Lancashire Arts Exchange 2026

A full-day conference exploring the future of cultural education and creative careers across Lancashire for artists, educators and cultural

Lancashire Arts Exchange 2026 is a full-day conference for artists, arts organisations, cultural leaders, educators, and local decision-makers to explore the future of cultural education and creative careers across Lancashire.

Taking place at the iconic Blackpool Grand Theatre, the event brings together Lancashire arts and culture professionals from primary, secondary, FE and HE, alongside representatives from local government, to share insight, influence policy, and strengthen pathways into and through the arts and culture sector.

The programme includes:

• A keynote on curriculum reform and the future of cultural education
• Speakers from cultural education partnerships and alliances working across Lancashire
• Case studies showcasing innovative practice from across Lancashire
• Practical workshops on cross-sector collaboration, best practice and knowledge sharing
• Opportunities to shape a new county-wide policy on creative education access

Whether you work in education, culture, local government, or creative practice, this event offers a vital space to connect, contribute, and help shape the next chapter of cultural education in Lancashire.

We have five Arts Exchange bursaries of £100 each to award to enable freelance artists to attend this year’s Lancashire Arts Exchange. These bursaries are for those for whom the cost of taking a day away from work is a prohibitive factor to attending the event and for those who face barriers due to ethnicity or disability. These spaces are part of our wider work towards creating a more inclusive sector.

To apply for an Arts Exchange Bursary, please complete the Bursary Application Form by 5pm Friday 20th February 2026

Recipients will be notified by Friday 27th February and will receive their bursary via bank transfer the following week.