Cultural Strategy for Essex

A new strategy vision designed to support the county’s arts, cultural and creative sector.

Essex County Council’s Cultural Strategy was launched in August 2023, it's a broad and ambitious document created after extensive consultation with the local cultural and creative sector. It's intended to be the start of a conversation and a statement of intent, defining a roadmap as to how we can help create the conditions for success. View the strategy below along with an accompanying launch video, or download a copy of the document here

To view an accessible version please download a copy here.

The strategy is underpinned by four key principles:

  • Enrich outlines how we will aid resilience and support the county’s cultural networks via greater collaboration.
  • Empower explores supporting new career pathways into the industry for young people and mapping our cultural sector so we can gain a more accurate picture of where the sectors’ strengths and opportunities lie.
  • Amplify outlines an approach to greater collaboration across cultural events and programmes in the county.
  • Grow focuses on supporting the county’s economic growth through culture and creativity.

Focused on creating conditions for growth, this strategy illustrates how we will enable an environment where creative practitioners can flourish. It outlines the importance of communities, authorities and organisations working together to tackle health and well-being, education, employment and social inequality. Essex is at a defining moment in its history with significant investment through governmental funding, local enterprise and major development projects. By embracing these opportunities to create a united cultural sector, strengthened by collaboration and a strategic approach, we can create cohesive communities, grow the economy and skill opportunities for everyone in Essex.

To keep up-to-date with news, funding opportunities and outcomes associated with the Cultural Strategy or our wider work, sign-up to our Essex Cultural Network newsletter here. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Strategy Launch Video

Essex County Council's Strategy Launch Video has been produced by Realm Video (Paul Bates and Gabrielle Milanese). Voice-over by Jo Overfield. With thanks to contributions from Braintree District Museum, Creative BasildON, Essex Cultural Diversity Project, Essex Record Office, Firstsite, Focal Point Gallery, INSTAR, Mercury Theatre, Metal Southend, Rhiannon Faith Company, Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden Museum, Signals, The Paper Birds Theatre Company, Trustlinks, Unfamiliars, Warner Textile Archive, Wyrd Flora.