Agenda item

To receive the report of the Deputy Town Clerk.

The Committee received the report of the Deputy Town Clerk providing an update on activity between June and August 2025 on the development of the Cultural Strategy, together with a forward look on the delivery plan for 2026 and viewed a presentation from Things Made Public. 

Members noted the forthcoming 05 February 2026 event at the Guildhall Art Gallery, and were invited to ensure that details of cultural contacts known to them are forwarded to the executive. In response to a question on whether the cultural strategy would be unveiled at the February 2026 event, the meeting heard that the strategy is not expected to have been finalised at that point and that the event is expected to act partly as a springboard for further action.

A Member asked whether The Audience Agency would be in a position to discuss and explain the data presented in the report. The meeting heard that an informal session would be arranged (see action point).

A Member asked what key messages were being taken to inform ongoing work, commenting that the document appeared to be quite generic. The meeting heard that Things Made Public and The Audience Agency are expecting to co-create an action plan on the back of the data presented taking into account further feedback, with a further iteration of the document expected to be presented that will explore key audiences and segments and how these can be activated, alongside evaluation frameworks. In response to a question on whether a brief would be compiled ahead of the document’s next iteration, the meeting heard that a brief is to be put together for the next phase of the document.

A Member asked for clarification on whether the cultural strategy document is a final iteration. The meeting heard that the document continues to be a work in progress and that further comments and suggestions are invited.

In response to a question on whether Things Made Public was of the view that the document is currently fit for purpose, the Committee heard that the document is not yet complete, that there is still phase 3 work to be completed, and a decision still is to be made on the nature of the alignment with Destination City, noting that foreign investment into the City is in part connected to its unique cultural assets.   

A Member commented on the apparently small sample size of c. 1300 people, and asked why the research had not identified ‘superusers’ (for example, Barbican Centre users). The meeting heard that, generally speaking, little difference in the veracity of findings was observed beyond 1000 survey respondents. The Committee discussed focus areas around the broad base of users and ‘superusers’, as well as the overlap between the Destination City remit and the cultural offering of the City of London.

A Member asked whether the data had been specifically put together for the City of London Corporation, or whether it was existing survey data. The meeting heard that phase 1 had made use of existing data whereas phase 2 data was specifically gathered for the purposes of the current report, noting also the visitor figures for foreign tourists.

A Member asked whether a shared definition of culture in the City has been finalised. The meeting heard that the uniqueness of the City has not yet been captured in any finalised definition, and that a working group on that is to be set up to include the Chair and Deputy Chair (see action point). 

A Member asked for more information on timelines for the project. The meeting heard that the expectation is that the cultural strategy is expected to be completed in May 2026 rather than February 2026, partly as a result of the significant amount of stakeholder engagement.

A Member asked that further information be provided on potential partners/organisations and stakeholders involved in the compilation of the report (see action point) 

A Member recommended that the world-class nature of the City’s cultural offering be emphasised to a greater extent in any further iteration.

A Member commented that the ‘old town’ designation for the City of London is a concept worth adopting and disseminating.