So somehow five years have gone by! We first met on 14 Feb 2014 and five years on here are some of the things we’ve achieved:

  • Establishing WN?Cardiff as one of the key arts, cultural and creative industries groupings in Wales
  • Being key partner in BBC #GetCreative with ACW and BBC Wales
  • Responding to BBC charter renewal to consider issues for broadcasting in Wales and the S4C consultation too
  • Engaging with Welsh Government over the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act Public Service Boards and indicators
  • Supporting the start of a new chapter, WN?Valleys, and will continue to explore potential for others in mid and north Wales
  • Welcoming speakers including Graham Sheffield/ British Council, Matthew Taylor/ The RSA, Robin Simpson/ Voluntary Arts, Adam Price/ nesta, and more
  • Running Wales’ first culture hustings with the main parties in the National Museum, with over 200 people attending #WGCultureHustings
  • Undertook the 24 Hour Culture Survey, asking people to report their everyday creativity and enjoyment of the arts and culture
  • And instigating Cardiff Without Culture? campaign between December 2015 and February 2016, working in a loose alliance with organisations, individuals, and networks across the city and beyond. We:
    • had three open meetings of more than 150 people
    • created a one page briefing doc which gave oversight of council process and nine key messages to share with councillors, press, etc
    • put up a 38degrees petition which topped 6000 signatures
    • had press reports in The Stage, BBC online, Arts Professional, Western Mail, South Wales Echo, a-n news, etc and done radio/ TV for ITV, BBC, S4C, Radio Wales and Radio Cymru
    • presented as “witnesses” to the culture and economy scrutiny committee of the council
    • had a meeting with the leader, CEO of the council and Director of economic development
    • printed a joint open letter from 28 leading organisations and networks
    • launched a facebook page which now has more than 2200 likes
    • made and encouraged others to make submissions as part of the official council consultation via their online survey
    • encouraged people to write to/ talk to MPs, AMs, MEPs, councillors, council officers etc
    • asked a public question at the full council mtg in January
    • and planned the March for Culture, which created more than two and a half million impressions on the hashtag #cardiffwithoutculture, with it trending on the weekend: http://www.artplayer.tv/video/1357/march-for-culture

Find out even more here: What did What Next Cardiff ever do for Cdf June 2016