West Midlands Culture Response Unit 2024-25

Set up during COVID, our regular West Midlands Culture Response Unit (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 continues to support as a collective and collaborative space for all those that are interested in the cultural ecology of the region.

In 2024-25, WMCRU meetings will explore 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.  

We’ve been working with members, and the WMCRU to plan and deliver our programme until 2024, with topics including Martyn’s Law, environmental responsibility and political advocacy for the sector. WMCRU sessions are planned in partnership with our members and sector with focus on emerging themes and priorities.

Dates and themes

Next session:

10th December 24 - Creative People and Places: Best Practice from Across the Region

Explore the key principles embedded in three different organisations in terms of co-creation and community led decision making for culture. For those considering running Creative People and Places and Place Partnership programmes our guest speakers will highlight some of the priorities they think you may want to consider. We are joined by Dr Richard Bromhall - Director of Reimagine Redditch, Sarah Bird - Director of Outside, Gemma Thomas - Director of Appetite.

Future sessions:

14th January 25 - TBA

11th February 25 - TBA

11th March 25 - TBA

Previous sessions:

11th June 24 - Britain Votes: What’s About to Happen to Culture?

What do we already know about the future for arts, heritage and culture in the UK after the general election? Long-time political observer and ex-public affairs advisor turned arts strategy and data consultant Robin Cantrill-Fenwick reflects on the election to date. Come along and share your thoughts on how best to ensure that the cultural sector is heard in the remaining weeks of the general election.

9th July 24 – Resource Launch: Making Culture More Accessible  

Following on from the January 2024 WMCRU session, Richard Hayhow, CEO and Company Director of Open Theatre joins us alongside the Open Theatre team to share the practical resources created through the Culture Volunteer WM Access Champion programme. Join this session to delve into the resources and continue the discussion on how collectively we can create a sector that is truly accessible for everyone.

13th August 24 – Culture Central Updates & Summer Networking 

Relaxed meeting due to Summer, Culture Central team updates and activity.  

10th September 24 - Creative Practice and People-Led Change

Our September WMCRU session was led by Rebecca Davies, Co-Director and co-founder of The Portland Inn Project CIC (PIP) based in Stoke on Trent. PIP is a creative arts organisation with an aim to achieve community cohesion, economic, social and cultural development by involving the community in the development of a pioneering community space, cultural hub and social enterprise. This CRU session will offer the opportunity to deep dive into the values and principles, practice and partnerships of an organisation cited as an exemplar project of people led change.

8th October 24 - Passions, (I)Property, Pounds

Most people join the creative and cultural industries for love. Love of film. Love of history. Love of storytelling.  And most don’t earn what they could. Partly industry endemic, partly lack of understanding how inventive harnessing of the IP they create could provide incomes they only dream of. In Passions, (I)Property, Pounds, IP game-changer Erica Wolfe-Murray will race you through new ways to look at IP and how it can change what you offer, own, earn.

12th November 24 - Budget 2024: what does it mean for the region and those working in the cultural sector?

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. Take a deep dive with Professor Rebecca Riley, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor for Regional Engagement at the University of Birmingham and Co-Director for City-REDI, and explore the potential impacts.

Getting involved

These meetings take place online at 9:30-10:30 am on the second Tuesday of every month. Please fill out the form here to register for the sessions.

We aim to facilitate and accommodate all accessibility needs.  Please email info@culturecentral.co.uk let us know if you have any specific questions, needs or comments and we will do our best to meet them.  

Header Image: Audience in The Rep’s foyer. Graeme Braidwood.