0210/459/dn cultural strategy1 strategy for... · 2019. 6. 9. · city life1 city life a cultural...

city lifea cultural strategy for Bristol

0210/459/DN Cultural Strategy1 01/12/2004 16:24 Page a

A recent survey on our

strengths and weaknesses

identifies location, leisure

facilities and parks as the best

thing about living in Bristol,

with most people feeling that

in terms of location, history

and culture, we are better off

than other major cities.

We know that as well as

outstanding strengths, there

are many gaps and

weaknesses in local cultural

provision. This strategy

attempts to identify these, and

show how we can work

together to improve things...

this is city lifea cultural strategy for Bristol

0210/459/DN Cultural Strategy1 01/12/2004 16:24 Page b

city life 1


This first Cultural Strategy for Bristol has been produced by

partners from the public and voluntary sector on behalf of the

whole city *. It has been facilitated by Bristol City Council which

has the challenging task of making sure that all the proposed

actions are carried out. The strategy seeks to be an honest

appraisal of our current strengths and weaknesses, and points

the way to a future which recognises and celebrates the

importance of Bristol’s culture.

The strategy is not a list of the existing Arts, Sports and Heritage

initiatives in the city, but adopts a view of culture that is based, as

far as possible, on everyone’s own perspective – whatever it is that

moves, inspires and drives us!

We are, of course, informed by national and regional (& global)

thinking, by the explosion of commercial opportunities in recent

years, by the recognition that as individuals we are all enriched by

easy access to our cultural dreams, but above all by what it is that

makes living in Bristol a unique and inspirational experience.

Bristolians know that Bristol is a better place to be than any other

equivalent city in the UK. A recent survey* on our strengths and

weaknesses identifies location, leisure facilities and parks as the

best thing about living here, with most people feeling that in

terms of location, history and culture, we are better off than other

major cities. We also smile more than the rest of Britain! **

That’s a great start, but we know that as well as outstanding

strengths, there are many gaps and weaknesses in local cultural

provision. The same survey, for example, lists the absence of

quality arts and sports facilities as a key weakness.

This strategy attempts to identify areas needing improvement

(set out under the five strategic priorities of the Local Strategic

Partnership) and to demonstrate how we can work together to

make things happen.

Introduction

Contents page

Introduction 1 - 2

Vision 3 - 4

Part 1: Strengthening local communities 5 - 8

Part 2: Life long learning 9 - 10

Part 3: Promoting health and well being 11 - 14

Part 4: Investing for a sustainable environment 15 - 24

Action plan: see separate document 25

0210/459/DN Cultural Strategy1 01/12/2004 16:25 Page 1


city life 2

Bristol’s shortlisting for European Capital

of Culture 2008 confirmed what we

already knew – that the city is a UK

centre of cultural excellence. The cultural

strategy underpins our commitment to

maintain the momentum of the 2008

bid. It also relates to the life of the wider

region (particularly the Regional Cultural

Strategy) and we hope will become a

chapter in future versions of Bristol’s

new Community Plan ***

This will be Bristol’s strategy so our

aspiration is to reflect the views of as

many communities across the city as

possible; we really do want to hear your

views.

As you will see from the ambitious list of

actions, not everything can be achieved

at once. However, we confidently expect

that these important priorities will move

forward over the next few years and

improve Bristol even more.

We hope you will be able to work with us

to continue to make Bristol a fantastic

place to live, and ensure our range of

world class cultural facilities are open

and available to all.

Derrick PriceChair, Cultural Strategy Steering Group

Ben BarkerVOSCUR

Simon CookCouncillor

Tessa CoombesWestern Partnership for Sustainable Development

(now Future West)

Ruth DaveyBristol East Side Traders & Bristol Regeneration Arts

Network

Jo HargreavesCouncillor

Kate HigneyBristol North Primary Care NHS Trust

Helen HollandCouncillor

Andrew KellyBristol Cultural Development Partnership

Dick PennyDirector, Watershed Media Centre

Derrick PriceChair

Brian StylesCity of Bristol College

Claire WarrenCouncillor

In our bid to become European Capital of

Culture, culture was defined in the

following way:

For us, culture is what we do and how wedo it – as individuals, groups andcollectively, Our culture is the values wehold: it is what we have in common andwhat sets us apart. It comes from ourhistory and heritage and our hopes andplans for the future. It is the ordinary andthe extraordinary – the everydayencounter and the unique experience. Itresults in art, sport, architecture. scienceand technology, parks and gardens,hobbies and pastimes. It can be highculture, popular culture, sub-culture andemerging cultures. It can be commercialactivity or subsidized. It can be thedialect we speak, the clothes we wear, theplaces we visit, the music we listen to, thefun we have, the games we play, ourpolitics and faith. Culture helps us findour way through life. It can be a goodthing in itself, as well as promotingunderstanding, regeneration, enrichmentand learning, tourism, and the health ofpeople, our cities and society.Participation in and engagement withcultural activity improves and inspires us,providing meaning to our lives.

Signature

The Cultural Strategy is a strategy for all Bristol and should speak for all those involved

in cultural activity. In the text, “we” stands for all of us – individuals and organisations

in the voluntary sector, the business sector, funders, strategic and elected bodies. It was

commissioned by Councillor Helen Holland, then Deputy Leader and Executive Member

for the Department of Environment, Transport and Leisure, for Bristol City Council. A

steering group monitored progress, supported by officers from the Department of

Environment, Transport and Leisure, consisting of:


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Vision

Bristol is a beautiful city. Its recent

economic success has been

significantly boosted by the creativity

of its people. It is a city poised to

become a European model for quality

of life, built on cultural excellence.

Culture for us must be inclusive,

active, vibrant, accessible, sustainable,

exciting, global, local, fun, challenging,

radical, aspirational and above all

rooted in Bristol’s uniqueness, building

bridges and bringing us together.

This strategy

attempts to identify

areas needing

improvement and

to demonstrate how

we can work

together to make

things happen.



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Neighbourhood Renewal Areas) has led to a clear view that

neighbourhoods want to explore and celebrate their

identities, sense of place and diversity of cultures.

Current provision to do this is patchy, with some parts of the

city enjoying good local facilities (buildings: libraries, sports

centres & pools, church halls, and other faith centres, cinemas,

community centres; classes & workshops at the local youth or

community education centre, parks and pitches – indoor and

out), but others with very little. The identification of

neighbourhood renewal areas in 2001 has helped to focus on

building these missing links in provision (a fundamental

review of youth services, for example, and the start of a

neighbourhood arts strategy) but there is much more to do.

If local people are to be able to celebrate, in the ways

indicated above, they need spaces to meet, expertise to train

and impart skills, and the funding and control to be able to

make decisions quickly and easily at a local level.

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Part oneStrengthening local communities

It is the individual that makes cities interesting! And it is culture

that makes individuals interesting! There is an enormous variety

of cultural activity happening locally and spontaneously in

Bristol. How can this energy best be supported? What is needed

to make it easier and more attractive for us all to develop our

culture, the sports, arts, recreation and learning opportunities

that are needed throughout our lives?

Communities of interest

There are many communities of interest that come together to

explore culture further. These can be defined by who they are, by

where they live or by their interests and beliefs. So a young

person living in Southmead might want to explore music with

other young people from across the city, or football with a local

team, or join a film course at Watershed. All valid ambitions, but

how can a city offer all these, and countless other opportunities,

and publicise their availability to ensure that everyone who wants

them knows about how to get involved?

Cultural activity at a local level

Culture gives people a sense of community within our

neighbourhoods. Many opportunities for cultural expression or

activity are best provided initially at a local level, the place to learn

and practice arts and sports, to rent a video or borrow a book, to

play with others safely and imaginatively, or have a locally

managed meeting place to contact others with similar interests.

Some more established examples of this include St Paul’s Carnival

(Ashley), Youth Sports programme (Southmead), ACTA’s

Community plays in Hartcliffe and Lawrence Weston and Easton

Community Festival.

The initial consultation for the Community Plan (and research in


city life 6

We will:-

◗ encourage partnership working to

promote neighbourhood cultural

activity, and identify local educational,

cultural and creative economy

opportunities.

◗ invest in community identity through

locally determined public art, signage

and street design, arts & sports

projects, festivals and publications

(both in the neighbourhoods in the city

centre).

◗ expand on the opportunities provided

by local community buildings (schools,

libraries, youth & community centres,

pools and sports centres) and open up

existing cultural facilities (in schools,

sports clubs etc) for more use especially

at weekends and school holidays.

◗ re-invent neighbourhood centres as

single multi-use cultural buildings, (eg

libraries/community centres/youth

centres), rather than provide separate

provision on unconnected sites.

◗ harness local enthusiasm and talent by

providing clearly publicised ladders of

opportunity for individuals to take their

interests further (through classes and

workshops in central locations) and for

groups to showcase work to a wider

audience (by participating in city centre

festivals or citywide sporting events).

◗ prioritise cultural investment in the ten

Neighbourhood Renewal Areas while

also supporting provision in other parts

of the city.

Cultural Diversity, Accessand Equalities

The particular excitement of city culture

stems from its diversity, and dynamism,

and from the way different currents of

cultural life challenge and influence each

other. We want our culture to be

inclusive, partly because we are

committed to social justice, but also

because our vision is for a culture that

harnesses all the resources of Bristol’s

diverse communities.

Demographically, Bristol

is a young and multi-

cultural city, with

significant communities

with a background in the

Caribbean, Africa

(especially Morocco,

Algeria and Somalia),

Pakistan, Bangladesh,

India as well as many

other world countries and

faiths. Many of the city’s

cultural ambassadors from these

communities and yet much of Bristol’s

city centre culture appears to ignore this

contribution. This position is changing

but there is still a lot more to do.

We need to promote access if we are to

make Bristol’s diverse and dynamic

cultural activities available to everyone,

and if we want culture to develop our

sense of community. This has many

dimensions - the accessibility of cultural

life is determined by physical and

psychological barriers, by economic and

social limits, by education and marketing.

A key issue is the degree to which all

communities and groups of people can

access city centre facilities and find there

the cultural opportunities that they seek.

Transport is one of the keys to

accessibility. The local transport plan sets

out radical proposals built on integration,

choice, affordability and

environmental

sustainability. Along with

existing and proposed

work on night buses and

iPlus, the redevelopment

of the bus station, and

the renewal of Temple

Meads, the accessibility

of the main city centre

cultural facilities from

Bristol’s suburbs is being

increased and the

concept of a 24 hour city becomes

increasingly meaningful. The

development of Bristol International

Airport positions the city as a hub for

international access including daily links

to Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels, and

open up the potential for cultural links

with low cost flights to destinations

including Bordeaux, Barcelona, Nice,

Prague and Venice.


Transport is one of the

keys to accessibility. The

local transport plan sets

out radical proposals

built on integration,

choice, affordability and

environmental

sustainability.


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At the other extreme, the promotion of

cycling and walking is not only about

taking traffic off the road, but also about

the way we choose to live. Sustrans, the

national organisation which promotes

cycleways, is based in Bristol and is a

partner in developing the Bristol network.

The Bristol Legible City initiative is a

movement and information system

providing a complete new range of

signage for pedestrians, cyclists and

drivers, coupled with touch sensitive

screen information units. Starting in the

city centre, it will extend to other parts of

Bristol in future years.

Art and Power have been working with

the Council’s Traffic & Transport Division

to identify barriers presented to disabled

people when trying to access city centre

cultural venues. This is just one example

of a community of interest helping

develop cultural planning in a cross-

cutting way - others include the churches

and faith organisations who offer venues

and other support, and youth

organisations who encourage and

provide events.

We will:-

◗ promote equality of access in the way

we plan, promote and manage cultural

facilities

◗ support cultural activity and expression

among excluded communities

◗ use culture as one way to increase the

city’s social cohesion

◗ overcome barriers to access with good

transport and signage, and by

implementing the Disability

Discrimination Act and Bristol’s own

high standards for physical access

◗ make Bristol a centre for green

transport planning



city life 8


Community Education, Colleges and Universities, and Cultural

organisations offer many such opportunities – locally and in

the centre of Bristol. The myriad of partnerships are

signposted by libraries, who also of course offer a wide range

of formal and informal learning materials.

Local community research is helping to focus on what people

want in their leisure time, and new developments (a new

Bollywood Dance class in Easton, a park keeper in St Agnes

Park, an Arts Co-ordinator in Community Education, locality

based sports development workers) are starting to fill the

gaps.

Funding for Creative Partnerships, which links artists, arts

organisations and young people, has come from the Arts

Council. Lottery finance has helped all libraries provide free

internet access. A Youth Music Action Zone is encouraging

young people to discover new skills in all styles of music.

However there are still many gaps to fill, and a number of new

approaches that are needed to promote cultural learning for

all.

city life 9


Part twoLife Long Learning

This is a time of rapid global change. The relationship between

countries and communities, environmental issues, scientific and

technological advances, and instant communications, present

great challenges. The ability to cope and thrive on an individual

basis depends largely on acquiring knowledge and skills, at all

stages of life.

Life Long Learning is offered in both a wide range of formal

settings (through nursery, school or college) and an even greater

number of individual self-directed opportunities. Culture is at the

heart of this, both in terms of the wide range of skills that it

offers, (arts, sports, languages and design, for example) and as a

means to an end. Individual learning is easier, people become

more confident, aspirations are greater, all through accessing new

creative skills. A local pottery class may lead to a foundation

course in art and design, or equally, stimulate the desire to study a

foreign language, which could lead to a new job opportunity.

Culture helps to shape our learning from the earliest age, and so

play provision, and opportunities for the under fives, are of great

value. As new policies are developed for these, we will see how

culture can play a key role. Bristol’s schools, especially in the state

sector, are under huge pressure to deliver attainment targets. We

see cultural education as contributing to achievement, not as a

diversion of effort, and believe that stronger links between

schools and the cultural sector can help. Local community

research is

helping to focus

on what people

want in their

leisure time



city life 10

We will:-

◗ work to establish an entitlement for all

children (from 0-19) to a quality arts &

sports education

◗ help the play sector to incorporate

cultural provision and contribute to the

child-friendly designs of the city

◗ promote the roles of Sports Academies,

Colleges and the Junior Sports Unit as

hubs for sports promotion across

Bristol schools

◗ encourage all cultural institutions in

the city to place life long learning at the

heart of their work

◗ seek to facilitate quality learning

opportunities in the creative industry

sectors, especially film & media and

music.

◗ audit existing cultural learning

opportunities, market and promote

them to ensure the evident access, and

encourage the gaps to be filled

◗ encourage joined up working between

the cultural and learning providers, and

develop new systems of accreditation

and professional training

◗ maximise e-learning opportunities

especially at local level. work to establish

an entitlement for

all children

(from 0-19) to a

quality arts &

sports education


Although this is most easily understood and measured in

terms of physical health, mental health and well being is also

the result of a satisfying cultural life. Conversely, substance

abuse, mental illness and social isolation are symptoms of

cultural failure.

Communities under stress are often fragmented and have less

confidence in the relevance, safety and security of cultural

interaction and social space, as well as the relevance of

cultural facilities and programmes. The geographical pattern

of health suggests that promoting cultural engagement in

worse-off communities will have health benefits.

city life 11


Part threePromoting health and well being

Contribution to healthy living

The quality of our culture shows up dramatically in our physical

and mental health. It determines the amount of exercise we get

through sports and recreation, and other lifestyle choices such as

cycling to work, or walking in the park. It influences the variety

and quality of food in our diet. Our need for culture is shown in

the satisfaction we get from social, creative and intellectual

activity.

So if there is one area where we can say that some cultural

options are better than others, it is in their effect on health and

well being. And it is no coincidence that the communities with

worst health in Bristol are the poorest communities with the least

opportunity and motivation to engage in cultural activity. The

degree of health inequality in all Britain’s great cities is a stark

reminder of the injustice which still exists in our society, as well as

an indicator of the missed opportunity for living healthy and

fulfilling lives. This issue is taken up in the Community Strategy.

There are powerful forces ranged against healthy living - low

quality fast food outlets and passive home based entertainment

are major industries, with highly accessible and heavily promoted

products. There are disturbing trends in some indicators of health,

such as the level of childhood obesity. Many factors are involved,

and the evidence is that a comprehensive approach to lifestyle -

providing both access and motivation - is needed. The University

of Bristol’s specialist research into the links between exercise and

health has an international reputation and underlines both the

importance and the difficulty of influencing health choices for the

better.



city life 12

Active life styles

Bristol offers a wide range of

opportunities for physical and mental

recreation. Many of the public facilities

are ageing and there is a need for

significant change for them to remain

relevant. For example, participation in

swimming has declined and is below the

levels enjoyed in comparable cities,

because of the poor quality of facilities

here. The swimming pool strategy is

predicted to double the amount of

swimming in the city. It does involve

change, which is not easy nor without

some sacrifices. The same is true of the

allotment strategy which has brought

new investment in facilities and has

already halted a decline in levels of

participation. As well as being part of a

healthy lifestyle, the therapeutic value of

fine arts is recognised in the growing

number of Arts and Health initiatives.

Bristol’s two professional football clubs,

the rugby and county cricket clubs and

other elite clubs have a good track record

in developing the ladder of progression

from community level sport, and

widening participation – for example in

girls and women’s football.

The amateur scene is sustained by very

active and effective voluntary league

structures and clubs. This is not

dependent on top-down support, but

does require investment in facilities to

enable participants to maintain their

development programmes.

Informal recreation and children’s play

facilities promote activity among a wider

range of people than undertake formal

sports and, in consequence, are vital for

health promotion. Our parks are heavily

used. The attractive new playgrounds at

Blaise and Hengrove Park have attracted

huge numbers of users. Major

reinvestment programmes in the historic

estates at Blaise Castle and Ashton Court

will attract still more people. But we

need to make the open spaces and

recreation grounds in the worst-off parts

of Bristol more attractive and more

secure places, for all ages, but particularly

children and young people. Residential

streets also should be safer places –

home zone initiatives, although difficult

to achieve are a compelling vision of new

kinds of safe environments for people.

Major

reinvestment

programmes in

the historic

estates at Blaise

Castle and

Ashton Court will

attract still more

people


city life 13

For many people with marginal health,

keeping a basic exercise regime going

with a minimum level of walking is the

difference between an acceptable and

independent lifestyle and chronic ill-

health and dependency. Bristol has

developed one of the largest

programmes in the country to help some

of the people most in need of physical

activity get into regular exercise in local

walks in congenial company, in a

programme called “Walking the way to

health”.

If General Practitioners can have a menu

of attractive, reliable, accessible and

relevant options for exercise available to

recommend to patients, and if there are

welcoming pathways into these exercise

options, both the individual patient and

the NHS’s budget will benefit.

We will:-

◗ develop attractive programmes for

health referral by GPs in Bristol’s two

Primary Care Trusts to a range of

exercise and cultural activities. Moving

people out of the surgery and into the

park, the dance studio and the leisure

centre.

◗ Develop the Bristol Sports Partnership

and other partnerships to promote

action and healthy lifestyles.

◗ develop new swimming pools at

Horfield, Hengrove Park and the other

locations identified in the strategy for

Bristol’s pools and indoor sports

facilities

◗ replace or refurbish changing facilities

and improve sports pitch quality and

develop a variety of indoor/outdoor

sports opportunities

◗ develop the highly praised work of the

Junior Sports Unit in promoting sport

in schools, building new support and

delivery arrangements in conjunction

with the new School Sports Colleges,

the St George Academy, and other

relevant partners.

◗ improve allotments and increase

participation in allotment gardening.

◗ develop the Wellspring Healthy Living

Centre at Barton Hill to supplement

what has already been achieved at the

Knowle Health Park.

◗ work with young people to prioritise

and design youth facilities in parks




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At the other extreme, some areas of Bristol have low quality

parks, in poor condition and abused. These open spaces are on

the edge of a spiral of decline in which loss of environmental

quality deters popular use of these social spaces, in turn

engendering abuse and the fear of crime. It’s no coincidence

that these problems are particularly associated with parts of

Bristol under social stress.

Good environments lift communities - poor environments

drag them down. The transformation of St Agnes Park in St

Pauls, which had been abandoned by most local residents,

shows how a modest investment in active management can

lead to huge improvements in the sense of public safety,

support and “ownership”. The development of a high quality

landscaped park and of new sports facilities in Hengrove Park

are at the heart of proposals for regeneration in this part of

the city.

Parks are traditionally provided and run by local authorities

but there is a strong and increasing level of community

involvement in their management and even maintenance. The

city farms are well established

examples of community

management.

city life 15


Part fourInvesting for a sustainableenvironment

Sustainability is such an important issue for all of us, that we

have given it its own chapter. But we also require that these

principles must apply to every aspect of this strategy.

Parks/open spaces/biodiversity

The city sustains sites of extraordinary wildlife value (notably the

Avon Gorge) and mature landscapes showing the genius of some

of the foremost designers of the English tradition: including

Blaise Castle, Ashton Court and other Repton landscapes, and the

great Victorian cemetery at Arnos Vale. Our oldest municipal

property is Brandon Hill park, donated to the Corporation of

Bristol in 1174. The south west is renowned for its parks and

gardens, and Bristol is also surrounded by fine natural landscapes.

Bristol is known for its active green movement, with national

organisations such as Sustrans and the Soil Association based

here. The innovative Create Centre houses several local groups

and this supports networking and the development of new

initiatives and partnerships. Environmental awareness goes back

a long way, and outside London we have unrivalled historical

documentation of biological and geological resources.

The green environment is ranked by Bristol people as one of the

three best things about living in Bristol - along with its location

and its leisure facilities. 81% of the population use the parks - a

total of 24 million parks visits each year.

Major investment has gone into Blaise Castle estate and Hengrove

Park, and the Heritage Lottery fund is supporting the development

of ambitious schemes for Ashton Court estate and Arnos Vale

cemetery.


city life 16

We will:

◗ bring the quality of parks and public

spaces into the regeneration agenda for

neighbourhood renewal

◗ foster community involvement in

managing parks, and the role of the

Bristol Parks Forum

◗ work with users to develop a strategy

for open space in Bristol, ensuring that

diverse and good quality parks are

accessible to people across the city

◗ prioritise development of exciting safe

and secure outdoor facilities for

children and young people

◗ develop the city’s landscape framework,

enhancing city gateways, main

communication routes and

neighbourhood identity.

◗ use investment from adjacent

development to upgrade parks such as

Castle Park and Hengrove Park

The built environment

Bristol’s varied townscape reflects its

energetic economic and social history

and makes the city uniquely attractive

among the large provincial cities.

The docks are fundamental to Bristol’s

historic identity, including the shameful

slave trade, and the re-emergence of the

dockside as a cultural and leisure

destination is emblematic of the city’s

journey to a post mercantile, post

industrial economy. The centre has a

cheek by jowl mix of architectural styles

from eight centuries of building and

rebuilding.

City centre development over the last

decade has created architecture and

public spaces of real interest, and highly

visible, architecturally confident new

schemes in the pipe line will extend this

architectural excitement. The Broadmead

extension, Harbourside and Temple Quay

are examples of the massive scale of

investment coming forward.

Public space in the centre is changing.

College Green and Queen Square have

been transformed with high quality

formal urban landscape works and public

art. The controversial paving and

fountain scheme in the centre has

created a well used public space - as, over


highly visible,

architecturally

confident new

schemes


city life 17


a longer period and on a bigger scale, has

the regeneration of the dockside. Taken

together these have created a public

environment which extends the

excitement of visiting the centre’s

cultural institutions, restaurants, clubs

and bars.

Bristol’s suburbs have distinctive

identities and equally distinct

architectural strengths and needs. The

current interest in high density urban

living (the “urban renaissance” advocated

by Lord Rogers) translates readily into

some areas, not so easily into others. The

regeneration of Hengrove Park as a high

quality mixed development of housing,

employment, open space and leisure

facilities is a huge challenge, an

opportunity to fit current design ideals

into existing communities in a way that

enhances the whole area.

The economic and cultural vitality of the

city centre puts pressures on the street

scene - litter, flyposting and vandalism. In

some other areas it is the lack of

economic vitality and sense of

community that damages the street

scene and makes users feel the street is a

threatening place.

Bristol Clean and Green is the working

title for an initiative to improve the

management of our streets and open

spaces. It brings together agencies

including BCC, VOSCUR and the Evening

Post, to develop public consciousness and

initiatives dealing with litter, vandalism,

and the other abuses that degrade public

space.

John Ruskin wrote that “a measure of a

city’s greatness is to be found in the

quality of its public spaces, its parks and

squares”. In the twentieth century British

cities neglected public spaces compared

to our continental partners, but Bristol is

now waking up to the benefits of a high

quality public realm, where all sections of

the community can mingle.

We will

◗ continue the transformation of the city

centre, guided by the City Centre

Strategy, to ensure Bristol has a world

class cultural and social heart with

coherent planning and landmark

buildings of the highest architectural

quality

◗ promote high quality new sub-urban

living in major development at

Hengrove Park alongside new park,

leisure and employment facilities

◗ develop the role of neighbourhood

centres as social and cultural as well as

retail hubs

◗ deal with the causes of squalor and

insecurity in our streets and parks –

litter, vandalism, anti-social behavior.


city life 18

Building a Thriving Economy

Business is booming in Bristol – we have

the most successful start-up rate outside

London – and Culture plays a major part

in this. Key to this economic boom is

Bristol’s diversification away from

manufacturing, with new technology,

media and education all growing

enormously in the last 20 years. Many of

these new businesses feed off, and

contribute to the emerging cultural

sector which is now one of the largest

employers in the city. The city is now

recognised nationally as a leading tourist

destination, a centre for creative

industries, and as the regional cultural

capital.

Driven by the tremendous energy and

business acumen of the cultural sector,

there has been a rapid rate of growth

over the last ten years which has

happened so quickly that the regional

and local public infrastructure has not

been able to react to it. Consequently,

although we now have national and

some regional statistics on the size and

importance of the sector, there is no

baseline information about the number

of creative jobs in Bristol and inadequate

measures in place to support and sustain

it.

City image

Our image is vital, both locally to raise

self confidence and aspirations and

nationally/internationally to attract

visitors, students, new residents and,

crucially, the vital economic inward

investment to sustain steady growth.

Bristol has great strengths here. In

addition to the tourism and creative

industry strengths already described,

Bristol has many other selling points. We

have a valued history, as Britain’s 2nd city

for several hundred years, a thriving

architecture remarkably preserved, and

an important higher education sector,

one of the most popular in the UK.

We are seen as a ‘real’ place, built on a

lack of pretension, an honest eye to what

makes success, a determination to keep

our feet on the ground. We are

recognised as a vibrant, young and multi-

cultural city with an increasing creative

influence worldwide. The success of

Bristol’s creative sector is creating a

realisation that this unique feel is now

being harnessed as our special way of

successfully contributing to global

cultural change.

Not all of the city shares in this newly

found self-confidence though and finding

a way of sharing this recipe for success

throughout Bristol will be key to ensuring

that our image is equally owned by all.

We will:

◗ involve local people as performers and

participants, not just as audiences, in

major cultural events (as well as

bringing the best in the world to the

city).

◗ be confident and pro-active in selling

the Bristol brand, as part of

determining the sub-regional or

regional identity.

◗ focus on encouraging and enabling

young people from across the city to

enjoy the cultural benefits of a

renewed City Centre.

◗ devote as much energy to supporting

cultural events that celebrate local (ie

neighbourhood) identity, as to

promoting the city as a whole.

◗ nurture and protect the special sub-

culture of the city (our DJ’s, fashion

setters, street art, composers, film

makers, designers) rather than

marginalise them with too much

emphasis on building based centres of

excellence.

◗ ensure that high quality marketing

material is available locally, nationally

and internationally that does justice to

the creative capacity and reputation of

the city, and be pro-active in promoting

Bristol throughout Britain and the

world for its unique properties.




city life 19

Tourism

Historically, it was Bath Spa that saw

itself as a city of tourism, while Bristol

enjoyed a reputation as a maker of things

rather than a visitor destination. This has

changed dramatically recently, with

Bristol awarded the title of the UK’s Best

City in the Group Travel Awards 2002.

This reflects astonishing growth in visitor

numbers from 5.2 million in 1996 to 9.2

million in 2002. How has this happened?

Bristol’s beauty, its location as gateway to

the South West, its image as a happening

city, its range of popular hotels and

restaurants, but above all a steady steam

of new, renewed and unique visitor

attractions have all contributed. The

regenerated harbourside is a unique

selling point, a destination in its own

right that weaves beautifully through the

city, a great family day out and the home

to a wide range of nationally acclaimed

cultural attractions.

Bristol has created for itself a platform to

become one of the UK’s premier

destinations for local, national and

international visitors. In addition Ashton

Court is one of the most popular parks in

the country with over 1.5m visitors a year.

To sustain this growth means staying

ahead of the (increasingly better

resourced) competition.



city life 20

We will:

◗ improve the public realm and welcome

people with better information and

signage.

◗ promote Harbourside as a destination.

◗ develop joint ticketing for city centre

attractions, integrated with transport

(such as the integrated ticketing for

@t-Bristol with SW Trains).

◗ work more closely with our neighbours

especially Bath, without losing Bristol’s

unique identify.

◗ invest in our year long programme of

cultural events and festivals that

attract both day visitors from the

region and national/international

overnight stops, especially to take

advantage of the spare bed capacity in

our hotels at weekends.

◗ investigate increasing the capacity for

camping and caravaning in or adjacent

to the city.

Cultural Industries

Bristol has become internationally known

for the clusters of global brands that

have emerged here over the last ten years

in both Film and Media, and Music.

Aardman Animations, BBC Wildlife, BBC

Animation Centre, Watershed, Tiger

Aspect, E3 are industry leaders in the film

and media world. Similarly Massive

Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Roni Size and

Reprasent and Andy Sheppard have put

Bristol on the world map through their

unique style of music, colloquially known

as the Bristol Sound. Many leading

musicians, artists and film-makers have

chosen to stay living in the city, adding to

Bristol’s creative drive and encouraging

more young people to get involved,

importantly as a role model for black and

other ethnic communities.

There are also a number of smaller

clusters that are recognised nationally.

The Government’s Creative Industries

Mapping Document (2001) identifies the

South West as being players in Film, TV &

Radio, Architecture, Software, Publishing

& Arts & Antiques. The Regional Cultural

Strategy, published by the Culture South

West (the regional cultural consortium)

in 2001 highlights, in addition, graphic

design and new music technology. They

estimate that around 5% of the region

workforce (90,000 people) work in

creative industries, in turn supporting a

wider and fast growing creative economy,

with visitor attractions such as Eden and

@t Bristol opened as a direct result of the

energetic visioning of local creatives.


city life 21

Support mechanisms for the creative

sector for both city and region are far less

well developed than most in the UK.

We are collecting detailed figures to

show the size, value and location of the

sector, and will develop a strategy to

provide the stimulus to secure future

growth.

We will bring together the key individuals

and companies in the sector to develop a

shared understanding of the issues, and

agree a common vision for their support

and promotion.

Bristol as the regional centre

Like other regional capitals, Bristol

provides the cultural infrastructure that

no smaller town or local authority can

sustain. In Bristol we attract large

numbers of people from our

neighbouring areas to visit our museums,

concert halls, sports grounds, clubs and

visitor attractions, in addition, of course,

to those also using shops, cafes, bars and

restaurants.

Much of this infrastructure has been

improved or is in the process of renewal.

Especially important in this context are

the plans to provide a new stadium,

arena and world class music venue in

Bristol soon. National, regional and local

public and private sector funding sources

are being maximised to make this

possible. Plans are also well underway to

invest in most of the other main cultural

facilities that play a regional role

(Arnolfini, Watershed, Old Vic, Kuumba,

Spike Island).



city life 22

This investment has been hard to achieve

when Bristol was expected to find most

of the cultural resources. The recent

change in emphasis nationally has

enabled significant resources to come

from national funding organisations,

who are investing in all of the above.

Recent Arts Council and Heritage Lottery

Fund investment in Bristol already

amounts to well over £40 million, Re-

source (the National Libraries, Archives &

Museum body) will support Bristol

Museum & Art Gallery for the first time

(as a regional hub for expertise) with

increased revenue funding, and

announcements are expected soon from

HLF on the restoration of Ashton Court

Estate and Museum of Bristol.

Other welcome support

for these regional

organisations based in

Bristol already comes from

South West Arts, South

West Museum Libraries

and Archives Council, SW

Sport England, South

Gloucestershire Council,

and a wide range of trusts,

charities and private

sector donors.

Nevertheless, the widest responsibility

remains with Bristol City Council, and

given the need to invest in

provision that primarily

meets the needs of local

people, recent modest

budget increases for

culture are welcome,

although much more local,

regional and national

funding is still needed to

enable the potential of the

sector to be fully realised.

The 2008 Capital of Culture bid was an

excellent springboard for many of these

issues, and Bristol’s bid has been warmly

supported throughout the region.

These new relationships need building

into longer term partnerships, such as

the new Youth Music Action Zone

launched recently in Bristol and

Gloucester and the revitalised

subregional local authority, leisure and

arts partnership between Bristol, North

Somerset, South Gloucestershire and

Bath and North East Somerset.

Bristol must find ways of working closely

with regional cultural organisations and

other major UK cities in order to be seen

as an important partner in defining

cultural policy and investment nationally

and regionally, as well as locally.


...the widest

responsibility

remains with Bristol

City Council, and

given the need to

invest in provision

that primarily meets

the needs


city life 23

We Will:

◗ publish our capital strategy for the arts

◗ develop a revenue strategy for arts

funding

◗ support and establish partnerships

with the emerging regional cultural

agencies

◗ support the Core Cities* input into

cultural policy at national level

* Core Cities is a collaboration betweenBirmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool,Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham andSheffield.




city life 24


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