I am pleased to share that I have been invited to work on the Engine Group strand of Brighton’s ABCD Plan for Cultural Recovery which represents the ideas and input of over 100 creative professionals who contributed to a consultation process last year.
The ABCD Plan starts from the knowledge that creative businesses and workers will be at the forefront of the city’s recovery, that we have a strong infrastructure to work with and that there are unique opportunities in Brighton and Hove for our thinking to be radical and inclusive. Participants in the consultation process to date brought enormous insight and experience, sharing innovative ways of working and thinking in response to Covid-19 that we will build upon and adopt. The delivery of the plan will ensure the sector remains future-focused and entrepreneurial, with an understanding of how the operating environment has changed and which skills and resources are required to change with it. Above all, this plan commits the sector to developing ways of working that are more inclusive, collaborative and more sustainable, acknowledging the power imbalances that exist and determined to find solutions to address them.
Work has already started on three strands of activity.
- The ENGINE ROOM strand of activity focuses on increasing skills and supporting collaborative working across the city for organisations and freelancers.
- ENLIVEN BRIGHTON intends to employ creative and cultural businesses and practitioners to enliven the city centre, making it a more attractive and rewarding destination to visit.
- CREATIVE COMMUNITIES NETWORK is a community-led programme designed to bring culture to all parts of the city through the installation of local event infrastructure alongside event management and programming training and support.
This is a really exciting opportunity for the City to build on, improve and reinforce this most vital part of the local and national economy.
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