A 10-year Cultural Strategy [https://culturechangecoventry.com/] has been drawn up to help Coventry become a culturally attractive, vibrant and prosperous city for everyone who lives, works and studies in our city. The strategy will make Coventry a leading city of culture in modern Britain and help bring about future economic success and improved quality of life for residents. It has been funded by the City Council and Arts Council England with support from both the University of Warwick and Coventry University and is based on an extensive consultation process.

The Strategy builds on the heritage and culture of the city and introduces five key goals for cultural growth and seven big ideas for transforming the cultural life of the city. The initial five goals are:

Goal 1: Partnership

A new partnership approach to cultural growth will ensure access and sustainable funding for a wide range of cultural organisations, activities and events across the city. This partnership brings together the City Council, communities, the universities, local businesses and charities, and the professional and amateur cultural sectors.

Goal 2: Lifelong Learning

All children and young people have an entitlement to the arts and digital creativity in schools and in their community which is not limited by family income, location or age.
There are opportunities for all generations to learn from and develop through the arts and there will be an emphasis on lifelong learning and talent being recognised.

Goal 3: Diversity

Communities and individuals will be empowered to celebrate and share their heritage, culture, abilities and identity and take part in the cultural life of the city.
Diversity is one of Coventry's strengths and resources and Coventry is a national centre of excellence for diversity in the arts and creative industries.

Goal 4: Health and Wellbeing

Arts and culture are core to the health and wellbeing of the city, with events helping to combat isolation and mental health problems in vulnerable communities.
Culture makes a major contribution to encouraging healthy lifestyles and physical activity.

Goal 5: Economic Growth

Coventry is a culturally vibrant, attractive and prosperous city that enriches the lives and environment for all residents.
The city is a major tourist destination for the West Midlands and successfully attracts new businesses and investment, particularly in high- tech creative industries, talent development and cultural production.

An additional goal was added in early 2022, following public consultation as part of a strategy review and refresh process:

Goal 6: Coventry's Green Future

Arts and culture promote and support behavioural and environmental changes to address the climate crisis and encourage green activism. Arts and culture model circular economy practices and principles in production and
programming that bring fun, interactive and entertaining activities to celebrate and sustain the city’s green and other heritage sites.

The Coventry Cultural Strategy 2017 – 2027, has been funded by Coventry City Council and Arts Council England and was written with support from the University of Warwick and Coventry University.

Useful resources

For more information contact:

ArtsDevelopment@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:ArtsDevelopment@coventry.gov.uk] and mark the subject line 'Cultural Strategy Enquiry'

Keep up to date with cultural news and opportunities by signing up for our newsletter [/artsnews].

Future Works II findings

The Future Works II gathering on 15 October 2024 drew together almost 200 people working across the city in the arts, culture, creative industries, heritage, tourism, health and wellbeing, regeneration and youth services. The aim was to facilitate conversations about how arts and culture can make a positive difference in Coventry going forward, to collectively agree and deliver our priorities with a commitment to action. .

This summary draws on the discussions and feedback captured from the event, and highlights the richness of cultural activity across the city, working towards an inclusive and sustainable cultural ecosystem – as well as how we can help and support each other.


Diversity and Inclusion:

  • Finding: There is strong advocacy for diversity and inclusion within the arts, matching the community's need for celebrating and integrating diverse cultures in planning and execution.
  • Recommendation: Continue to expand representation in decision-making roles and amplify diverse voices in senior positions to deepen the impact of cultural inclusivity.

Lifelong Learning:

  • Finding: Collaborative educational initiatives are in place, supporting lifelong learning aligned with community needs for professional development.
  • Recommendation: Strengthen connections between local arts organisations and educational institutions to provide more comprehensive, on-going, business skills training and mentoring.

Green and Sustainable Practices:

  • Finding: The need for sustainability was highlighted, advocating for projects that integrate green practices within the arts.
  • Recommendation: Promote and expand funding for environmentally sustainable projects and consider separate strategies to address the climate crisis, emphasising its critical importance.

Economic Growth:

  • Finding: Economic activities through arts and cultural projects create jobs and support entrepreneurship, corresponding with the need for sustainable economic growth.
  • Recommendation: Develop more permanent premises for artistic activities to foster economic stability and reinvest economic gains back into the cultural sector.

Health and Wellbeing:

  • Finding: The integration of arts into healthcare settings addresses the need for therapeutic options that can enhance community health and wellbeing.
  • Recommendation: Increase the accessibility and integration of arts into health promotion, ensuring programmes are inclusive and reach vulnerable groups.

Partnerships and Community Engagement:

  • Finding: There is a robust framework for partnerships and community engagement, but more can be done to ensure these initiatives are truly accessible and involve proactive community outreach.
  • Recommendation: Develop more centralised communication hubs and utilise public spaces to engage communities more effectively, with the aim of integrating arts and culture into more people’s everyday lives.

Operational and Strategic Enhancements:

  • Finding: Current efforts to streamline processes and reduce bureaucracy are on-going, to meet the need for simpler administrative procedures.
  • Recommendation: Focus on reducing red tape further and enhance the responsiveness of cultural organisations, at the same time continue to empower local communities in cultural policy decision-making.

Needs and offers

Coventry’s Cultural Synergy: Matching Community Needs with Arts Initiatives

In Coventry, the cultural landscape is continuing to evolve - aligning community-driven needs with specific offerings from the arts and culture sector.

Diversity: A Commitment to Inclusion

Offer: There were many offers of advocacy for diverse practice across the arts, as well as engaging with communities that included local artists who have previously experienced exclusion from decision-making processes.

There is a Need to celebrate diversity by ensuring ongoing representation of diverse communities in cultural events and planning.

Match: Both the offer and need emphasise enhancing diversity and inclusivity in the arts, both focus on broad community engagement and representation.


Lifelong Learning: Developing Skills and Opportunities

Offer: Collaborative efforts with educational institutions to provide training and retain local talent through meaningful mentorship and workshops were a key offer.

Need: A clear demand for business skills training and professional development opportunities for local creatives was highlighted.

Match: There is a significant overlap in providing educational opportunities and professional growth for artists, aligning the training offerings with the specific skills the community needs.


Green Futures: Embracing Sustainability

Offer: Projects focusing on environmental sustainability and securing funding for climate-friendly practices.

Need: Community support for environmental care and applying best practices in sustainability.

Match: Both offers and needs reflect a strong commitment to integrating sustainable practices within the arts, aiming for environmental stewardship.


Economic Growth: Cultivating Local Talent and Business

Offer: Creation of job opportunities and economic activities through the arts, supporting entrepreneurship and strategic planning.

Need: Sustainable funding models and development of premises for artistic activities to foster economic stability and growth.

Match: There's a clear connection in fostering economic growth through the arts, with both offers and needs focusing on creating sustainable job opportunities and supporting local business models in the arts sector.


Health and Wellbeing: Arts as Therapy

Offer: Integration of arts into healthcare settings and supporting mental health through accessible art projects.

Need: Integrating creative arts programmes in healthcare to enhance patient and staff wellbeing, the need to address loneliness through cultural activities.

Match: The therapeutic use of arts to support health and wellbeing was a common thread, with both offers and needs recognising the potential of arts to heal and unite communities.


Partnerships: Strengthening Collaborations

Offer: Developing international exchanges and collaborations with various stakeholders to enhance cultural projects.

Need: Building long-term relationships with local authorities and businesses to secure resources and support for cultural activities.

Match: Strong partnerships are crucial, and both sides are looking to enhance collaboration among local and international entities to amplify cultural impact.


Community Engagement: Accessibility and Relevance

Offer: Making art and cultural events more accessible and relevant to local communities through proactive community outreach.

Need: More engagement and outreach to inform the community about available cultural activities and opportunities.

Match: The focus on increasing community engagement through the arts aligns perfectly, aiming to make cultural participation more accessible and relevant to all residents.


So what happens next?

The next step is to recruit the members of the Culture Works Cultural Compact – called ‘The Reps’. Once in place, the members of Culture Works will then review all the recommendations and work together to see how we can collectively take them forward as part of the Coventry Cultural Strategy 20217-2027 delivery.

Join the Culture Works Collective

We are now looking for people to join the Culture Works Collective as ‘The Reps’ to oversee the delivery of the remaining Coventry 2017-2027 Cultural Strategy. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the future development of our city and to ensure arts, culture and creativity can make a real difference to people's lives. 

If you are interested in applying, we recommend you first read the  Culture Works Collective - your questions answered [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/arts-1/culture-works-collective-questions-answered] web page and then the details below on how to apply.

We are now looking for:

  • Up to four Reps from small cultural organisations based in Coventry
  • Up to four cultural sector freelancer Reps
  • Up to two people who will be the resident representatives 

If you are interested in becoming a Rep, please send us an application which should include:

  • Your name and street address, including postcode
  • Your phone number
  • Your email address
  • Whether you are applying as a small arts organisation, a creative freelancer or a resident (please only pick one)  
  • A brief explanation (no more than 320 words or 1min 30 second minute video) of why you want to become a Rep
  • A brief explanation (no more than 320 words or 1min 30 second minute video) of what you will be able to bring to the role
  • A brief summary (no more than 320 words or 1min 30 second minute video) of what you think is the biggest opportunity for arts & culture in Coventry and why

If you are applying by written application - please submit in a widely available format (for example as an attached Word document or PDF). Please do not send links to cloud storage locations (for example Google Docs/Drive).

If you are applying by video – please send us a private YouTube link – please do not send any videos via email and please still include your contact details in writing.

We may not be able to assess your application if you don’t include all of the information above so, please double check before sending. Please do not exceed the word limits or the video time limits, as we may only assess parts of you application.

Please let us know if you have specific access needs by emailing artsdevelopment@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:artsdevelopment@coventry.gov.uk] and we will contact you to discuss these in more detail


Please send your application to artsdevelopment@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:artsdevelopment@coventry.gov.uk], with your contact details clearly written down.

Please send your complete application by 23:00 on 13 January 2025

We will also be organising two virtual information sessions:

  • 11.00am on Friday 3 January 2025 and
  • 9.00am on Monday 6 January 2025

Please email salla.virman@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:salla.virman@coventry.gov.uk] to sign up to these sessions.


Data Protection

Coventry City Council complies with the Data Protection Act and the UK GDPR and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as a Data Controller.

Our Privacy Notice [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/leisure-culture/coventry-city-council-ccc-privacy-notice-sports-culture-destination-sector-support]explains how personal information is going to be used, what for, who it will be shared with and why.