Culture Board

What's it all about?

The Culture Board's aim is to place culture at the heart of Plymouth's development into one of Europe's finest, most vibrant waterfront cities, where an outstanding quality of life is enjoyed by everyone.

What is culture?

Culture is not just Opera or Shakespeare - it's the stuff we do every day. It's kicking a ball, it's making music, seeing a film, going to a festival, taking a walk, surfing the net. It’s the 'stuff people grow in'.

Culture is not just for the elite - it's for everyone - young or old - disabled or fit - rich or poor.

Culture is often used to describe the soul of the place. A vibrant culture makes a city where people want to work, live and thrive. It makes people proud of where they come from.

Culture is about more than the 'fluffy stuff'. It can also have huge positive economic benefits for the city:

• Plymouth's creative industries generate an estimated turnover in excess of £250 million
• 11 million day visitors a year come to Plymouth
• Research has indicated that the Theatre Royal has the third highest economic impact after the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company, generating an estimated £30 million pounds spending in the wider Plymouth economy
• Nearly 2 million supporters, from all over the country, have attended Plymouth Argyll's Home Park in the past six years, and the activities of the Argyle Soccer in the Community Team benefit more than 30,000 children every year in the Devon and Cornwall region
• The Artemis Transat at Sutton Harbour generated an additional £2.4 million for Plymouth when the city hosted the start of the transatlantic yacht race in May 2008

It is because it is so important that Plymouth has developed its cultural strategy - The Vital Spark. It's a plan with a set of goals that put culture at the heart of the city’s regeneration and future success.

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