What is a Cultural Compact?
Cultural Compacts are place-based strategic partnerships, established following the 2019 Cultural Cities Enquiry and supported by Arts Council England and DCMS.
They are designed to bring together leaders from across sectors to:
- Develop a shared vision for culture in a place
- Align strategy, investment and activity
- Strengthen culture’s contribution to economic, social and civic outcomes
At their core, Compacts are:
Cross-sector partnerships that connect culture with wider systems including business, education, health and local government. They work as a strategic connector and enabler across sectors, supporting a stronger, more resilient cultural ecosystem.
Key Principles
Successful Compacts typically:
- Provide cross-sector leadership
- Work in partnership with (but are not led solely by) local authorities
- Focus on alignment, influence and connection
- Avoid duplication of existing provision
- Enable and unlock investment into the cultural sector
What Do Compacts Do?
While each Compact reflects local priorities, they typically operate across three core areas:
1. Convening & Strategy
Acting as a coordinating and aligning body, rather than a delivery organisation, Compacts:
- Bring together partners across sectors
- Develop shared priorities and cultural strategies
- Identify gaps in skills, infrastructure and investment
2. Advocacy & Influence
Ensuring culture is embedded in wider decision-making and investment, Compacts:
- Champion the value of culture across sectors
- Influence local policy (economic growth, health, skills, regeneration)
- Provide a clear, collective voice for culture
3. Enabling Investment & Partnerships
Acting as an enabler of investment, rather than a funder, Compacts:
- Support partnership development and funding bids
- Align public, private and third-sector investment
- Create conditions for increased investment in culture
Defining Feature: Cross-Sector Working
Cultural Compacts are intentionally cross-sector by design. Typical partners include:
- Local Authorities
- Cultural organisations
- Businesses
- Universities and education providers
- Health partners (e.g. NHS)
- Voluntary and community sector
This approach:
- Broadens the reach and relevance of culture
- Connects culture to health, skills, regeneration and economic growth
- Creates shared ownership of cultural outcomes
What Compacts Are Not
Cultural Compacts are not:
- A funding body distributing grants
- A single-sector cultural organisation
- A replacement for local authority cultural teams
- A purely operational delivery service
Relationship with Local Authorities
Compacts work in partnership with local authorities, but are not owned by them. This balance enables both alignment and influence:
Aligned:
- Support local strategies and priorities
- Collaborate on planning, investment and delivery
Independent:
- Typically independently chaired
Include a broader cross-sector leadership group - Operate as a neutral convenor across sectors
How Compacts Have Developed Nationally
There are now 30–40+ Cultural Compacts across England, operating at different scales. Common characteristics include:
- Light-touch, low-cost structures
- Evolving over time based on local need
- Acting as strategic convenors and influencers
- In some cases, developing delivery or fundraising capacity
- In some cases, setting up as an independent organisation such as a CIC
There is no single model, flexibility and responsiveness to place needs is a core strength of the Compact approach.