Chelmsford’s Cultural Strategy
The first district-wide
Cultural Strategy for Chelmsford
Chelmsford is celebrated as a culturally ambitious place that connects our innovative heritage of science and engineering with a vibrant future of wellbeing, environment and creativity, transforming our peoples’ lives.
We believe that by working together and building on Chelmsford’s rich creative past, we can shape a culturally vibrant city that makes life better for everyone. By investing in culture our districts communities will become better connected, supporting people to become a healthier and happier, creating a city where everyone living, working, studying, playing and visiting, can thrive.
This Strategy is for everyone in Chelmsford – it covers the whole district, from the city centre to South Woodham Ferrers, including each of the local parishes. Built around three main themes and seven guiding principles, this 10-year plan is shaped from five years of community feedback and research.
Three strategic themes
1. Nurture our environment
Buildings, greenspaces and waterways will be at the heart of a dynamic cultural scene, showcasing artistic practice and building capacity for creative practitioners. Distinctive urban and rural assets will recognise heritage and innovation, and inspire sustainable practices.
2. Improve Health and Wellbeing
There will be a measurable improvement in the mental and physical health of the people, and their wellbeing, as a consequence of cultural experience. This will be visible across the community, from the elderly to children and young people, and excluded groups.
3. Outstanding Festivals and Events
A coherent and inspiring programme of high-quality festivals and celebrations embracing all ages and cultural interests. Global artists alongside grassroots creativity will embrace professionals, amateurs and volunteers, with adaptable delivery connecting the district.
Principles underpinning the strategic themes
Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to the people of Chelmsford. Opportunities and activities arising from this Strategy are respectful, fair, and welcoming to everyone.
Strength-based mindsets encourage building on what is good rather than seeking to plug gaps. Strategy action uses the district’s existing expertise and assets as drivers for work.
Young people are a vital audience for the Strategy and a force in its implementation. The Strategy embeds opportunities to cocreate and co-deliver to develop their creative skills.
Innovation is part of Chelmsford’s cultural history and has scope to be central to its future. The Cultural Strategy encourages boldness with new ideas and new ways of doing things by creating the space to try things out.
Collaboration and knowledge sharing underpin the way the cultural sector operates at its best, with Ignite an exemplar. Working together across sectors, within and beyond Chelmsford, fosters excellence in cultural and creative activity.
Transdisciplinary work excites the creative community and those from other areas, paving the way for fresh thinking. Arts, science, education and business are integrated to facilitate different perspectives and solve challenges.
Sustainability matters for Chelmsford, with its natural landscapes and growth ambitions. Strategy delivery respects and connects with landscaped and wild spaces and protects through training and developing the creative sector to be exemplary in ecological sustainability.
Realising the vision
Working with stakeholders such as partners and our communities across the District, Culture Chelmsford will provide independent leadership to support the co-design of new projects and opportunities to deliver the vision according to the identified themes and principles.
This strategy marks the beginning of our 10-year journey towards a culturally vibrant destination that will put Chelmsford on the map locally, nationally, and internationally.
Thank you to Culture Chelmsford’s partners who are committing to this journey together: Chelmsford City Council, Anglia Ruskin University, Writtle University College, Chelmsford For You, Chelmsford College and the Ignite network of creative practitioners. Thank you to everyone in the District for lending their voices over the past few years and more recently the communities of South Woodham Ferrers, Danbury and Writtle.
We also thank Seriously Inclusive Ltd for their support in writing the Strategy.