Join our next West Midlands CRU session with Professor Rebecca Riley, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor for Regional Engagement at the University of Birmingham and Co-Director for City-REDI.
Following the recent autumn budget announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the first Labour budget in 14 years, many are wondering how this will affect the cultural sector and the region. Register to attend this one hour online session and take a deep dive with Professor Riley to explore the potential impacts.
About Professor Rebecca Riley
Rebecca Riley is an experienced researcher, intelligence provider and information professional. She has been helping practitioners and policy makers make decisions and develop solutions for over 20 years. Rebecca has delivered over 200 research and information projects to the public and private sector across economic, social and environmental policy areas. She is a champion of using evidence for decision making, making research accessible and ensuring it has impact. Throughout her career, Rebecca has explored and continues to refine the use of data and intelligence to underpin strategy, policy and practice. Her research areas include place based economic development, skills and the application of economic forecasting.
Rebecca has designed and led information and intelligence services for a wide range of public and private sector organisations, providing bespoke advice and guidance, regular briefing services, commissioning, managing brokerage services for collaborative research, shared on-line research and information portals and network events. She specialises in social research methods with extensive experience in designing and delivering workshops, seminars, and interviews.
About the West Midlands Culture Response Unit (WMCRU)
Set up during COVID, our regular WMCRU meetings were a vital lifeline for the sector in connecting, sharing and getting practical information and advice. WMCRU has continued to be a useful space for organisations and individuals that Culture Central supports as a collective and collaborative space for all those that are interested in the cultural ecology of the region.
In 2024-25, WMCRU meetings have explored key strategic challenges and opportunities that affect the sector and the region. The sessions are aimed at those leading strategic activity in their organisations or networks. It is a place where we can all come together no matter size, scale or art form to collectively share, learn and support.