Values and Vision

8 June 2006

CULTURAL WORLD UNITES TO LAUNCH FUTURE VISION

Today, leading organisations from across the cultural sector joined together for the first time to publish a vision for the future and a plan of action. In a joint document, Values and Vision: The Contribution of Culture, the organisations call for a new settlement with government so that Britain can maintain its position as a world-class culture.

As the government prepares to create the conditions that will define the cultural landscape for the next 10 years, the arts, museum, library and archive sectors have taken the initiative. The organisations, led by Arts Council England, the National Museum Directors' Conference and the Museums Libraries and Archives Council, set out their values and core principles, and demonstrate the contribution that the cultural sector has made to life in Britain in the past 10 years in order to ensure that it can make a similar contribution in the next.

Lord Stevenson and leading figures from the cultural world, Tony Hall, Nicholas Hytner, Judy Kelly, Nicholas Serota and Virginia Tandy laid out the new agenda that will place culture at the centre of government policy making.

The document celebrates the achievements of the last 10 years but acknowledges that there is still a great deal more to be done to realise true potential of the cultural sectors contribution to public life.

The public's support for the cultural sector is strong and growing, but so do public expectations. The document describes how the sector is responding to this demand and maintaining its leading position. Our institutions need to invest in their content and services, to prepare for new delivery systems and capture new markets across the world. We are transforming our relationship with our audiences and communities. By engaging with communities on their own terms, we no longer dictate what people see or experience, instead we empower people to participate as communities and individuals.

The cultural sector is changing. In return we are seeking commitment from Government that it values the contribution culture makes to learning and education, creativity and economic vitality, social regeneration, health and community cohesion.

The London Olympic and Paralympic Games present an exceptional opportunity to celebrate the health and vigour of Britain's cultural sector, and the cultural sector will be key to delivering a lasting, broad legacy for the Games. To ensure the success of the Games and beyond, it is essential that there must be sustained support for the cultural sector and recognition of the value of investment in culture.

Press Enquiries:

Erica Bolton & Jane Quinn
Tel: 020 7221 5000 (5 lines)

Download the Values and Visions document here:
Values and Vision (1MB)
Values and Vision - Part one (860KB)
Values and Vision - Part two (859KB)
Values and Vision - without pictures (246KB)