Case study:Achates Develops Strategy: Norwich Creative City Cultural Compact

Norwich Creative City Cultural Compact is a partnership seeking to maximise the potential of arts, culture and heritage in Norwich. Following the end of the partnership’s initial five-year plan, the Compact engaged Achates to develop a longer-term cultural strategy. 

Working with a consortium of cultural organisations, Norwich City Council and UEA, Achates carried out demographic and asset mapping and led a series of stakeholder consultation workshops to understand the local landscape, key issues and priorities. 

Achates then led the partners through a series of workshops to identify priority audiences and impact, to create an Outcomes Framework and associated ten-year goals, and to develop a draft Statement of Purpose and a Narrative Summary of Theory of Change.

Achates then developed an Activity Plan to outline the initiatives by which these outcomes and impact targets could be realised. Where possible this linked to partners’ current work to build on existing good practice. A Fundraising Plan to realise the activity in a managed way over the 5-year period was developed and accompanied by an Operating Model, Staffing Model and Implementation Timeline. A SWOT and a PESTLE analysis were also developed and an accompanying Risk Register put in place. 

The Action Plan is now being implemented, and we continue to support the project and a number of the partners.

– Chris Gribble, CEO, The Forum Norwich