Case study:Achates Develops Strategy: West of England Cultural Compact

The West of England Cultural Compact is the biggest Cultural Compact in the UK. In 2021, this region-wide-partnership was seeking support to develop a cultural plan for the area, engaging a wide variety of stakeholders in setting future ambitions for the area. 

Achates brought a unique industrial strategy-based approach to this work, which – as well as defining ambitions for culture in the region – outlined how income could be generated from earned, as well as contributed, income sources. This work included:

• Understanding The Strategic Context, through a literature review of more than 50 national, regional and local cultural and related strategies (including education and transport). This helped us to understand both existing cultural provision and wider regional strategic priorities where culture could play a role going forwards.

• Consulting With Stakeholders through World Café sessions and interviews – to understand priorities and opportunities amongst the Cultural Compact’s members. Then, through an iterative design process, we co-designed a set of Areas of Focus, Cross Cutting Themes, Strategic Approaches and Investment Approaches, which were subsequently agreed with the Compact.

• Detailed Planning: With the strategic framework in place, we designed a Cultural Plan composed of a programme of more than 30 short, medium and long-term strategic initiatives that address these priorities and which will also generate income for the region to invest in culture going forwards. We also outlined timelines for development, cost implications and potential investment sources. Our work set detailed milestones to ensure that the group had full ownership of the Plan.

The Cultural Plan was launched by the West of England Combined Authority  (WECA) in February 2022. Since then, WECA has secured seven figure funding for the plan’s implementation, and has established a delivery vehicle, Culture West, to spend funds. The Plan also has strong political and funder buy in: its Chair, Sue Rigby, is now one of three Cultural Compact leads for Arts Council England. 

– Professor Sue Rigby, Chair, West of England Cultural Compact