Greater Manchester launches first ever culture strategy

People said that culture, for them, meant religion, food, sport and enjoying the outdoors

Greater Manchester leaders have unveiled the city-region’s first ever culture strategy: 'Grown in Greater Manchester. Known Around The World'.

The new culture strategy identifies areas of strategic opportunity across the city-region. It also sets out a clear plan of how all 10 Greater Manchester districts will work together to target resources that will develop, celebrate, protect and promote the significant culture and heritage assets of Greater Manchester. The strategy is set to go before Leaders at March’s Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) meeting for approval. 

This strategy, which will run between April 2019 and March 2024, provides Greater Manchester with an exciting opportunity to refine and articulate its long-term ambitions for culture, heritage and the creative industries. The plan sets out plans to ensure the individual strengths of all ten Greater Manchester districts can come together for the benefit of all residents.

In 2018, the GMCA spoke to hundreds of Greater Manchester residents to find out what culture, heritage and creativity meant to them. The answers that came back were as diverse as the city-region itself. People said that culture, for them, meant religion, food, sport and enjoying the outdoors. These responses helped to shape the plan and there is a clear focus on trying to deliver on resident’s priorities through this new culture strategy. 

Councillor Janet Emsley, Rochdale Borough Council's cabinet member for culture, said: “Culture and heritage are a key part of what makes our borough such a great place to live, work and visit. This excellent strategy will complement our ambitious cultural offer across music, literature and the arts. And our exciting 2020 vision includes a visit from Dippy, the iconic Diplodocus from the Natural History Museum, to Number One Riverside and Touchstones Rochdale.

“With so many exciting things happening across our communities, it’s no surprise we are already working on a complementary cultural strategy to make the most of our unique opportunities.”

Greater Manchester portfolio lead for culture, Councillor Linda Thomas, said: “This strategy sets out how, through investment and partnership, our ten local authorities, and the cultural organisations that work within them, can ensure everyone is able to enjoy the richness of Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage. 

“We want our people to feel ownership of the cultural offer of Greater Manchester so they feel empowered to tell their stories and the stories of our places, locally, nationally and internationally. We want our cultural offer to be representative of the diversity of our people. We want talent, not background, to be the determining factor of creative success in Greater Manchester. 

“I’m determined to ensure our cultural organisations can thrive and are able to attract and retain the very best talent.

“We want people to visit our attractions and people to choose to live in our cities and towns because they are vibrant, inclusive and exciting.”