East Midlands Combined County Authority – Culture and Devolution

Culture Devolution:

The East Midlands Devolution Deal features culture in the following line, “Strengthen the local visitor economy, creating an attractive and vibrant cultural and creative sector.”

Autumn 2024 Budget:

The Government is granting borrowing powers for newly established Mayoral Combined (County) Authorities and will legislate to provide East Midlands with borrowing powers across the full range of their functions.

Culture Strategy:

A culture strategy is referred to under the Visitor Economy section of the EMCCA homepage, which states that the MCA will be “boosting tourism and putting the East Midlands on the map to celebrate our region’s heritage, as part of a new cultural strategy. We want to support and invest in our local businesses, drive economic growth to the region by making the East Midlands a great place to visit.”

Current Culture Projects:                                        

• Mayor Claire Ward launched the Visit East Midlands initiative in July 2024, to boost tourism and celebrate the region’s rich heritage, aligning with the Mayor’s commitment to a new cultural strategy.
• Roundtable at the National Civil War Museum in Newark in September 2024 as part of the Visit East Midlands initiative: supported by Visit Notts, with representatives from key regional attractions, including Nottingham Contemporary, Backlit Gallery and Bennerley Viaduct sharing ideas on how the region can better promote the rich heritage, natural beauty, and cultural offerings.