Total Place, Total Culture?

The LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport conference is kicking off in Gateshead.  As the delegates drift into the hall and check into their hotels, register and catch up with colleagues, we are asking them to think about the future of culture in the places they live, work and represent.

The recent Total Place pilots have shown that only 15% of public spending in an area is under the democratic control of local councils.  In the face of mounting financial pressures, the LGA is clear that only a radical redesign of how local services are delivered will ensure the savings and benefits of Total Place are realised.

“Culture” and “place” are inherently linked.  The ultimate root meaning of the word “culture” is linked to ideas of “the tilling of land”, dwelling in a place and worshipping its gods.  The cultural institutions of a place, its football club, museum, library, green spaces, public art and live music scene, for example, help us understand a place, its history as well as it’s ambitions for the future. 

These institutions, and the networks of fans, friends, customers and visitors they support represent the “total culture” of a place – and they need to work in a united, collective way to make a coherent local offer to entertain and inspire, to excite and challenge both residents and visitors.

We are asking delegates to the conference three questions to get them thinking about the juncture of Total Place and Total Culture:

• If you found yourself in a lift with the Secretary of State for Culture after the general election, and it took one minute to reach your floor, what would you say sport could do for the next government?
• In return, what are the three or four things government could do differently to help you do your jobs better? 
• And acknowledging that tough financial decisions must be made, what would you give up for the benefit of the culture, tourism and sport sector as a whole? 

Give us you thoughts on these questions below, and look out for further updates from the conference as it progresses.

Tags: culture, LGA, libraries, local, museums, sport, Total Place