Western Morning News (Saturday)
Culture that adds to our happiness
Arts and culture bring vital civic pride to the high street, says Darren Henley
IMAGINE a typical, pre-pandemic Saturday in Plymouth’s City Centre. You may have gone to Drake’s Circus – picked up a coffee from the M&S café, before heading over to the food hall to grab some Percy Pigs, followed by a browse in Topshop, H&M and Tiger. Later you might have headed to the Hoe for some brief respite, catching a glimpse of Smeaton’s Tower and Plymouth Sound, before looping back for a stroll alongside Southside Street’s numerous independent shops and cafés that line the Barbican.
Some 18 months on, many parts of this route can still be observed, although it is hard to ignore the scars left by Covid-19 and the necessary lockdown measures we’ve endured – reminding us how life has been far from normal over the past two years. Will our high streets ever look the same again?
Why, am I, Chief Executive at the Arts Council, writing about your high street, you may ask? Because creativity and cultural experiences are an important part of our high streets too. This was true before the pandemic, and examples of culture and creativity’s spirit-boosting and community-enhancing qualities throughout lockdown can be found throughout the country, both on and offline.
Now, as we look towards a more positive future, there is unambiguous evidence that says multi-functional high streets, and specifically those with cultural venues and experiences, are critical to the survival and revival of these shared public spaces.
The public support this view too. You only have to look to the Civic Centre in Plymouth to see the colourful mural wrapping around its feet – something that brought people together in a collective act during the pandemic, that shows how creativity increases our civic pride and instils a greater sense of community. If we cast our eyes a little further down the road, to the Theatre Royal, we can see the impressive Messenger sculpture standing tall. She may not be to everyone’s taste, but there is no arguing about the emotion she stirred.
A new report commissioned by Arts Council shows that the presence of cultural venues on or near to high street drives footfall and increases spending, giving a boost to other businesses including shops and hospitality venues. In Plymouth’s case, it’s not just the theatre productions that draw people in, but also its spectacular artwork too. The report states 35% of Theatre Royal Plymouth’s visitors in 2018-19 were attending the venue for first time, with many travelling from across Devon and beyond to do so.
The report also states that seven out of ten people believe that cultural experiences such as museums, galleries, venues and libraries make their areas better places to live. Cultural organisations are deeply embedded in local communities and have continued serving their audiences throughout lockdown. Take Theatre Royal who have continued to provide workshops for over 400 people during the pandemic, hosting events like Funky Llama Club night as well their Our Space, to maintain engagement with the local community through Covid-19.
As I look ahead to my visit next week to Devon and Cornwall, I’ve found it hard to squeeze everything in. There is such an abundance of exciting cultural activity taking place here – from the opening of the Market Hall and The Box in Plymouth, to the Hall for Cornwall redevelopment, that will reopen in the heart of Truro’s high street in autumn. Miracle Theatre’s sci-fi production is touring to outdoor venues across the region, as well as the much-anticipated puppetry world premiere of The Hatchling – which will draw people in from across the Westcountry, and beyond.
This month, we are celebrating 75 years since the Arts Council was founded. As England looked towards a better post-war society, it knew arts and culture was key to successful reform.
And as we continue to adapt to a post-pandemic life and emerge from this crisis, investment in art, culture and creativity has never been more critical. It can support the country’s economic growth, it has the power to boost our community belonging and individually it can make us feel happier.
The Government and the Arts Council have invested in the survival of cultural venues during the pandemic. The Culture Recovery Fund, created by the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden with the support of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, is the biggest ever investment in the sector and stands at almost £2 billion.
As we emerge from the pandemic, culture will play a vital role in the recovery of high streets, so further government support for the arts and culture sector is needed to ensure that this will continue to happen.
High streets are the heart of towns and communities. But I also believe that communities need a soul too; creativity and culture can provide that soul. Making sure there is a space for culture, creativity and the arts to live on high streets across England will mean the heart of villages, towns, and cities with continue to beat strongly for many more years to come.
■ Darren Henley is chief executive of the Arts Council.
Monday: Columnist Judi Spiers on the not-so-gentle art of complaining – and when to do it.