The Brighton & Hove Culture Alliance exists to maximise the power of collaboration to achieve its strategic ambitions and create more, and more equitable, opportunities across the creative and cultural sector in the city.

It evolves out of the ABCD Cultural Recovery Programme that ran from April 2021-December 2022 and raised over £500k for creative projects in Brighton & Hove in response to Covid-19. The evaluation reports on the outcomes of that programme are available to read here. The context we’re all working in now is very different, but just as challenging, and collaborative action is as important as ever. This evolution recognises how important it is that the sector drives this next phase, and that new and more diverse voices join the conversation.

The Brighton & Hove Culture Alliance is based on the belief that arts, culture and creativity are foundational to the identity of Brighton & Hove, and that through partnership and collaboration, creative organisations and workers can be better supported to thrive and contribute to the prosperity of the city.

“Given the extraordinary challenges we all faced with the pandemic, its impact and ongoing cost of living crisis, we have all valued and continue to learn from the ABCD programme. The Culture Alliance builds on this collaborative way of working as a platform to devise and deliver programmes addressing the long and short term challenges and opportunities that affect the cultural and wider community in the City”

– Brighton Dome & Festival, Brighton & Hove City Council, University of Sussex, core funders of the Culture Alliance

Aims:

• Address city-wide challenges by facilitating practical collaboration and effective communication within the sector and across others.
• Open up equitable spaces where a diversity of voices can be heard and influence decision making.
• Support greater knowledge and clarity for artists and creative workers to find the information and support they need to work within and from the city.
• Advocate far and wide for the city’s creative and cultural sector.
• Convene around our strategic priorities and seek out resources to help achieve them.

Strategic Priorities:

The following strategic priorities have guided the final six months of the ABCD programme and will be carried forward as the interim priorities for the Culture Alliance. There are currently Anti-Racism and Space to Grow Working Groups in place leading specific activity in the first months of 2023. These priorities were identified through a meeting with 50 cultural sector workers – read more about that process here.

– Economic and Social Value

Achieve local, national and international recognition of culture in Brighton & Hove as a key contributor to the economy of the city, a driver for inward investment and a means for sharing our creativity and values.

– Creative and Cultural Space

Protect Brighton & Hove’s cultural spaces for future generations, where possible in community ownership.

– Inclusion and Anti-Racism

Brighton & Hove’s cultural sector will lead on anti-racist practices in the city in tune with ecological sustainability. Access – for artists and audiences – will be central to policy and practice.

– Young People

Making the cultural sector in Brighton & Hove accessible for young people regardless of circumstances or educational opportunity.

– Cultural Leadership and Decision Making

Ensure Brighton & Hove’s cultural sector demonstrates leadership in distributed and democratic ways with thriving and risk-taking organisations working hand-in-hand with independent/freelance cultural activists, artists, producers and organisers.

Structure:

The Brighton & Hove Culture Alliance is a place to connect, learn and exchange, supported by the Culture in Our City website and newsletter. It has an annual in-person gathering, where priorities are reviewed and refocused. Sign up to the Culture in Our City Newsletter to join the network.

The Culture Action Group holds the Purpose and Aims and sets short and medium term direction of the Alliance, informed by open consultation events. It reviews progress against the priorities and oversees any projects that are delivered. This group is led by partners who work across the creative sector in the city, and currently includes Brighton & Hove City Council, University of Sussex, University of Brighton and Brighton Dome & Festival.

8-10 members will meet quarterly, with additional working groups as required.  Representatives come from partner organisations providing core funding and the chairs of current Working Groups (Space to Grow and Anti-Racism), who are there to represent their working group and the sector more broadly. Remaining places will be filled through open application for terms of at least one year and a maximum of two, with freelance reps paid for their time.

The Culture Ally Group is made up of individuals, organisations, groups, other networks and alliances who support the purpose and contribute towards the aims of BHCA and who benefit from being more connected to the cultural sector in the city. Click here to become a Culture Ally.

To support more people to inform, shape and respond to the conversation, the second half of Culture Action Group meetings will be open to Allies to join. We particularly encourage people less familiar with these strategic conversations to come and find out more.

For more information and updates:

Sign up to the Culture in Our City Newsletter and follow us on social media for further information about the activities of the Brighton & Hove Culture Alliance.