BSWN becomes one of the lead partners in a £3 million collaboration to reimagine and transform access to the arts and culture in the region
[BRISTOL, DECEMBER 2023] BSWN is one of the lead partners in a newly announced £3 million collaborative initiative, over 2 years, in the regions creative and culture sector with the Mayoral Combined Authority and the Arts Council England, bringing together 150 regional creative and cultural organisations to reimagine and transform access to the arts and culture has been announced. This investment will be used to open-up the sector to more diverse talent and build a more resilient West of England creative and culture sector.
Image taken during a conversation about the initiative in February 2023, at the Coach House..
The West of England features a dynamic and rapidly growing creative sector, the value of which has increased by 27% since 2010. However, despite a rich, racially diverse population, the region’s creative sector is not representative with only the region having the lowest levels of representation in the country with only 6% of the creative workforce identifying as Black and racially Minoritised.
This sector employs 50,000 people in nearly 7,000 businesses and contributes around £2bn to the region’s economy. 42% of creatives are freelancers and supporting those cultural producers is vital to the continued growth and sustainability of the sector. Their outputs span theatre, visual arts, cinema, TV & Film, radio, music, publishing business, computer games, creative tech, architecture, design, fashion and advertising. Creative producers inspire, connect us as communities, expand our horizons, and enhance our lives.
BSWN will lead a consortium of organisations including Diverse Artist Network (DAN), Creative Powertown and WECIL, to co-create themed support that will showcase and retain the rich pool of diverse cultural and creative talent within our region.
Sado Jirde, Director said:
“We are delighted to be part of this strategic, dynamic and transformative initiative. Through Culture West we can support cultural and creative freelancers to start and grow sustainable businesses, connect them with new opportunities and open-up creative spaces and career pathways”
At the heart of this collaboration is the effort to address the unique challenges that stop underrepresented creative producers thriving in the sector particularly when it comes to making sustainable futures and gaining wider recognition for creative output. As a consortium we have a unique understanding and collaborative skillset to build different futures for diverse creatives in the sector.
Image taken during a Diverse Artist Network event (in middle and left) Vandna Mehta & Deasy Bamford, Directors.
Deasy Bamford, Founding Director of Diverse Artist Network said:
“DAN is delighted to have been a part of the WECA funding success, we are excited to be planning the first major event under this funding, Diaspora! a festival showcasing and platforming diverse talent in the arts across many main Bristol venues.”
Omari Cato, CEO of Creative Powertown said:
“The investment in Power Fest is a momentous occasion for Creative Power Town and, more importantly, for the vibrant and dynamic creative community we support. It signifies our commitment to amplifying creative voices, nurturing emerging talent, and creating a space where creativity flourishes without limits.”
The partnership aims to connect Black and racialised creatives to industry expertise and networks, commission new work through a dedicated incubation programme, create 2 new festivals to showcase diverse talent and provide coaching and mentoring that will nurture that diverse talent and enable it to thrive. Looking to a bright new future for diverse creativity in the region, Culture West’s activities will provide work for over 400 local creative freelancers and BSWN and our partners see this investment as a catalyst for inclusion, lasting and permanent change, within the region’s creative DNA.