1. Fulbright Scholars Annual Conference 2017
Northern Powerhouse: Culture and Communities
Jonathan Blackie: Visiting Professor, Northumbria University

2. Northern Powerhouse: Culture and Communities
Aim is to transform North of England, rebalance economy and establish North as global powerhouse
Main elements are transport, skills and renewal
Improve connections between Northern cities, full HS2 ‘Y’ Network, HS3, cut journey times
Create talent pools, North East=creative and digital, automotive, sub sea, and professional services
Investment, North East=£150m marine and offshore sector, £82m Hitachi in County Durham, Nissan in Sunderland, almost 30,000 jobs in advanced engineering and chemicals across Tees Valley
Culture, £110m Factory theatre in Manchester, £20m Great Exhibition of the North in Newcastle Gateshead 2018, £15m City of Culture in Hull 2017

3. Northern Powerhouse: Culture and Communities
Connectivity, skills, enterprise and innovation, trade and investment, engagement-Combined Authorities and Elected Mayors
Productivity has lagged in northern regions, Oecd influential shifting emphasis from subsidy to building on smart specialisations, focus on agglomeration of city regions and collaboration or devolution
North of England an area the size of Belgium or Holland, home to almost half UK car production, seven of 27 UK tech clusters, and 20 universities including 4 of top global 100
25% of UK manufacturing output, 33% of UK renewable output
But connectivity fragmented, hills in the way, limited reach of city labour markets, fewer graduates in workforce, relative size of public sector

4. Northern Powerhouse: Culture and Communities
‘who the hell wants to live in a city which has no arts and culture’ Leader of Manchester City Council, 21st May, 2015
Past twenty five years cultural regeneration instrumental in reviving declining industrial cities, contributed to greater social cohesion, and emergence of universities as cultural brokers and managers
Angel of the North, Mima, Baltic and Sage Gateshead symbolic of the regeneration of Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and North East England
Different roles for culture, in Manchester associated with quest for inward investment (FDI), Liverpool with tourism, Hull host for 2017 UK City of Culture has gone from ‘No1 Crap Town’ to one of top ten places in places to visit, Rough Guide UK
Largely metropolitan, although Alnwick Garden symbolic of new economy of rural Northumberland

5. Northern Powerhouse: Culture and Communities
Instrumental and Intrinsic value of culture, First World War Anniversary, ‘medium through which regional identities are forged’
London+regional cities+towns+rural communities
shift to more of a network model, some of the closest partners to Mima in Middlesbrough are international, priority to reach a wider population
Demonstrate the value of culture to communities post Brexit
Doesn’t take a lot to build a platform, put places on the map, such as Durham Lumiere
Helps recruitment and retention, building a sense of place and identity

6. North East Culture Partnership: Case for Culture
spread the benefits of arts and heritage further to make sure everyone benefits
broaden access to culture for children and young people, to bring benefits to future generations.
attract and retain the very best cultural and creative talent; provide routes for progression.
support economic growth and job creation, and attract more visitors to our region.
build on and develop our distinctiveness of place and our rich natural and historic environment.

7. North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP): Strategic Economic Plan
Co-investment - scope for matched funding, £100m-300m, particularly Heritage Lottery Fund, and including culture sector rep. on LEP advisory group
Engaging the most disengaged - utilising the sector's expertise around employability, and helping match ESF with ACE/Grants for the Arts
Distinctiveness - ideas for Great Places Fund, Great Exhibition of the North...
International work - drawing on the sector to connect for inward investment missions, such as China, hosting visits, Blyth/Gothenburg Tall Ships Regatta, Royal Northern Sinfonia touring
Creative working - use of sector leaders as advocates of business change

8. Tees Valley LEP: Strategic Economic Plan
Aim to contribute 10% of GVA growth to Northern Powerhouse with only 4% of population
One of Europe’s largest, integrated industrial complexes in processing, materials and biologics
Culture one of six priorities, to change external perceptions, improve the attractiveness of the area
Joint programming of events, to hold a cultural conversation with business and communities, prepare a UK City of Culture bid for 2025, and support creative businesses

9. Select Committee Enquiry: Countries of Culture
Funding and support for the arts outside London
‘Need to focus on accessibility …and support for cultural infrastructure’
But very tough times, for local authorities and arts organisations
More collaboration with London and across the sector
Greater incentives for private and corporate support

10. Culture 3.0 (Pier Luigi Sacco)
Culture 1.0 patronage, visual arts, performing arts, heritage
Culture 2.0 mass markets, cultural industries, publishing, music, cinema, radio tv, video games, design, fashion, architecture, advertising, taste
Culture 3.0 content communities, open digital platforms and social media
Digital content production and digital connectivity, ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’

11. Next Steps for Culture
Investment in culture has helped redefine northern cities
Participation and reach still an issue, from London to Newcastle
Cultural education and skills not as visible, putting the STEAM into STEM
Arrival of Culture 3.0 offers an opportunity to invert the pyramid and develop networks in communities
Digital connectivity is key to success