Overview
By 2027 Kent will be a confident, vibrant county, where extraordinary cultural activity is available that enriches and transforms the lives of everyone.
Creative Kent and Medway sets out the shared ambition of all the creative partners in Kent, where culture becomes a part of everyday life with more people engaging with, experiencing and being inspired by, excellent arts.
Culture is a key driver for the prosperity of the county. The creative economy is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK. The digital and creative industries are highlighted by government as a priority for growth and Kent has much to contribute to this.
“In the last few years, you [the Creative Industries] have been the fastest growing sector in the economy, earning nearly £90bn in 2015, more even that our successfully spectacular automotive sector. This industry leads the way. Two million people employed in all parts of the UK, a quarter of a million businesses – you make Britain what we are but you can also tell the world what Britain can do.”
Culture is an essential ingredient for a fulfilling and richly rewarding life. Creativity helps us to see the world differently and understand our place within it. A rich cultural heritage builds our sense of who we are and where we are from, affirms our identity and helps us to build our resilience and self-esteem.
Kent, largely rural, extensively coastal, with internationally important arts and heritage, post-industrial estuary towns and inspirational cultural landscapes, has a distinctive offer. Our county is the UK’s main gateway to Europe, and with its unique location between mainland Europe and London is well positioned to maintain and grow an international outlook.
The region is on the edge of significant change – over the next ten years the Kent and Medway population will increase by just over a quarter. This will need to be met with significant housing and infrastructure growth. The county is characterised by some notable highlights with emerging companies alongside comparatively small and geographically dispersed creative clusters. In order to fulfil our potential and play a nationally significant role we must build on these to establish greater critical mass and strengthen our collective voice.
This strategy is shaped by Kent’s cultural sector and local authorities. It aims to strengthen collaborative work across these and other partners including the private sector, the third sector and the public sector. The time is right for the cultural and creative industries to recognise opportunities, to enable significant economic growth for Kent and to work with local people embedding culture into the fabric of our society.
How we will do this through three key actions:
“We know that investment in culture not only has immense economic value; it also has a wide range of benefits that touch all our lives every day. We can see the difference that culture has on a children’s education, and we are beginning to understand better the profound relationship between culture, health and wellbeing. Everyone should have the chance to experience culture, participate in it, create it, and see their lives transformed by it.”