Culture

“The cultural and creative economy is what makes Bristol unique. It is the city’s beating heart bringing life into all of our communities.
It isn’t what we do – it is who we are.”

The One City Culture Board was formally launched at the June 2020 City Gathering. It has been set up in recognition of the need for a connected approach to protecting and delivering the cultural capital that we hold in Bristol. Our culture underpins everything that we do as a city and will be a key enabler in our work to meet the One City 2050 vision.

The role of Culture Board is to be a supporting Board, working with all the existing One City Thematic Boards to ensure Bristol’s cultural and creative sector is a key driver in delivering the aims of the One City Approach and the One City Plan goals.

We celebrate Bristol’s stories and our uniquely diverse and vibrant city, with the many different voices that make up our population. Our arts, culture and creative sectors reflect this landscape and encourage more opportunities, spaces and programmes to help the industry now as well as developing future generations of local talent.

To read the Terms of Reference and the full vision statement for the Culture Board, please click here.

The Culture Board works to ensure:

  • the sector as a whole is supported and helped to recover and rebuild following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic,
  • inclusion and increasing diversity are at the core of all activity and at the heart of the culture of each board,
  • a commitment to breaking down silos between sectors,
  • open communications between boards when tackling systemic challenges or maximising opportunities,
  • they are supporting the Thematic Boards in reviewing and updating the One City Plan on an annual basis; ensuring culture acts as an enabler across the six themes,
  • a representative from the Board participates in the quarterly multi-board sessions enabling a culture of cross-sector working as well as reporting key offers and asks to the City Leaders Group.

Membership and frequency:
The Culture Board is a core group of 20-25 members representing key business networks and sectors within Bristol. Meetings take place every 6 weeks in response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the city’s cultural and creative sector.

Members

The Co-Chairs of the Culture Board are:

  • Councillor Tony Dyer, Bristol City Council
  • Charlotte Geeves, Executive Director and Joint CEO, Bristol Old Vic

Culture Board members* are currently:

  • BBC England, Stephanie Marshall
  • Bricks, Jack Gibbon
  • Disability Equality Commission, Philip Gingell
  • DIY Arts Network, Matthew Austin
  • Independent Actor and Equity Representative, Lynda Rooke
  • Knowle West Media Centre and Filwood Community Centre, Martha King
  • Night Time Economy Advisor – Bristol City Council, Carly Heath
  • Noods Levels Radio, Izzy Cross
  • Rising Arts Agency, Euella Jackson and Jess Bunyan
  • St George’s Bristol, Samir Savant
  • St Paul’s Carnival, LaToyah McAllister-Jones
  • The Hippodrome, Ben Phillips
  • University of Bristol, Professor Judith Squires
  • University of West of England, Lynn Barlow
  • WECIL, Lucie Martin-Jones

(* Members were selected in June 2022)

Board Agendas and Minutes

10 July 2024 – Minutes

17 April 2024 – Agenda

17 January 2024 – Agenda

19 October 2023 – Agenda

5 December 2022 – Agenda

29 September 2022 – Agenda and Minutes

5 July 2022 – Agenda and Minutes

11 May 2022 – Agenda

03 November 2021 – Agenda and Minutes

22 September 2021 – Agenda and Minutes

30 June 2021 – Agenda and Minutes

19 May 2021 – Agenda and Minutes

7th April 2021 – Agenda and Minutes

24 February 2021 – Agenda and Minutes

13 January 2021 – Agenda and Minutes

07 December 2020 – Agenda and Minutes

22 October 2020 – Minutes

15 September 2020 – Minutes

Terms of Reference

In June 2022 the terms of reference were revised and agreed by the members. The Terms of Reference were amended in June 2024 to reflect the updated Co-chair arrangements:

Culture Board Terms of Reference