Northern Devon
Bridging Rural Communities with Creativity
CLIENT
Northern Devon Council and Torridge Council
Northern Devon, a stunning coastal and rural region, is a UNESCO-listed Biosphere Reserve. Despite its rich tourism and booming arts scene, the area faced challenges of rural isolation and social deprivation. In a bid to spark change, we were appointed to develop a Cultural Strategy that would unlock Northern Devon’s full potential.
Our approach was community-centric from the start. We engaged over 800 residents, including primary school children, college students, refugee groups and rural villagers. Through in-person consultations, research, and data analysis, we ensured that the voices of local people shaped the strategy, capturing the unique needs and aspirations of Northern Devon’s diverse communities.
Collaboration sat at the heart of our strategy. Partnering with North Devon and Torridge local authorities, we formed a 25 member strong Strategy Steering Group, bringing together experts from culture, creative industries, tourism, education, environment and health sectors. Together, we crafted a strategy that was both visionary and practical.
The result? The Northern Devon Cultural Strategy was adopted by both Councils and became a cornerstone for attracting major cultural investment to the region. This included a £7 million boost from Arts Council England and £3 million for Barnstaple via the Cultural Development Fund.
Our plan promotes creativity in harmony with Northern Devon’s landscape. It tackles rural isolation and enhances cultural accessibility, striving to make a tangible, positive difference in the community.
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‘North Devon Council appointed Things Made Public to help create a new Culture Strategy across two districts, and subsequently two Culture plans for Barnstaple and Ilfracombe. We really enjoyed working with the team, and appreciated their combination of excellent data analysis, background knowledge and outstanding ability to draw themes and priorities from our varied and sometimes awkward stakeholders. TMP’s work has been crucial in drawing in £3 million of Cultural Development Fund investment and we hope to work with Sarah, Lauren and Chris again in the future.’
– Alison Mills, Museums Development Manager, North Devon Council
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