CULTURE AND LEISURE STRATEGY

The Culture and Leisure Strategy 2003 - 2013 was created after consultation with the community, artists and makers, key stakeholders and other Borough departments.  It outlines the activities to be taken across all the themes in the Community Strategy to ensure Swindon has a lively, well structured and supported delivery of cultural and leisure activities.

Cultural activity is seen as equal in importance to the Borough's other core services.  In 2003/04 it was required that this strategy was integrated into the Community Strategy.  A task group took this forward resulting in the pages currently in the Community Strategy.  The key points of the broader strategy are distilled into this document.  The resulting action plan will be used to monitor success against the objectives set.

A report is going to Cabinet on 7 July 2004 to endorse the setting up of a Cultural Partnership for Swindon.

The Partnership will be led by an interim board from October 2004 and the full Partnership with wide sector representation established by March 2005.

The definition of Culture used is a broad one.  It reflects the Culture South West definition 'all those activities which help improve both the quality of people's lives and the way they feel about the place where they live', that add to a sense of belonging for those living there, and attract our visitors.  Call them culture, leisure, recreation, whatever.  The shorthand word we've chosen for them all is culture.  The common denominator is the enjoyment, inspiration, education and other key stakeholders.

The Partnership will lead on new projects bringing in new funds to drive them forward.  A possible one would be the Bristol 200 project where the added value of a director board and one project will enhance the draft project plan and help this to have maximum focused impact for Swindon.

Its aims are to bring civic, cultural, corporate and community elements of Swindon together, through cultural development, to make Swindon a better place to live and work and visit; to add value to what exists.

To re-establish Swindon's reputation as a confident, progressive and successful town.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A COPY OF THE CULTURE AND LEISURE STRATEGY