A
first of its kind Data Observatory from the North East that helps to collect
and connect culture data in devolved regions and nations of England is being shared
with the UK City of Culture, Bradford 2025.
The
City of Culture will use the North East data observatory as a model to animate key
data on funding and returns of investment and capture new data on cultural reach
and audience engagement.
Funded
by a unique partnership between Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the North East CombinedAuthority (NECA) and Northumbria University, the ‘Culture Connect’ Data
Observatory tessellates and visualises advanced national and mayoral level data
on culture spend, participation and engagement. The data observatory connects
and creates new data-driven learning to better inform devolved policy making
and help make the case for the value of culture in devolved regions.
For
the last nine months, Culture Connect has been co-developed and piloted by the
North East Combined Authority (NECA), one of the biggest English mayoral
regions stretching across Northumberland and County Durham and includes the
cities of Sunderland and Newcastle. NECA has made culture and the creative
industries a key part of its economic growth plans as it moves towards a
devolved budget and wider policy powers. Culture Connect provides real time
live culture sector data with the NECA area and enables cultural organisations
and venues to identify and develop their own data priorities.
TPXimpact and Open Innovations won the contract to help build the North East culture data
observatory. Their open access creative commons approach has been mobilised by
both Culture Connect and Bradford 2025 so that whole UK culture ecosystem can
develop at pace and benefit from collective work, as well as capture and share
learning about impact.
North East Mayor
Kim McGuinness said “Culture and the creative industries are a key part of our
ambition for inclusive growth in North East England. We have been really pleased to be part of the
Culture Connect Data pilot, working alongside Northumbria University, DCMS and
sector partners. The pilot has helped show how data sources can be brought
together much more effectively, and the power of that data to interpret the
impact and reach of culture and investment. We can go further to share this
learning with partners in other regions, as part of our work together as mayors
to develop a Great North cultural offer.”
Northumbria
University Vice Chancellor Prof Andy Long said “At Northumbria we are committed
to promoting the excellent work that takes place within our region. The Culture
Connect model is a prime example of the kinds of innovative approaches that are
being explored in the North East. We’re proud to be playing a key part in
sharing this knowledge with other devolved regions so that they can better
understand the role that culture plays in their own local economy.”
Helen
Brewster, Evaluation Director, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture said: “Bradford
2025 is implementing an evaluation
strategy, which
includes a commitment to open data and transparent narrative to describe its
story of change. Its ambition is to contribute to a legacy of shared learning,
knowledge and insights across the creative sector.”
