The Big Meet - The Power of Culture in Cumbria's Future.

Name: The Big Meet - The Power of Culture in Cumbria's Future.
Start: 2026-09-23T09:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-09-23T09:00:00+01:00
Location: Sunbeams

About

What contribution can culture make to the new combined mayoral authority for Cumbria? How do we make sure it’s realised?

In May next year, Cumbrians will elect a mayor to oversee the new Cumbria Combined Authority. At the Big Meet, we'll be looking at what this means for culture, and we will be celebrating what culture can contribute to the future mayor's priorities.

We'll be joined by a range of speakers from across England with expert knowledge of culture and devolution, who will help us understand the national devolution picture, the role culture plays elsewhere and what the arts and culture sector has to offer the new Cumbrian mayor.

This event is for anyone active in Cumbria's cultural ecology, whether that is running a venue, practising as a creative or volunteering as a trustee.

Speakers include:

TREVOR MACFARLANE
Founding Director and CEO of Culture Commons. Trevor leads national policy development programmes and strategic partnerships across the UK’s creative, cultural and research sectors.

Earlier this year, Culture Commons set out the case for including culture as a formal area of competence within the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, drawing on more than two years of research and open policy development. As a result, MPs endorsed the inclusion of ‘culture’ within the Bill. He'll set culture in Cumbria within the national devolution picture.

HELEN PHEBY
Head of Culture, Heritage and Sport for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Helen convenes The Great North Creative, a collective of all the culture leads from mayoral authorities across the North of England, chaired by Jude Kelly CBE. Helen will explain how culture works on her patch, to help us learn from their successes and challenges.

CUMBRIA CULTURAL IMPACT STUDY
We'll also hear from the people leading the work currently taking place in Cumbria, looking at the contribution of culture across the county. What are the main findings and how will the study be useful?

There are two types of tickets available, one for individuals representing an organisation and one for creative freelance individuals. All tickets include refreshments, tea and coffee, and lunch.

We do not want cost to be a barrier to accessing The Big Meet. If you need financial support to attend, please email us on hello@cacn.co.uk. Please also contact us if you have any other access needs for which we can provide assistance.

The Big Meet is kindly sponsored by TryBooking.com.