- Cultural organisations across Sussex have welcomed new findings from University of Sussex that highlight the economic value and social impact of art, culture and heritage in the region.
- A new strategic group is launched; Culture Sussex brings together partners across the Sussex counties in preparation for regional devolution and ahead of the Sussex & Brighton Strategic Authority’s Prosperity Strategy consultation.
- Culture Sussex have released a film featuring a specially commissioned poem by Woodzy, Crawley’s Poet Laureate. ‘Culture Makes Sussex’ is a tribute to the artists, makers, performers, museums, venues, creative studios, heritage sites and designated landscapes spanning the whole region.
University of Sussex’s new findings show:
Culture contributes £3.5bn annually to the Sussex economy, including more than £650m of benefit to hospitality and retail — creating jobs and helping sustain high streets and local communities across Sussex.
Culture creates £200m a year of health and wellbeing benefits for the residents of Sussex and forms an essential component in our health infrastructure through pioneering work spanning dementia, social care and supporting young people with complex needs.
Sussex has the creative energy to power a new wave of economic growth. Creative Industries in the UK are growing 2.5 times faster than the economy as a whole and the region has 50% more creative businesses than the national average, accounting for 8% of all businesses across Sussex and rising to 13% in Brighton and Hove.
Culture, art and heritage motivate up to 64% of international tourists to the UK which in the Sussex context could provide £1.6 billion of the regional visitor economy growth target for the next decade.
Larger than Glasgow, Edinburgh and Leeds, Sussex’s creative clusters form the fifth-biggest creative economy outside London and the Heathrow corridor, supporting over 30,000 jobs.
National research shows that 49% of people say attending cultural events helps them feel a stronger part of their community. Sussex has a particularly rich cultural landscape with 1,100 museums, libraries, theatres and grassroots festivals strengthening civic participation and belonging. With nearly three in four Sussex primary schools within walking distance of a cultural asset, and 5.9 cultural assets per 10,000 residents, culture is within every Sussex postcode.
The data has been announced today by Culture Sussex, which partners with Brighton & Hove Culture Alliance, Culture East Sussex and West Sussex Creatives, with founding support from Arts Council England, in preparation for regional devolution and ahead of the Sussex & Brighton Strategic Authority’s Prosperity Strategy consultation.
A Culture Sussex spokesperson said:
“As the Sussex & Brighton Strategic Authority takes on new responsibilities for growth, transport and place, this evidence reveals that culture has a vital role in delivering their priorities – from developing skills and creating jobs, to regenerating our town centres and supporting healthier communities.”
To celebrate the region’s diverse cultural sector, Culture Sussex have released a film featuring a specially commissioned poem by Woodzy, Crawley’s Poet Laureate. ‘Culture Makes Sussex’ is a tribute to the artists, makers, performers, museums, venues, creative studios, heritage sites and designated landscapes spanning the whole region.
Woodzy said of his involvement with the film:
“Sussex and its culture are almost like a jigsaw puzzle with lots of different pieces that fit together to make a beautiful overall piece of art. I am honoured to have my pen and my voice as part of this purposeful project. Culture really does make Sussex. This is the place.”
Watch the Culture Makes Sussex film
Image: Glow Wild, Kew Wakehurst © Ollie Dixon
