify areas where positive links could be made with other sectors involved in regeneration. Likewise, the RCC for England?s Northwest recently collaborated with the Regional Intelligence Unit to produce a new set of employment data for the cultural sector in the region. This can be searched according to sub-sector and local authority area. Not only is this important in terms of promoting the value of the sector, but it is now an essential planning tool for local authorities, the Regional Development Agency (RDA), the Regional Assembly and the Government Office in the North West.

Other regional advocacy work includes a ?regional cultural guide? from West Midlands Life (the RCC in the West Midlands), which brings information about the region?s cultural life together for the first time. Distributed throughout the country, the guide raises awareness of the consortium; provides a valuable information source for visitors; and helps address some of the negative image issues specific to the West Midlands. Similarly, Culture South West?s It?s a Culture Thing campaign (from July 27 to August 3) was designed to promote awareness of the sector, highlight the richness and diversity of cultural activity in the South West, and encourage participation. Overseen by a Steering Group convened by Culture South West, It?s a Culture Thing was linked to a two-part series on ITV1 West and ITV1 Westcountry entitled Culture 24/7. The campaign is to become an annual event.

Practical advice

Running in tandem with this, the consortiums also have a remit to advise. At regional level, each RCC has worked to secure representation on key regional bodies and groups and works closely alongside DCMS, the regional cultural agencies, the regional Government Offices, the Local Government Association, the National Lottery distributors, the Regional Assemblies and the Regional Development Agencies. And at national level, they act as independent channels for regional information and intelligence, advising national Government and helping to influence and shape national policy. As well as regular meetings between the RCC Chairs and the Secretary of State, a good example of how this works is through an ongoing RCC/DCMS initiative to develop a Regional Cultural Data Framework (RCDF). Aware of a lack of robust and quantifiable data at regional or local level, the RCCs and DCMS launched a project in 2002 to review currently available data for the cultural sector and develop a prototype framework and associated tool-kit. A report was produced in November, along with the tool-kit advising how to access and interpret existing data sets. A roll-out launch of the RCDF is planned towards the end of the year and it is hoped that the framework will give planners and practitioners a single, consistent methodology for producing data that can be used at local, regional or national level.

Working together

The other important function of RCCs is to identify and broker links across the sector and beyond. By harnessing the collective strength of the regions? cultural sectors, the RCCs can offer an objective overview on issues such as, diversity, access, training and workforce development, and identify opportunities where sharing resources or working together may be more productive. For example, West Midlands Life?s Education Task Group brought Education Officers from the region?s cultural organisations together to look at relations between the cultural and education sectors. These officers had never met as a specific grouping before and the resulting ?cultural taster? week for teachers, was the first time that the region?s cultural sector had targeted education practitioners on a collective, strategic basis. Elsewhere, the region?s first stakeholder conference was held recently in the North West, bringing over 160 delegates together to develop cross- and inter-sectoral networking and encourage support across the cultural sector and for the Regional Cultural Strategy. Culture North East, on the other hand, has established a Cultural Diversity Network that brings officers from all the regional cultural and strategic agencies together ? again for the first time ? to develop initiatives that raise awareness of the region?s historic and contemporary multi-cultural makeup.

New directions

Whilst these examples offer an insight into the work of RCCs and the progress that has undoubtedly been made, there is still much to be done. Last year, the RCCs underwent a review by the Secretary of State resulting in newly constituted boards and increased responsibilities. These changes herald a new era for RCCs and as they enter their fourth year, they welcome the greater emphasis that government is placing on regional activity. The regional debate continues to gain prominence and the importance of cultural activity and the role of RCCs is being increasingly recognised ? as in the White Paper ?Your Region, Your Choice; Revitalising the English Regions?. We all know that culture and creativity can take many forms and that each region?s cultural landscape is distinctive. It is therefore especially important that culture is able to speak with a cohesive and authoritative voice reflecting our authentic experience and aspirations in each of the regions of England.

Jo Hammond works for West Midlands Life and is Communications Officer working on behalf of the Regional Cultural Consortiums t: 0121 212 5256;
e: jhammond.gowm@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk