The Culture Strategy Action Group Call-Out

Context

November 2024 saw the release of Sheffield’s first ever Culture Strategy, a bold and forward-thinking vision that reflects the rich, dynamic and ever-evolving cultural life of our city. This strategy marks a significant moment of opportunity, with consensus across the sector on the need to work differently. At its heart is a commitment to shared leadership and a collaborative, city-wide approach to shaping Sheffield’s cultural future for the benefit of residents, visitors, and the local economy. 

The convening of the Culture Strategy Action Group (CSAG) is a step towards realising this vision. The CSAG brings together a cross-section of passionate, motivated cultural workers in an ongoing task group to drive positive change across the sector by connecting people, championing ideas, and inspiring collective action, serving as an active part of the city’s Culture Hub and embodying the collaborative spirit at the core of the strategy. 


Why is this new group being assembled?

The Culture Strategy Action Group aims to develop a collaborative model of shared leadership. This approach has grown directly from what we’ve heard through consultation and conversation with the sector. People told us clearly that they want more inclusive, democratic, and creative ways of working, and that they want the city’s cultural strategy to feel more connected to the realities of audiences and communities on the ground. That’s what we’re trying to build here. 

In its actions, the group will seek to connect, convene, communicate and champion culture within the city to contribute to a networked, supportive, inclusive and growing creative and cultural sector for the benefit of all. 


Who the group is for?

The group is for organisations within cultural networks and for people working at the grassroots of Sheffield’s cultural life: freelance creatives, artists, event producers, emerging voices, those working creatively within community arts organisations, venues and nightlife, different artforms and key focus areas such as children and young people are all welcome. It will be a participatory task group of passionate and committed individuals contributing to culture in the city. 

This group seeks to be a creative organising space. One that models for the kind of inclusive and welcoming, open, transparent and accountable leadership that is desired across the cultural landscape. 

If you're making culture happen on the ground, and you want to be part of building something new with others like you, this space is for you. 


What will being in the group involve?

The Culture Strategy is an inspiring plan, and it needs the people who are at the heart of championing and/or creating cultural activity to ensure that its ambitions are reached. The action group seeks to:

  • Bring together individuals, from across the sector, to help generate ideas, scale our initiatives, increase collaboration around programming and deliver on the strategy’s actions. 

  • Contribute to the distribution of information across the sector and between communities, utilising individual networks to aid sector wide communication.

  • Provide a representative voice for the people of Sheffield and its diverse communities for consultation on culture planning. 

  • Be a sounding board for Culture Sheffield activity, which includes the co-production of delivery plans, funding bids, culture budget spends and communication within the sector. 

  • Embed a shared leadership model of cultural stewardship, seeking to share power through collaborative action.  

  • Be a forum that brings creativity, joy, discovery and celebration to the culture life of the city. 


What the group is not.

  • Focused on the needs of any single individual or organisations interests but are instead focused on building a culture of mutual support by breaking down silos across the city.  

  • A broadcasting channel for updates on council activity, nor a space solely for sector scrutiny of council plans.

  • A closed or fixed group. The aim is to remain open, responsive, and grounded in the diverse realities of cultural work across Sheffield, with membership refreshing over time.  

  • Specific to any artform or thematic area – these networks are already in existence, and we are working with them to showcase how people can hear from and get involved with them. 


How will the group operate?

  • 15 members. 

  • Fixed term membership of 1, 2 or 3 years to allow for fresh perspectives and input over time. 

  • Tiered funding for meeting attendance if required to allow attendance, based on employment type/size of org. (Please see appendix)

  • Clear terms of reference (to be shaped by the group) with expectations around attendance of meetings on a bi-monthly (every other month) basis.

  • Open, inclusive and transparent in its processes and outcomes, with published minutes that welcomes engagement from across the city. 


How will the group be recruited?

In line with the values in the culture strategy the selection process is open, inclusive, and transparent.

We invite you to apply through our Expression of Interest process by answering 5 questions in a video or written response.



The Process:

  1. May: Expression of interest open – 6-week window with Drop in sessions for application questions / support. 

  1. July: Expression of interest application window closes.

  1. July: Selection process, run by an independent selection panel.  

  1. July-August: Outcomes communicated.  

  1. September: First meeting.

You can apply via written response to the outlined questions, or via a video (6 minutes max allowing for 1 minute per question).  Expressions of interest will be collected via an MS Forms doc (link below). The questions included are:

  1. What motivates you to be part of a city-wide cultural group like this? What do you hope to contribute, and what do you hope to learn? 

  1. Provide a description of the work you do within culture in Sheffield. We are interested in work at all levels, including grassroots/voluntary. 

  1. Tell us about your networks within culture in Sheffield and who your presence would help to represent within the meetings? 

  1. What areas of the culture strategy would you want us to focus on and why? 

  1. What do you think are the key ingredients of a healthy, collaborative culture sector in Sheffield? What kind of role would you like to play in helping build that? 


The Panel:

To support this, we’ve brought together an independent panel that includes representatives from Arts Council England and Voluntary Action Sheffield. The panel has been assembled to bring an independent and broad understanding of Sheffield’s cultural landscape, ensuring the process is rooted in equity and access.  

  • Arts Council England 

  • Voluntary Action Sheffield 

  • Culture Sheffield (SCC) 


How EOIs will be selected:

The panel will recommend members base on the following qualities:  

  • Reside, work and/or be based in Sheffield.  

  • Have experience/expertise in championing or delivering culture in either an employed or voluntary capacity. 

  • Be able to show willingness and ability to collaborate.

  • Be driven to provide city-level creative and cultural leadership. 


Where to apply:

Click this link to apply.

The application deadline is 9th July at 12 noon.


Want to know more before applying? 

If you have any questions about the action group, the terms of reference or the application process, then please come along to our drop in session, where a member of the Culture Sheffield team will be able to provide advice.  

Drop in sessions will be held:

  • 11th June 10:30 – 12:30 @ Union Street

  • 17th June 17:00 – 19:00 @ Showroom Bar

You can also request a short video call with a member of the culture team by emailing frazer.scott@sheffield.gov.uk



Appendix 1 - Funding

Meeting attendance can be paid were required. The payment framework is tired, based on turnover of organisation/individual:

Large Organisations

• Annual Turnover: Above £1 million

• Eligibility for Payment: Individuals representing larger organisations will not receive an attendance fee. The expectation is that these larger organisations will cover the costs internally.

Small/Medium Organisations

• Annual Turnover: Less than £1 million

• Eligibility for Payment: Individuals (including freelancers) representing small or medium-sized organisations will receive an attendance fee.

• Fee per meeting: £67

Freelancer Payment

• Freelancers, due to the additional costs they incur (tax, insurance, overheads, etc.), will receive a higher attendance fee compared to salaried staff.

• Fee per meeting: £105.5

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