Our Culture:
A Cultural Strategy for the London Borough of Bexley 2003-2008

 
Setting the Scene

A Definition of Culture

This document is about culture in Bexley. The word "culture" can mean many things - the culture of a particular community (based on its geography, ethnicity, or faith) - or "high arts" activities such as opera or theatre. It can mean values and attitudes which enhance people's quality of life. Culture is about the quality of the green and urban environment in which people live and work. Its breadth encompasses the design and architecture of the Borough, its heritage and history, art, literature, sport, the many other activities that people take part in, and the opportunities available to do so. It is also about people's sense of identity, their values and the way in which they interact with their local communities.

There are many definitions of the term culture. The government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) include the following activities within culture:

• the performing and visual arts, craft, fashion, media, film, television;
• museums, archives, design; libraries, literature, publishing;
• the built heritage, architecture, landscape, archaeology;
• sports events, facilities and activities;
• parks open spaces, wildlife habitats, water environment, and countryside recreation;
• children's play, playgrounds, and play activities;
• tourism, festivals and attractions; and informal leisure pursuits.

The Importance of Culture

Culture and cultural activity cannot be seen as peripheral or separate from other quality of life and social issues. Cultural activities, in whatever form, enrich the lives of their participants and of the community as a whole. These activities be they music, literature, dance or football allow people an outlet for their creativity and selfexpression which they may not have through work or everyday life.

The key components of culture are crucial to the quality of life of people who live and work in Bexley. The borough's parks, its countryside, its leisure facilities, festivals and events, the opportunity it provides for children and adults to take up and learn new activities, its sense of history and heritage - all are part of the fabric of living, without which people's lives would be immeasurably poorer.

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