Exeter is determined to carry on backing the city’s artists and creators despite missing out on becoming the nation’s City of Culture.
The city launched a bid to become the UK City of Culture for 2029, but its hopes were dashed last month after it failed to make the longlist.
Now, despite the setback, the city council has launched a new cultural strategy designed to strengthen its creative community.
A public consultation on the strategy will begin after the local council elections at the beginning of May, and the strategy itself is being kept under wraps until the elections are complete.
But members of the city council executive heard that the authority was committed to culture.
More than 600 people, including artists and cultural organisations, have had input into the strategy so far.
“The response was fantastic,” said Ian Collinson, the council’s strategic director for place. “People have been very engaged with this.”
He said the strategy would promote a ‘city of creative confidence’ and added: “We have got the ambition and the confidence to deliver this together, as a council and as a sector.
“The bid was unsuccessful but this strategy was already being worked on, so we feel we can keep that ambition alive to be a city of culture, and have the leadership and the drive to deliver that.”
Cllr Bob Foale (Lab, Alphington) said drawing up the strategy had been a ‘fascinating ride’. A survey had shown eight out of 10 people in the city to be happy with their museums and attractions, and half of the people surveyed experiencing no barriers to visiting them.
But, he said, it was important for the city to engage with those who did face problems using the attractions as well as those who didn’t..
“The most important thing will be the action plan that comes out of it,” he said. “I hope it will address those people.”
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