In 2025, Trinity Community Arts, St Pauls Carnival CIC, Citizens in Power and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority will collaborate to launch a regional Citizens’ Assembly for Culture.
This bold new approach to cultural engagement will bring together citizens – people living, working or staying across the West or England – to explore how creative opportunities can be inclusive and accessible for everyone in the region.
Guided by the four pillars of the West of England’s existing cultural plan – skills, the economy, placemaking and well-being – the Assembly will create a series of recommendations that will help to define priorities for regional cultural output; what takes place and where, who is involved and how our regional offer is shaped and defined.
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THE PROJECT SO FAR:
15,000 randomly selected households across the region received invitations to take part in a unique democratic process. Hundreds of people put themselves forward for the Citizens’ Assembly, providing background information about themselves, and from those 52 people were selected, from all walks of life, to reflect the population of the West of England.
Together, they are now meeting as a Citizens’ Assembly for the West of England to answer the question: “What would culture and creativity look like in the West of England if they were for everyone?” Their discussions will help shape a Cultural Plan to be unveiled in early December 2025. This community-led plan will reflect the hopes, values, and creative vision of the region’s residents, serving as a model for citizen-led cultural policymaking across the UK.
The partnership secured further funding from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch) and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for the delivery of Citizens for Culture. Citizens for Culture was announced as part of the delivery plans for West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s Culture West programme.
The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority agreed to join the partnership and support the research phase. One of the objectives of this phase was to create a series of citizens’ panels with representative groups of citizens from across the region selected by the Sortition Foundation. These citizen panels created the design principles for the Citizens’ Assembly for Culture.
£10,000 of research and development funding was secured from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch) which enabled the partners to begin the initial research phase. During this period, collaborators from the cultural sector helped explore how a Citizens’ Assembly for Culture could be used to co-create a cultural delivery plan During this phase, it was recommended that the plan should incorporate the wider region.
The project was initiated by St Pauls Carnival CEO, LaToyah McAllister-Jones, and Trinity‘s CEO, Emma Harvey, who, as community leaders, began to think about how people in Bristol – particularly those from under-represented groups – could help to inform cultural plans for the city. The pair began working with David Jubb from Citizens in Power to build democracy into cultural decision-making. programme.
Monday 13 October
This weekend the West of England Citizens’ Assembly met again, focusing on the themes of Skills and Economy.
On Saturday 11 October, citizens from Bristol and South Gloucestershire met together online, and on Sunday 12 October, citizens from Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset held their own online session.
The Assembly continues to explore the core questions:
What would culture and creativity look like in the West of England if they were for everyone?
The weekend explored how culture and creativity support jobs, skills and enterprise across the region, contributing to the wider economy.
Citizens reflected on the scope of the Assembly’s work so far — and how they are going on to develop place-based priorities in the four Unitary Authority areas as well as a regional Cultural Plan for the West of England which will include short, medium and long-term proposals.
Citizens also learned about different models of cultural funding and took part in a practical exercise exploring urban and rural cultural challenges through a “deep democracy” approach, helping consider multiple perspectives.
After each of the weekend’s presentations, citizens worked together in small facilitated groups to share observations and prioritise questions for speakers.
Speakers for the weekend included:
- Richard Blows and Mark Fisher (Boomsatsuma) on creative industry education, training, and employment pathways for young people.
- George Tivenan-Densley and Fiona Matthews (Superculture) on participatory arts as a driver of wellbeing, local pride, and economic resilience.
- Ruby Sant (Little Lost Robot CIC/Bath Spa University) on inclusive creative practice and community-led projects in Radstock, Twerton and Somer Valley.
- Bashart Malik (filmmaker and mentor) on improving access and representation for Black and Global Majority creatives in film and television.
The Unitary Authorities were also part of the weekend’s presentations:
- Robert Campbell (Bath and North East Somerset Council) on the Council’s new Cultural Development Plan and its vision for culture as a driver of health, social cohesion and prosperity.
- Elise Hurcombe (Bristol City Council) on inclusive, citizen-focused cultural planning in Bristol.
- Chris Head and Josyanne Clarke (North Somerset Council) on culture’s role in community cohesion and the council’s emerging Cultural Framework.
- Cllr Chris Willmore, Donna Whinham, and Alison Catlin (South Gloucestershire Council) on the area’s current offer and the importance of grassroots activity and local identity.
Recordings of the presentations are made available so that citizens can revisit them as they develop their ideas and recommendations.
The next Assembly meeting is on Sunday 19th October, in-person in Bristol, when citizens will be exploring a series of Snapshots providing overviews of key topics and beginning to shape emerging themes from the Citizens’ Assembly.
Check back in on Monday 20th October for the latest update.
11th/ 12th October update:
This weekend the West of England Citizens’ Assembly met again, focusing on the themes of Skills and Economy.
On Saturday 11 October, citizens from Bristol and South Gloucestershire met together online, and on Sunday 12 October, citizens from Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset held their own online session.
The Assembly continues to explore the core questions:
What would culture and creativity look like in the West of England if they were for everyone?
The weekend explored how culture and creativity support jobs, skills and enterprise across the region, contributing to the wider economy.
Citizens reflected on the scope of the Assembly’s work so far — and how they are going on to develop place-based priorities in the four Unitary Authority areas as well as a regional Cultural Plan for the West of England which will include short, medium and long-term proposals.
Citizens also learned about different models of cultural funding and took part in a practical exercise exploring urban and rural cultural challenges through a “deep democracy” approach, helping consider multiple perspectives.
After each of the weekend’s presentations, citizens worked together in small facilitated groups to share observations and prioritise questions for speakers.
Speakers for the weekend included:
- Richard Blows and Mark Fisher (Boomsatsuma) on creative industry education, training, and employment pathways for young people.
- George Tivenan-Densley and Fiona Matthews (Superculture) on participatory arts as a driver of wellbeing, local pride, and economic resilience.
- Ruby Sant (Little Lost Robot CIC/Bath Spa University) on inclusive creative practice and community-led projects in Radstock, Twerton and Somer Valley.
- Bashart Malik (filmmaker and mentor) on improving access and representation for Black and Global Majority creatives in film and television.
The Unitary Authorities were also part of the weekend’s presentations:
- Robert Campbell (Bath and North East Somerset Council) on the Council’s new Cultural Development Plan and its vision for culture as a driver of health, social cohesion and prosperity.
- Elise Hurcombe (Bristol City Council) on inclusive, citizen-focused cultural planning in Bristol.
- Chris Head and Josyanne Clarke (North Somerset Council) on culture’s role in community cohesion and the council’s emerging Cultural Framework.
- Cllr Chris Willmore, Donna Whinham, and Alison Catlin (South Gloucestershire Council) on the area’s current offer and the importance of grassroots activity and local identity.
Recordings of the presentations are made available so that citizens can revisit them as they develop their ideas and recommendations.
The next Assembly meeting is on Sunday 19th October, in-person in Bristol, when citizens will be exploring a series of Snapshots providing overviews of key topics and beginning to shape emerging themes from the Citizens’ Assembly.
Check back in on Monday 20th October for the latest update.
–
27th/ 28th September update:
On the 27th and 28th September the West of England Citizens’ Assembly met for the second time, with sessions held online across the four Unitary Authorities.
On Saturday 27 September, citizens from Bristol and South Gloucestershire came together to deliberate, and on Sunday 28 September, citizens from Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset met in their own online session.
The Citizens’ Assembly for the West of England is designed so that some meetings take place in person and some online.
In-person sessions give citizens the chance to connect as a whole group, while online meetings reduce travel and make it easier to take part regularly, as well as allowing more focused discussions on local issues.
The Cultural Plan and Assembly question
The central task for the Assembly is to create a Cultural Plan by answering the question:
What would culture and creativity look like in the West of England if they were for everyone?
The idea is that there are two layers to this plan. When the Assembly meets as a whole group, citizens consider the regional picture to shape a regional plan. When they meet in smaller area-based groups, like this weekend, they dig deeper into the issues and concerns which affect local areas.
This weekend focussed particularly on the themes of Wellbeing and Placemaking with presentations and discussions which explored these ideas in multiple ways.
Saturday and Sunday
Citizens began both days by introducing themselves in breakout groups and sharing what culture means to them personally, grounding the discussion in their own experiences. Assembly members have been going on cultural visits and having creative adventures across the region, as part of their Assembly experience.
Both days included a range of presentations and ideas. After each presentation, citizens worked in facilitated breakout groups to reflect, share observations, and prioritise questions for speakers. Groups were also encouraged to link their questions to both local and regional contexts, ensuring evidence could inform the Cultural Plans at both levels.
Citizens used simple tools, such as a “red card” to flag jargon or unclear points, to help keep discussions accessible to all. At the end of each round, groups fed one key observation back into the main room, so that a wide range of perspectives was captured.
Speakers for the weekend
- Dana Lungu (University of Bristol), on work with migrant and refugee mothers, and the role of community spaces in providing welcome and cultural connection.
- David Moss (NHS) shared his journey from senior system leader to creative health advocate, highlighting the power of cultural storytelling in health and care.
- Stella Mann (Glenside Hospital Museum) on connecting past mental health practices with contemporary neuroscience to reduce stigma and support wellbeing.
- Esther Lam (Bristol Refugee Festival) on migrant-led cultural projects exploring identity, memory and belonging, and the value of inclusive community spaces.
- Lizzy Stephens & Louise Betts (Travelling Light Theatre) on theatre made with and for children and young people, and the importance of including children’s voices in cultural planning.
- Dr Natalie Hyacinth (University of Bristol) on the role of sound and music in building solidarity, belonging, and cultural wellbeing for marginalised communities.
- Adam Fuller (The Front Room) on transforming a disused building in Weston-super-Mare into a thriving community-led cultural hub.
- Laura Porter (Now Hear This Music C.I.C.) on disabled-led, co-produced music-making as a way to support wellbeing, connection and inclusion.
- Angie Bual (Trigger) on bold, inclusive public art events co-created with communities to celebrate diversity and strengthen cohesion.
Recordings of all the presentations and Q&As in the citizens’ assembly are made available so that citizens can revisit them as they reflect on the growing body of evidence.
Citizens themselves are also beginning to propose evidence and themes they would like to see presented to the Assembly.
In future sessions, alongside live presentations, citizens will also receive Snapshots. These are short summaries of research and sector-wide evidence prepared by a range of experts from the region and beyond. Snapshots cover topics ranging from creative education and inclusion, to everyday creativity and volunteering, to the state of museums and heritage. The intention is to give citizens access to as broad an evidence base as possible.
The next Assembly meetings will take place on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October when the themes will be Skills and Economy.
We will share the next update on Monday 13 October.
–
Sunday 14th September update:
Sunday 14th September marked the first day of the West of England Citizens’ Assembly which will take place over eight days in September, October and November.
52 citizens from all walks of life came together from across Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
They came together to answer the question “What would culture and creativity look like in the West of England if they were for everyone?”
They were supported by a team of independent facilitators (pictured above) and LaToyah McAllister-Jones and Rebekah McCabe as Co-Lead Facilitators.
(Rebekah and LaToyah)
The Mayor of the West of England welcomed citizens and thanked them for taking part in the assembly. In the morning, there were lots of introductions and the group of 52 agreed how they wanted to work together during the assembly.
There was a practical workshop with Play:Disrupt to help citizens explore different aspects of the creative and cultural ecosystem in the region.
(Play:Disrupt workshop)
After lunch, there were three presentations:
- Sarah James, Head of Creative and Cultural Industries for the Mayoral Combined Authority, talking about the cultural ecology in the West of England.
- Sophie Moysey, Senior Relationship Manager at Arts Council England about the funding landscape shaped by the government’s lead arts funder.
- Kathryn Davis, Director Visit West, talking about the visitor economy in the West of England.
(Sarah James, Mayoral Combined Authority)
After each commentator spoke, citizens worked together, in eight groups each with an independent facilitator, to reflect on what they heard. They then asked questions to the commentators to clarify and follow-up on key points that interested them.
The next assembly days will be on the 27th and 28th September when citizens will meet online in their four area groups – Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Citizens will experience a wide range of case studies, stories and evidence, selected by the independent Advisory Panel.
We will share the next report from the Citizens’ Assembly at 8am on Monday 29th September. There will also be a short documentary made about the Citizens’ Assembly created by journalist and filmmaker Neil Maggs.
This weekend the West of England Citizens’ Assembly met for the second time, with sessions held online across the four Unitary Authorities.
On Saturday 27 September, citizens from Bristol and South Gloucestershire came together to deliberate, and on Sunday 28 September, citizens from Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset met in their own online session.
The Citizens’ Assembly for the West of England is designed so that some meetings take place in person and some online.
In-person sessions give citizens the chance to connect as a whole group, while online meetings reduce travel and make it easier to take part regularly, as well as allowing more focused discussions on local issues.
The Cultural Plan and Assembly question
The central task for the Assembly is to create a Cultural Plan by answering the question:
What would culture and creativity look like in the West of England if they were for everyone?
The idea is that there are two layers to this plan. When the Assembly meets as a whole group, citizens consider the regional picture to shape a regional plan. When they meet in smaller area-based groups, like this weekend, they dig deeper into the issues and concerns which affect local areas.
This weekend focussed particularly on the themes of Wellbeing and Placemaking with presentations and discussions which explored these ideas in multiple ways.
Saturday and Sunday
Citizens began both days by introducing themselves in breakout groups and sharing what culture means to them personally, grounding the discussion in their own experiences. Assembly members have been going on cultural visits and having creative adventures across the region, as part of their Assembly experience.
Both days included a range of presentations and ideas. After each presentation, citizens worked in facilitated breakout groups to reflect, share observations, and prioritise questions for speakers. Groups were also encouraged to link their questions to both local and regional contexts, ensuring evidence could inform the Cultural Plans at both levels.
Citizens used simple tools, such as a “red card” to flag jargon or unclear points, to help keep discussions accessible to all. At the end of each round, groups fed one key observation back into the main room, so that a wide range of perspectives was captured.
Speakers for the weekend
- Dana Lungu (University of Bristol), on work with migrant and refugee mothers, and the role of community spaces in providing welcome and cultural connection.
- David Moss (NHS) shared his journey from senior system leader to creative health advocate, highlighting the power of cultural storytelling in health and care.
- Stella Mann (Glenside Hospital Museum) on connecting past mental health practices with contemporary neuroscience to reduce stigma and support wellbeing.
- Esther Lam (Bristol Refugee Festival) on migrant-led cultural projects exploring identity, memory and belonging, and the value of inclusive community spaces.
- Lizzy Stephens & Louise Betts (Travelling Light Theatre) on theatre made with and for children and young people, and the importance of including children’s voices in cultural planning.
- Dr Natalie Hyacinth (University of Bristol) on the role of sound and music in building solidarity, belonging, and cultural wellbeing for marginalised communities.
- Adam Fuller (The Front Room) on transforming a disused building in Weston-super-Mare into a thriving community-led cultural hub.
- Laura Porter (Now Hear This Music C.I.C.) on disabled-led, co-produced music-making as a way to support wellbeing, connection and inclusion.
- Angie Bual (Trigger) on bold, inclusive public art events co-created with communities to celebrate diversity and strengthen cohesion.
Recordings of all the presentations and Q&As in the citizens’ assembly are made available so that citizens can revisit them as they reflect on the growing body of evidence.
Citizens themselves are also beginning to propose evidence and themes they would like to see presented to the Assembly.
In future sessions, alongside live presentations, citizens will also receive Snapshots. These are short summaries of research and sector-wide evidence prepared by a range of experts from the region and beyond. Snapshots cover topics ranging from creative education and inclusion, to everyday creativity and volunteering, to the state of museums and heritage. The intention is to give citizens access to as broad an evidence base as possible.
The next Assembly meetings will take place on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October when the themes will be Skills and Economy.
We will share the next update on Monday 13 October.
