This is an Open Invitation to all cultural organisations and individuals working or with an interest in Shropshire’s Culture. We would like to meet representatives from:

• Museums
• Archives
• Libraries
• Country Parks
• Natural Heritage Sites
• Historic Environment
• Arts
• Leisure and Sports
• Health and Wellbeing
• Visitor Economy
  
• Food and Drink
• and anyone else involved in the creative and cultural industries across Shropshire.

Shropshire Cultural Strategy Working Group (CSWG); a partnership of representatives of 16 organisations from across Shropshire’s cultural sector, has commissioned FEI (Festivals & Events International) to help the sector develop a cultural strategy for Shropshire. The final Strategy will be focused around an ambitious, clear and deliverable vision.

The aim of the Strategy is to raise the profile and quality of culture across Shropshire. CSWG are seeking help with collating the existing evidence base and results from the consultation in 2017, by consulting with a broad range of stakeholders and developing a new draft Strategy for public consultation.

What do we mean by Culture?
At one level, ‘culture’, is about places to go and things to do. It includes arts, sports, libraries, reading, museums, heritage, archaeology, archives, architecture, crafts, children’s play, parks, open spaces and green networks, natural heritage, historic buildings, countryside recreation, food and drink, leisure, tourism and the cultural and creative industries.

However, culture is about much more than this. It is also:

• Our sense of identity – as individuals and as a society – the connections we feel with where we live and the people we live among
• Our spiritual, intellectual and emotional wellbeing
• Our traditions, beliefs and values.

In short, it is about what makes us distinctive and how we choose to express this at community or individual level.

The use of culture to refresh neighbourhoods, improve the physical environment, offer places to go and things to do, increase local pride and a desire to stay in that place, and build stronger communities is well established. Cultural assets contribute economic and environmental benefits as well as encouraging better physical and mental health, reducing loneliness and isolation and contribute to regeneration; attracting new and increased investment and creating jobs and opportunities for local people. Culture and Heritage also offer fantastic opportunities to educate, inspire and encourage people of all ages to aspire to a better tomorrow.

A Cultural Strategy for Shropshire will build on the exceptional culture and heritage of the county to collaboratively set a new five-year strategic direction that puts culture at the heart of future development.

The Strategy will aim to include some practical ‘big ideas’ and consider longer term objectives alongside ‘low hanging fruit’ where impact can be delivered quickly.

Consultation with the sector is key so we are planning three workshops to provide the opportunity for people to share their plans and ambitions, contribute ideas, identify gaps and celebrate good practice from across the sector and the region.

Workshops:
There will be three workshops, each will have the same format, so please just book for one. They are designed as an opportunity for everyone to be involved, connect with others and collaborate.

Workshop 1
Thursday 21 November 2019, 10.15 – 13.15
Craven Arms Community Centre

Workshop 2
Thursday 21 November 2019, 17.30 – 20.30
Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery

Workshop 3
Friday 22nd November 2019, 10.00 – 13.00
Wem Town Hall

Discussion topics:
We will ask you to consider each aspect of culture in the county in turn:

• The people involved - Those making and taking part in culture including professional practitioners and producers, volunteers and audiences
  
• Places and Spaces – Where culture takes place
• Networks and Projects – Where the sector comes together with each other and other sectors
• Resources, Training and Support – The support the sector gets and needs.

For each of these four topic areas we will ask you to think about the following questions in terms of your experience of culture in Shropshire:

1. What happens already? Where is the good practice? What are the strengths? Who is doing good work?
2. Where are the gaps? What’s missing? What could be done differently? What should we stop doing?
3. Who is involved? Who is taking part and who isn’t? Who is supporting the sector? How can we work with other sectors? What can we do ourselves and where do we need more support?
4. Where do we want to be? Where do we want to be in 5-10 years? What does success look like for us? How do we want to be talked about outside the area?

Method:
The workshops will be facilitated using the World Café format. This is a flexible consultation method that puts the community at the heart of conversations and creates a safe and flexible space for dialogue, conversation and comment. It works on the assumption that the ‘wisdom is in the room’ and is powered by what can be achieved by a small group of committed people around a table having a conversation.