Residents in the South West to Contribute to Cultural Future

Brand new Citizens’ Assembly will bring together diverse voices for new and inclusive regional cultural plan

Residents in the west of England – including Bristol – will be coming together to create an inclusive plan for full representation in the arts.

The ambitious project – Citizens for Culture – will bring together people from across communities to join the UK’s first ever Citizens’ Assembly in this sphere. Together, they will help shape the future of arts and culture in the region.

The idea for the cultural assembly came from St Paul’s Carnival CEO, LaToyah McAllister-Jones and Trinity Community Arts CEO Emma Harvey. Both organisations run some of the city’s biggest cultural events.

McAllister-Jones and Harvey wanted to look at how Bristol residents could help inform cultural plans for the city, particularly people from under-represented groups. To make this a reality, they teamed up with David Jubb, co-founder of Citizens in Power – and former Co-Artistic Director of Battersea Arts Centre.

Through 2021 to 2024, a working group made up of grassroots cultural organisations developed the idea. This ultimately resulted in over 100 organisations helping to co-design the democratic assembly experience.

The work has been backed by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Bath and North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council, and South Gloucestershire Council.

Citizens for Culture is also supported by Arts Council England, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

Further work will be taking place over this summer to bring citizens onboard in time for the Assembly events starting on 15 September 2025 – coinciding with International Democracy Day.

As well as bringing together people to have a say in the region’s cultural future, the Citizens’ Assembly, will be exploring how future creative opportunities can be ‘inclusive and accessible’ for everyone in ‘diverse regional communities’.

A series of recommendations will be ‘guided’ by four existing pillars in the region’s current cultural place. These are: skills, the economy, place-making and well-being.

Identified priorities for the region will be defined by what takes place, where it happens, who participates, and how the region’s cultural identity is shaped

The final publication of the Cultural Delivery Plan is scheduled for November, with its delivery to start next year.

In June, invitations will be sent out to thousands of address across the south west region inviting people to apply to become of the the 40 members of the assembly. The Sortition Foundation will be running the selection process – a ‘civic lottery’ – to ensure full representation from across the region.

Citizens for Culture are collaborating with Disabled Persons Organisation WECIL to ensure Disabled people who may require high levels of support will be given this to ensure equitability of participation.

For more information, visit: https://citizensforculture.info/

Featured Image: St Paul’s Carnival by Colin Rayner

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