Covid-19 has exposed deep economic and health inequalities. Freelancers, emerging artists and disabled artists have suffered disproportionate financial hardship. Building the creative capacity of our citizens and cultural sector to allow people to express their own cultural identities and respect and learn about other cultures. The UK is no longer part of the EU and it is still uncertain what this will ultimately mean for trade with Europe and the wider world economies, and the overall impact this could have on touring and the export of UK culture as well as bringing EU based companies, exhibitions and artists to Dorset. We hold interna We know we are a work in progress. We believe that Belfast is a city imagining. Chapter 1:The story so far The long view

Cultural Strategy 2018-2027 | Milton Keynes MK Creative and Cultural Strategy 2018-2027 | Milton Keynes

Cultural belonging can be defined as an individual’s feelings in relation to their sense of identity, their relationship to other people around them and their sense of place. Agenda 21 for Culture states that cultural rights guarantee the ability of everyone to identify with one or several cultural communities and to adapt this choice throughout their life. The exercise of cultural rights is essential for the development of a sustainable city. This also includes respect and understanding for the cultural rights of others. We believe that arts and creative practices can foster the confidence to imagine new and diverse senses of belonging in Belfast. PrioritiesFinally, in this age of hybrid work arrangements, gaining clarity around where and when your team is expected to work is essential. Even in-office team structures can offer a high degree of flexibility. Codifying the company’s philosophy and approach allows for greater transparency, trust and equity across groups. These strategic choices will impact the culture. And it's not just about what is decided, but also how the principles are considered, shaped and communicated to the team. Realising Belfast’s ambition to become a culturally vibrant city requires public investment in our creative and cultural lives. This investment should recognise the intrinsic value of culture in our city. The Belfast Agenda also recognises culture and creativity as essential to delivering better health and well-being for our citizens as well as providing a platform for access and inclusive growth. Cultural projects can and should present compelling investment propositions to a wide range of public and private investors. City partners will work together to bid to secure a major event once every five years. Our approach will also consider the potential for a series of homegrown events such as a year of culture in 2023, to deliver the same level of impact as an external international event. Investment in major events should consider connection to the city’s cultural narrative and longterm contribution to infrastructure as well as any short-term economic impact. We recognise that this is an ambitious approach. We are confident that by working together we can make Belfast a unique events destination. Looking out

Culture Change Coventry Culture Change Coventry

In practice, cultural strategy takes many forms, with practitioners specializing in different aspects: strategic, tactical, near term, long term, transforming societies or protecting and preserving them. Like all strategic practices, it requires goal-setting, a theory of change, an understanding of audience, and a commitment to meaningful evaluation and learning. Activities and tactics include building and organizing networks of creatives; narrative design, discovery, and expansion; story-driven content creation such as digital production and live events; and, crucially, effective distribution and engagement to ensure impact through a real-world connection with audiences. What are the values for our practice of cultural strategy? The principle of being investment ready is also one that applies to Belfast City Council. The ambitions set out in this strategy require organisational development to ensure that we can develop the resources, skills and capacity to deliver. What happens next?

Growing our sustainable cultural tourism product through a creative approach that respects the city’s heritage and communities. Importantly we are also committed to moving beyond grants-based models to explore new forms of investment. The recent Cultural Enquiry published by the Core Cities network of the UK has presented a number of recommendations that merit serious consideration of how they might be applied in the local context. This includes the potential of establishing a tourism levy that would act as a tax on overnight visitors into the city and would be directly reinvested in local cultural development. These recommendations include more effective use of cultural assets as well as new ways of investing in culture through greater collaboration between the private and public sectors. In the Dorset museum sector, regular regional data gathering, highlights that on average over 1000 volunteers contribute over 100,000 hours annually, with many contributing specialist skills and professional advice and support. Story: In its publication Toward New Gravity , The Narrative Initiative describes stories as “discrete and contained,“ and organized around a beginning, middle and end.” They go on to say that “stories recount a particular series of events that occur in a particular place and time and often contain structural archetypes such as a protagonist, a problem, a path and a payoff.” Stories, along with other immersive audience experiences, constitute the core ideas of larger narratives. When personal, broader and deeper, stories help narratives come to life by making them relatable and accessible. Stories can be told through almost any medium, and should be thought to include words, visuals, music and other expressive forms.