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About

About the Centre for Cultural Value

We are a national research centre based at the University of Leeds. We want to enrich lives by building an equitable, confident and sustainable cultural sector

We are funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council, Arts Council England and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

Dance On, Yorkshire Dance. Photo: Sara Teresa
Woman leading a crafts session
Fun Palaces 2019. Photo: Roswitha Chesher
Introduction

What we do

We work alongside cultural practitioners and organisations, academics, funders and policymakers to:

    • Summarise existing evidence to make relevant research more accessible
    • Support the cultural sector to develop skills in research, evaluation and reflective practice
    • Convene discussions around questions of cultural value
    • Shape policy development

How we work

We recognise that there are diverse perspectives about culture and cultural values. Everyone values culture, even if they don’t always have equal opportunities to take part in the cultural activities they value the most.

Collaboration and partnership underpin our work and help us draw on a rich range of insights, evidence and practice.

  • We co-produce our work in partnership with others and we bring people together to further understanding of cultural value.
  • We are committed to diversifying the voices and viewpoints heard in discussions about cultural value.
  • We are independent, objective and clear about what evidence there is and where the gaps lie.
Three people sit at a table talking and laughing as part of Arts Together, Left Bank, Leeds
Arts Together, Left Bank Leeds (Photo by Tom Arber)
People look at torch on the ceiling of a dungeon
Pontefract Castle Dungeon Tours, Wakefield Council. Photo: Sarah Zagni

Background

The Cultural Value project opened up a fresh approach to thinking about the value of culture and recommended that a Centre for Cultural Value was set up.
Two woman dancing
Birmingham Dance to Health, Aesop. Photo: Ranjan Jolly

Partners

We work in partnership with national organisations, networks and research institutions so that collectively we we can advance understanding of cultural value.
Dancers of Move Dance Feel at Paul’s Cancer Support Centre
Move Dance Feel. Photo: Camilla Greenwell

Team

We have a small core team based at the University of Leeds. We also work closely with our Associate Directors who provide specialist expertise and academic leadership.

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