Photo credit: Stanhope
Our ambition to develop Sheffield’s cultural appeal and ensure that our city is creative, prosperous, diverse and full of opportunity for its residents is progressing.
A review of Sheffield’s cultural sector highlights areas of growth and opportunity for the city, including the strength of grassroots services and featured independent businesses.
Several of the city’s larger hub institutions were also recognized for their national and international acclaim.
However, Sheffield also faces challenges, with the report outlining the need for Sheffield to step up cultural investment and attract more funding into the sector.
We need to do more to champion diversity and inclusion and better reflect the city’s residents and creators. The report also shows the need to strengthen support for young people who face barriers to accessing culture.
The review will be presented to MPs at today’s (Wednesday 21 February 2024) Economic and Skills Development Committee meeting, where next steps will be considered.
Councilor Martin Smith, Chair of Sheffield City Council’s Economic Skills Development Committee, said:
“We want Sheffield’s cultural sector to thrive, be inclusive and diverse.
“That is why the committee commissioned a detailed report to help take the city’s ambitions forward. The audit we are discussing today is the first step in that process, with a new culture strategy expected later this year. It is planned to be formulated.”
The audit was commissioned as part of the new Sheffield Culture Strategy 2024. The strategy is designed to address some of the long-standing obstacles facing creators who live and work in the city.
The strategy, driven by the Culture Collective and the Culture Consortium and funded by Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield and Arts Council England, aims to tackle the barriers identified in the review.
A sector audit is just the first stage of work that precedes the development of a strategy and, together with the results of consultation with both the public and individuals working in the sector, will help shape the strategy.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on Sheffield’s cultural strategy.
Read the committee’s report here.
You can watch the Economic Skills Development Committee meeting live here on Wednesday, February 21 from 2pm.