Cultural Infrastructure Map update and study

Calling all London creative communities! Do you know of any cultural spaces that have recently opened, changed or closed? Are you a cultural space provider or user? Help us understand the impact of COVID-19 and Brexit on cultural spaces in London by responding to one of our surveys.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) have commissioned the WMT Urban Research Unit alongside PRD and Justinien Tribillon to conduct a Cultural Infrastructure Map update and a study to understand recent changes in cultural infrastructure provision in the capital. The work will also explore how COVID-19, Brexit and other events of the last few years have affected cultural spaces and needs across the capital.

What do we mean by cultural infrastructure?

When we talk about ‘cultural infrastructure’ we mean the buildings, structures and spaces where culture is:

• Consumed: Places where culture is experienced, participated in, showcased, exhibited or sold. For example, museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas, libraries, record stores and historic cultural sites.
• Produced: Places of creative production, where creative work is made, usually by artists, performers, makers, manufacturers or digital processes. For example, creative workspaces, performing arts rehearsal spaces, music recording studios, film and television studios and industrial and light industrial units used by creative and cultural businesses.

Why is this important?

The study will help the Greater London Authority (GLA) gain a better understanding of the key challenges facing the creative and cultural sectors in regard to premises, and establish what London needs to do to support and sustain them. It will also help the GLA understand what the needs of the users of space are.

The insights from the study will be used by the Greater London Authority to:

• Prioritise support for at risk infrastructure through the Culture and Community Spaces at Risk programme.
• Develop and direct new policy that supports the sector to set down roots and grow.
• Direct funding when opportunities become available.
• Update the Cultural Infrastructure Map and the High Streets Data Service portal.

Take part in our surveys

We are conducting two surveys to support the Cultural Infrastructure Map update and study.

• The ‘Snapshot Survey’ examines where cultural infrastructure has closed, moved, changed or opened. This survey is relevant to anyone who uses London’s cultural consumption or production spaces.
• The ‘Cultural Spaces Survey' is targeted at providers and users of cultural infrastructure.

To take part in the surveys please follow this link.

If you have any questions about the research, please contact Benedikt Straňák at benedikt@wemadethat.co.uk.

Photo by the Greater London Authority.