This report is to update the Committee on the achievements from the third and final year of the Reading, Place of Culture project.  It outlines the impact of covid19 on the project and sets out some indicative legacy plans.

Further to Minute 23 of the meeting held on 11 March 2020, the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report whichupdated the Committee on the achievements from the third and final year of the Reading, Place of Culture project including the profound and ongoing impact of Covid-19 on the project and set out some indicative legacy plans.

The report explained that the project had continued to deliver against the three strands of activity and presented a summary of achievements that included:

·      Age UK Berkshire and The Museum of English Rural Life had delivered a storytelling and reminiscence project for older people at risk of loneliness and social isolation to improve wellbeing.

·      Alana House, Rahab and Reading Rep had delivered theatre for women at risk to enhance communication and conflict resolution skills.

·      Sport In Mind and Junction Dance had worked to use dance in the treatment, management and prevention of mental illness.

·      Rosetta Life dance, music and spoken word project for long term conditions such as living with the effects of stroke, dementia or Parkinson’s.

·      Reading Rep, Jelly and other partners had delivered theatre for young people with SEND to develop confidence and independence, develop skills and decrease social isolation.

·      Mustard Tree, Real Time and Cranbury College had delivered a creative employment project based around film for young people with SEND to build confidence and key skills.

·      The Research programme, led by the University of Reading was an active research partnership between Whitley Community Development Association and local residents.

·      Reading Culture Live (RCL) had been developed and delivered within eight weeks of the first national lockdown and had been designed to be a sister site to What’s On Reading.

·      The Reading Festivals’ Group was a partnership organisation, representing 17 Reading based festivals, which aimed to create synergies in terms of best practice, sustainability, funding and support networks.

·      The Culture and Business Engagement Strand, led by Reading UK, had commissioned a report to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on Reading’s cultural sector.

The report also set out at paragraph 5 the draft legacy plan from Reading, Place of Culture which would be discussed and agreed with funders and subject to further consultation with partners and the wider ACH sector.  The aim of the legacy plan was to continue to champion the role of culture in delivering against health and wellbeing, equality, diversity and inclusion outcomes and engage marginalised or hard-to-reach communities in arts, culture and/or heritage programmes.  The main areas included:

• The Cultural Commissioning Programme

·      The Research Programme

·      Supporting the Sector Post-Covid 19

·      Partnership

Resolved:

(1)      That the achievements of the Reading, Place of Culture project delivered to date be noted;

(2)      That the legacy plans as set out in paragraph 5 of the report be agreed.