Forum to boost university collaborations with the arts

A new consortium of partnerships between higher education institutions and the cultural sector aims to stimulate research, cultural and creative careers, and public engagement in the North of England.

Culture Forum North is free to join for cultural and HE institutions. Members commit to investing time, expertise and resources by participating in project groups, creating new programmes, new materials and advocacy. Initiatives include new professional development programmes in fundraising and theatre practice, research-sharing and establishing professors in residence.

The consortium has emerged following a three-stage award of strategic funding from Arts Council England North, which supported initial project management, networking events, communications activity and the development of a website. It will also fund an audit of HE/cultural partnerships in the North and a launch symposium next month. The Institute of Cultural Capital, a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University, is funding additional research into partnership in the North.

DARE, a partnership between Opera North & University of Leeds, is taking over the coordination of the Forum, to support the Board and the membership to achieve its strategic aims.

Alistair Hudson, Chair of Culture Forum North and Director of Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, said: “The North has a powerful and compelling history of partnership between education, culture and society. The time is right for us to build on this strong foundation: universities and cultural organisations are increasingly taking leading roles in civic, social and economic developments.”

The launch symposium will take place on 24 May at the Howard Assembly Room in Leeds.