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[Update: A friend sent me an AI generated spoken summary of this blog…]
Leicester’s newly launched “Leicester Leading” strategy is a blueprint to bolster the city’s cultural and creative economy. The plan outlines a vision for “fostering artistic talent, engaging communities, and boosting Leicester’s profile as a hub for creativity”. However, Decentered Media believes it’s crucial to scrutinise the finer details to ensure these goals are met in a way that truly reflects the city’s diversity and grassroots potential.
As a collaborative organisation, Decentered Media champions community-driven approaches to cultural development. With uncertainties around the communications strategy and concerns about the centralised portal proposed at the launch event (based on the information available), we aim to examine the strategy’s main issues and offer constructive alternatives.
The Strategy’s Main Issues
Infrastructure Development: Leicester’s cultural spaces are at the heart of this strategy. There’s a pressing need to invest in facilities that cater to diverse artistic and community activities. Ensuring these spaces are accessible and inclusive is essential, but there’s a risk that centralised planning may not fully address specifically local and emergent needs.
Funding and Investment: The strategy acknowledges the challenge of securing sustainable resources for cultural initiatives. However, Decentered Media is concerned about whether smaller, grassroots organisations will receive adequate support alongside larger institutions.
Community Engagement: The strategy promises to prioritise inclusivity, but effective engagement requires more than consultation. True community participation demands decentralised models, yet the proposed centralised portal may inadvertently stifle the very voices it seeks to amplify. Assistant City Mayor for Culture, Libraries and Community Centres, Vi Dempster, made a strong and passionate call for the strategy and the practice of developing the cultural and creative economy of Leicester must reach out beyond the centre, and into all the neighbourhoods that can easily be marginalised in the excitement of the drive for economic development.
Capacity Building and Development: Leicester faces the ongoing challenge of not only developing but also retaining creative talent. To address this, robust training and mentoring opportunities must be provided. A decentralised approach could better match local talents with grassroots opportunities, creating a more connected ecosystem. It must be noted that an open and non-prescriptive approach is essential for this, widening opportunities for bringing many different people together, not only because of their cultural heritage, but based on the potential they have for giving life to a new cultural expressiveness.
Cultural Democracy: A key consideration in formulating cultural and creative economy policy in the UK is the emphasis on ‘mezzo’ level infrastructure and capability. This approach focuses on building from the middle, ensuring that non-professional and accessible cultural activities are supported and fulfilling the needs of cultural democracy and social solidarity. By concentrating on this level, the policy can avoid favouring any one specific group and instead promote an inclusive cultural ecosystem that resonates with a diverse array of community voices and talents.
Economic Integration: Integrating the cultural sector with Leicester’s broader economy could provide a significant boost to growth and employment. However, there is a delicate balance to strike between supporting commercial initiatives and safeguarding cultural authenticity.
Marketing and Promotion: Enhancing Leicester’s visibility is vital, but promotion must also reflect the city’s cultural depth. A centralised marketing approach risks overshadowing smaller, unique creators who contribute to Leicester’s vibrant identity.
The strategy’s emphasis on ‘shouting’ as a key approach is fundamentally flawed. While raising voices can draw immediate attention, it rarely fosters the deep, sustained engagement necessary for long-term cultural enrichment. True community engagement is about sustained and persuasive conversations that permeate through all layers of society. This method ensures that every voice is heard and valued, promoting inclusivity and genuine participation. Relying on a small number of individuals to pool their voices centrally and shout loudly risks alienating the very communities it aims to serve, thereby undermining the ethos of community-driven development.
Policy and Governance: Policy frameworks should reflect Leicester’s community-driven ethos. Clear governance mechanisms are essential, but centralising these processes may lead to inefficiencies and alienate smaller organisations, freelances, and emergent producers who are not recognised by the ‘in-groups’ and ‘gatekeepers’ that will inevitably emerge as management and administrative systems are formalised.
Decentered Media’s Perspective
At Decentered Media, we believe Leicester’s cultural and creative growth lies in a decentralised, participatory approach. The proposed centralised portal could unintentionally undermine the very communities it seeks to serve by limiting grassroots voices and creating a one-size-fits-all model.
Community media plays a vital role in Leicester’s cultural and creative landscape, offering dedicated and locally relevant content that reflects the diversity of the city’s communities. Community radio stations like Soar Sound, EAVA FM, Radio2Funky, and Kohinoor Radio, along with publications such as the Evington Echo, provide platforms that connect people through shared languages, cultural heritage, and religious values. Their work ensures that local voices are heard, fostering a sense of belonging and community cohesion.
Despite the launch of the “Leicester Leading” strategy, it remains unclear whether these invaluable skills, networks, and platforms will be integrated into the strategy’s vision. Community media providers have the unique ability to engage audiences that may otherwise be overlooked by mainstream outlets, and their inclusion could significantly enhance the reach and impact of Leicester’s cultural initiatives.
Decentered Media is committed to strengthening the role of community media through initiatives such as the Community Reporters programme, developed and tested with De Montfort University. This approach empowers local people to tell their stories, share their perspectives, and contribute to Leicester’s cultural narrative. We believe that any strategy aiming to promote Leicester’s creative economy should actively support and collaborate with these grassroots content providers, ensuring a truly inclusive and community-led approach.
Instead, we propose:
- Distributed Platforms: Encourage networks of smaller, locally managed platforms that better reflect community needs.
- Participatory Governance: Empower local organisations to co-create and co-manage cultural initiatives.
- Grassroots Empowerment: Focus on developing micro-initiatives that are highly adaptable and resonate with Leicester’s diverse demographics.
The “Leicester Leading” strategy is a significant step forward, but its success depends on collaboration and adaptability. Decentered Media invites you to share your thoughts on how we can collectively shape a truly inclusive and dynamic cultural strategy for Leicester.