Creative Tunbridge Wells.
Creative Tunbridge Wells (CTW) is the Cultural Compact for Tunbridge Wells. I joined as the CTW Lead in September 2023 and they are my only ongoing - ie not project based - client.
Working closely with the CTW Steering Group I developed the launch strategy and action plan for the compact. This included branding and web presence, but crucially I developed a framework of how the compact would act, when we would and wouldn’t not intervene in the sector. This became known as the 4 nouns (included below).
Working with the economic development team at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) I wrote the CTW Creative Economy Strategy, now endorsed by TWBC.
I spearheaded the crafting of a place partnership bid, which would fund a major step change in creative career access in the borough. We are currently awaiting a decision from ACE on this funding.
Creating the process:
Cultural compacts do not come with a modus operandi, they are unique to the time and place of their making and as such no two compacts are the same.
I did extensive research into existing cultural compacts, how they operated, how they were governed etc. Marrying this up against our top-line priorities and hopes for CTW I created these four nouns to describe us.
This process was instrumental to freeing CTW to start work, it gave us a lens to view our interventions and for the sector to view us.
Place Partnership
Spearheading the drafting of the Place Partnership application to Arts Council England I brought together sector business, cultural partners and the education sector to design a programme of work supporting young people into creative careers.
Working directly with young people I was shocked to discover that not only were they not receiving adequate information about creative sector careers they were being actively discouraged from pursuing one. This led directly to the TW Young Creatives Project and also led me to start my PodCast - the Pathfinder Pod.