Culture and the visitor and rural economy Councillor Robin Ashcroft, Portfolio Holder for Economy, Culture and Leisure South Lakeland District Council South Lakeland District • Predominantly rural character with population distributed across wide area covering 600 square miles • South Lakeland population of the district at the 2011 Census was 103,658. • One of six districts in Cumbria • Part of the Lancaster & South Cumbria Economic Region South Lakeland District • South Lakeland was ranked 5th in the North West in the Grant Thornton Vibrant Economy Index for 2018 – this lists areas by economic performance, taking into account factors such as prosperity, dynamism and opportunity and health, wellbeing and happiness. • A growing local economy – total GVA in South Lakeland rose to £2.4 billion in 2017, rising by more than £21m. • Home to nationally and globally significant companies, such as GlaxoSmithKline, Siemens, Lakeland, Anord Mardix, James Cropper and Oxley. • Quality of life – ranked 7th overall in England in RSA Heritage Index • South Lakeland encompasses large parts of the Lake District, UNESCO World Heritage Site. • Contribution to the value of tourism in 2018 was £1.3 billion (up 5.6 per cent on 2017), representing 44% of Cumbria's total tourism revenue. • South Lakeland had 18.54m visitors in 2018 • World class cultural offering including national portfolio organisations Arts Council England • Kendal College ranked No 1 in the UK Context Our ambition is… Working together to make South Lakeland the best place to live, work and explore Context Demography • South Lakeland has an ‘old’ population relative to rest of UK • Under 40’s significantly under represented compared to national average • Pattern that is largely repeated in the area’s visitor profile Five main challenges • 44% under the national average of people aged 16-34 • Sustainable communities • Lack of economically active people • Affordable housing • Digital connectivity Our guiding principles South Lakeland… • An area rich in cultural resources and creative potential • A place where culture and creativity are highly valued • To play a pivotal and dynamic role in enriching all aspects of social, economic and community life • Reveal the unique character of the area • Unlocking the potential of the area for the benefit of local people and visitors Our aims – Unlocking our potential • To develop South Lakeland as a place where residents and visitors have the highest quality opportunities to access cultural activities and facilities • To celebrate the culture and creativity of South Lakeland and its wealth of resources • To enable understanding of the importance of culture in all economic sectors and the role cultural industries play • To safeguard and develop South Lakeland’s key cultural assets • Provide the foundations for cultural renewal and future innovation • To provide opportunities to learn about, share and understand culture and creativity 9 Our role • Act as Champion and Advocate – promoting our culture and creativity both within and outside the district • Deliver – work on strategic initiatives in the district and beyond • Enable and facilitate – making it easy and possible for people and organisations to do things, by signposting and providing pathways to development, promoting partnership and project delivery work • Fund – modest resources and invest in culture Cultural headlines • A stunning and varied natural heritage: . Two National Parks – Yorkshire Dales and Lake District World Heritage Site . An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . Morecambe Bay - breath-taking coastal peninsulas . Lakes Windermere and Coniston . Lancaster Canal . Grizedale Forest • Significant heritage landmarks informed by the texture of local history including Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, Levens Hall, Holker Hall and Hoad Monument • The highest number of arts organisations, groups and artists in the North West outside the cities of Manchester and Liverpool 12 Cultural headlines • Cluster of exceptional creative organisations that is unrivalled in comparable districts in the North and probably in England • A rich literary inheritance – some of the country’s most influential authors and poets: William and Dorothy Wordsworth, John Ruskin, Beatrix Potter, Arthur Ransome, Hugh Walpole • Internationally important organisations and nationally significant venues • Wealth of festivals and events and some of international and national repute • Thriving music scene recognised for its quality and diversity © Momentum Pictures. All Rights Reserved. 14 South Lakeland’s assets A great cultural and creative offer… • Our national and international organisations • Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum one of the finest literary museums in the world and focus for leading literary scholars • Grizedale Arts one of the leading exponents of art in the landscape • Abbot Hall Art Gallery one of the finest small provincial galleries in the country • The Brewery Arts Centre one of the best arts centres of its kind, serving both local and visiting communities • Blackwell one of Britain’s finest Arts and Crafts Houses • Windermere Jetty new museum of Boats, Steam and Stories, one of the Top 10 European Architectural openings of 2019 • Kendal Mountain Festival the world’s biggest mountain film festival • Lakes International Comic Art Festival The only one of its kind in the UK • Lake District Summer Music one of the ‘Top 3’ classical music festivals in the country South Lakeland’s assets • Museums with significant collections and resources – Ruskin Museum, Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry, Armitt Museum, Kendal Museum and the Laurel and Hardy Museum • An outstanding range of visual arts and crafts – Farfield Mill, Green Door Studios, Cross Lane Projects and hundreds of private studios, galleries and workshops • Dynamic creative and cultural industries sector with significant clusters in crafts, music and design • A prominent and varied associational culture generating a multitude of associated society and interest groups anchored in strong traditions of community based voluntary activity • Vast range of visitor attractions encompassing rail, motor and boat heritage • Innovative creative arts and media offer to students at Kendal College • A range of venues hosting cultural and creative activities – Old Laundry Theatre, Coronation Hall, Heron Theatre • Community village halls promoting events through the Highlights Rural Touring programme 17 Our investment in culture Strategic and sustained investment channelled through… • Collaboration and partnerships – key to making things happen • Designated Strategic Cultural Partners of the Council • Cross-sector Partner programmes • Community initiatives • Capital Infrastructure Development • New ‘pilot’ programmes Our current investment • Investment in our Strategic Cultural Partner organisations – our key assets • Investment in Capital infrastructure development • Windermere Jetty • ‘Reimagining Wordsworth’ • ‘Our Digital Futures’ Kendal Brewery Arts Centre Digital Upgrade • Abbot Hall Capital Redevelopment • MintWorks 1 and 2 • Pilot Programmes • Council investment helped unlock circa £36 million capital investment in new cultural developments 2019-2022 20 Visitor economy • Collaboration with the DMO Cumbria Tourism • Culture as a key driver to visit • Embed culture at heart of the visitor offer • Cultural Destinations pilot – ‘Lakes Culture’ • ‘Lakes Ignite' programme • Morecambe Bay Partnership – Headlands to Headspace © Miles Peacock. Our forward direction • Creativity and Culture in Placemaking and Place shaping • Importance of culture to our future economic growth, quality of life and well-being • Evolve and grow our creative and cultural offer to attract and retain younger people • To encourage more people to come live, work and invest in South Lakeland • To continue to create the right foundations for creativity and culture to flourish • Lancaster & South Cumbria Economic Region • Cultural Compact for Morecambe Bay • Learning from Great Place Lakes and Dales • The Lake District as a huge asset • The Yorkshire Dales has tremendous potential • Significant potential around Morecambe Bay 24 The future • Lancaster & South Cumbria Economic Region Prospectus for Growth • Cumbria Creative and Cultural Strategy • Kendal Vision • Capital development The Brewery Arts Centre Creative Hub • Great Place Lakes and Dales Legacy • Eden Project North – Game Changer for the LSCER Making it happen • Advocacy • Quality and Innovation • Sustainability • Integration • Increasing collaboration • Promoting partnerships Discussion • What do we need to do to work together at a national level to promote and champion culture and the visitor and rural economy? • What are the common challenges facing the significant development of the rural visitor economy and how do we address the challenges? • Welcome comments and have your input into what you think are the potential opportunities and solutions to addressing these challenges.