Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority – Culture and Devolution
Culture Devolution:
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Devolution Deal makes no mention of culture, although the deal references that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will enhance its position as a global leader in knowledge and innovation, further developing its key sectors which includes creative and digital industries.
Culture Strategy:
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Corporate Strategy references the region’s rich cultural heritage. The Corporate Strategy Map 2023 – 25 has ‘Creating a strong sense of place and cultural identity for our region’ as one of four key themes. This theme includes actions on:
- Promoting the region to potential investors
- Delivering funding for communities and places
- Supporting businesses to start-up, innovate & grow
- Supporting creative industries & social enterprises
- Growing ARU Peterborough, the city’s university
- Developing economic and internationalisation strategies
- Creating vibrant high streets
- Supporting opportunities for people to engage with culture
- Celebrating and advocating for our cultural and natural heritage
Under ‘What success will look like’ by April 2025, the culture-relevant outcome is that delivery of the plan will have “Strengthened communities by using our UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocation to restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging.”
Current Culture Projects:
- Sites in central Cambridge to benefit from just over £4.5 million arts and culture funding from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority: including improving the Market Square and Guildhall (as part of the Civic Quarter project), £3 million to support a creative and cultural hub including space for start-ups, artists and other creatives at Cambridge Leisure; £30,000 for a scheme which will enable 20 market traders in Greater Cambridge to apply for grants to enhance business operations; £30,000 to fund The Youth Enterprise Support Programme; £30,000 to fund a study into the benefits of markets across the Greater Cambridge area.
- £325k to further expand Spencer Mill theatre, to help attract more weekend and evening visitors to Soham.
- Combined Authority grant funding of £802,150 to match an additional £120,000 of partner investment to deliver a portfolio of Huntingdon and St Ives Market Town Regeneration projects, including a community bandstand for cultural events, grants for smartening shopfronts, and funding to expand the Cromwell Museum, and visitor information.
- £10 million SPF funding to help boost growth and reduce inequality across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, including through improving the vitality of high streets and supporting arts and culture.
