A mayor supporting culture and heritage

As part of his efforts to improve quality of life and boost economic growth, the Mayor of the West Midlands has set out his vision for the creative and cultural sectors across the region.

£15 million has been committed over the next two years to support the ambition and potential of both sectors. This coincides with the launch of the West Midlands Ownership Hub, which aims to support the growth of the number of co-operative and employee-owned enterprises.

The two above-mentioned sectors will be the first to benefit from the center as part of a support program for freelancers, creators and companies that will seek to help them transition to alternative business models. Making this change is expected to improve productivity, employee well-being and precarious working conditions.

In addition to the centre, the £15 million commitment from the West Midlands Combined Authority will enable grants to unlock wider funding to improve physical facilities that can support innovation in the cultural and creative sectors – including spaces such as rehearsal rooms, co-working offices and exhibition areas. In addition, the Mayor of West Midlands has pledged to continue the work already underway to protect and “breathe new life” into the region’s historic buildings.

Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker said:

“I see the West Midlands as the beating heart of the country’s creative economy, and as creatives from our region increasingly excel on the international stage, they should be able to rely on the public sector to support them.

“That’s why we’re investing over £15 million over the next two years to support the sector’s ambition and potential through programs of work to ignite the region’s creative ecosystem and revitalize our local towns and places, and provide greater opportunities for everyone to experience the benefits of cultural and cultural experiences. creativity.

“We created the West Midlands Ownership Hub to promote cooperative and employee ownership. These business models will pave the way for workers to a more sustainable future and help address the challenges of precarious working conditions in these sectors, recognizing the crucial role these people play in shaping our identity and driving our economy.”

This summer, creative skills will also be supported throughout the region, and training in early-stage creative skills will be conducted as part of the “Activate” program. It will also encourage craftsmen and technicians to take up roles in the creative sector, including workers such as electricians, carpenters, caterers and seamstresses.

Skinder Hundal, chairman of the West Midlands Cultural Leadership Council, also commented:

“Imagining and collaborating is what artists do best: when they bring their ideas, enthusiasm, knowledge and unique perspectives on the world, new projects, works and exhibitions come to life.

“I am excited to see how the West Midlands Ownership Hub will support creators in our region to work together to explore innovative ways in which they can take ownership of their work and benefit materially from it, working in solidarity as a West Midlands sector, consciously engaging contexts both locally and globally.

“This important project builds on our commitment to supporting the arts and creative industries to flourish in the region. I look forward to seeing our artists and creators thrive with this support.”

Image credit: iStock and West Midlands Combined Authority