Vision

The Bexley Cultural Strategy will help sustain a decade of prosperity and togetherness across the Borough. It will organise activities that bring people to town centres, develop young talent, support new businesses and attract inward investment. Integrated support for culture can be the difference between a borough that gets a little better in place and one that attracts people and economic prosperity everywhere.

Introduction

For local authorities, culture can be viewed as part of the glue that brings and keeps our communities together. A strong cultural sector and enriching cultural life can contribute to welcoming, distinctive and attractive places. A rich cultural and heritage offer that celebrates local stories, creativity and traditions allows residents to connect with their past, express themselves in the present, and imagine their future.

Culture can be described as art, music, film, fashion, museums, historic sites, design, even gaming. But it is much more: it is what defines us and how we are changing.

Used effectively, culture and the institutions and services of culture (theatres, libraries, festivals and events) can contribute toward the revitalisation of communities, the development of trust, improved health and wellbeing, and the possibility of a more positive future. 

Having a cultural strategy in place as well as strategic partnerships with independent cultural institutions increases the likelihood of securing funding, such as from Arts Council England. This is because those councils are seen as demonstrating a strategic commitment to culture and the role it can play for society.