EAST RIDING – Candidates to be Hull and East Yorkshire’s first Mayor were today urged to put culture and creativity at the heart of their plans for the region.
HEY Creative, a multi-sector partnership that supports cultural growth across Hull and East Yorkshire, published a manifesto setting out an ambitious agenda for the new Mayor to make arts, culture and heritage a driving force of devolution.
The Hull & East Yorkshire Arts, Culture & Heritage Devolution Manifesto challenges all the mayoral candidates to seize the huge opportunity offered by the area’s rich cultural scene to maximise the positive impact on the region’s economy and community.
The manifesto has been published on World Theatre Day, with cultural leaders coming together at Hull Truck Theatre to promote the manifesto and its powerful message that culture, the arts and heritage must be central to the region’s exciting future under its new Mayor.
Cultural organisations, events and activities contribute many tens of millions of pounds annually to the Hull and East Yorkshire economy, while giving a significant boost to health and wellbeing and bringing communities together in more than 250 venues across the region.
Through the power of devolution, this impact could be amplified, to further improve health and wellbeing, drive regeneration and tourism, and contribute to a thriving economy.
HEY Creative Chief Officer Max May said: “We have so much culture to celebrate in our region and we’ve seen – particularly over the past decade – the positive impact it has across the region.
“Our manifesto sets out how arts, culture and heritage can be leveraged by our new Mayor to enhance connectivity, increase productivity, promote inclusivity and deliver a sustainable future.
“In the first Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor we need a true advocate who will embed arts, culture and heritage into their plans and understands fully that a thriving cultural sector is key to a successful and prosperous region.”
HEY Creative and the Advisory Board of Visit Hull & East Yorkshire (VHEY) have come together to co-host a mayoral hustings at East Riding Theatre in Beverley on Wednesday, April 9, when candidates will share their vision and ambitions for the region’s cultural sector and visitor economy.
HEY Creative and the Advisory Board of VHEY are urging all the candidates to demonstrate support for their sectors. For HEY Creative, this means committing to the manifesto and making arts and culture integral to their plans if they are elected as Mayor.
The hustings event is being held at East Riding Theatre just weeks before the mayoral election on May 1 and all the mayoral candidates have confirmed they will be taking part.
In the first Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor we need a true advocate who will embed arts, culture and heritage into their plans and understands fully that a thriving cultural sector is key to a successful and prosperous region.”
Max May, HEY Creative Chief Officer
The Hull & East Yorkshire Arts, Culture & Heritage Devolution Manifesto urges the incoming Mayor to commit support across five key areas:
Transport – embedding arts, culture and heritage into the Local Transport Plan.
Adult Education and Skills – investing in arts, culture and heritage sector skills through the Local Skills Investment Plan.
Housing and Regeneration – putting arts, culture and heritage at the heart of placemaking and regeneration projects.
Environmental Sustainability – enabling arts, culture and heritage to contribute to, and benefit from, the Local Area Energy Plan.
Arts, Culture and Heritage Commitments – including a pledge to focus a specific percentage of available funding on culture and involve the sector in Combined Authority Boards and initiatives.
Dominic Gibbons, Chair of HEY Creative and Managing Director of property and regeneration company Wykeland Group, a leading supporter of culture and the arts in the region, said: “Devolution is a huge opportunity for Hull and East Yorkshire and arts, culture and heritage are uniquely placed to support the Mayor and the new Combined Authority.
“The incoming Mayor can embrace and extend the impact that these sectors have in communities across the region, to make Hull and East Yorkshire a better place for all.
“At the forefront of the Mayor’s vision will be elevating the profile of the region on the national and international stage. Arts, culture and heritage has a vital role to play in supporting that ambition and that’s a key reason why we’re urging all the mayoral candidates to adopt our manifesto.”
The manifesto has been created in consultation with the region’s arts, culture and heritage community, along with partners in business, the public sector, and education, healthcare and voluntary communities.
The commitments in the manifesto are closely aligned with the region’s devolution deal, which will unlock £400m of long-term investment funding for Hull and East Yorkshire.
To read the Hull & East Yorkshire Arts, Culture & Heritage Devolution Manifesto, go to www.hey-creative.co.uk/manifesto
The mayoral hustings, co-hosted by HEY Creative and the Advisory Board of VHEY, will take place at East Riding Theatre on April 9 from 5pm-7pm. For details, and to book your place, visit: www.eastridingtheatre.co.uk/culture-visitor-economy-mayoral-hustings/