Cornerstones of Culture: Commission on Culture and Local Government

Theatres Trust welcomes the publication of the report which investigates the role of local publicly funded culture in supporting our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Commission on Culture and Local Government was established to explore the important contribution local culture can make to ‘levelling up’ and its role in responding to the impact of COVID-19.

The report found evidence for four key benefits of investing in culture:

• Resilient places
• Inclusive economic recovery
• Social mobility
• Health inequalities

Alongside four areas of ambition linked to the above, the report identifies four cornerstones that need to be in place:

1. Funding
2. Capacity and resilience
3. Leadership and representation
4. Data and evidence

We know first-hand the difference that council support can mean for theatres and wider culture. With local authorities’ budgets under increasing pressure, this report is an important tool to continue to advocate for support for the arts and champion the value of culture.

Theatres Trust looks forward to working with local and national government, theatres and local communities to support the ambitions of locally funded culture and safeguard its future.

Read the report on the Local Government Association website.