WIRRAL residents and organisations are being urged to help shape the Liverpool City Region's future in creativity and culture.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram is hoping to create a strategy that will offer support for culture expression in the region's six boroughs - Wirral, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens, Halton and Knowsley.

A draft cultural strategy was published last week detailing the framework which will support activities and events in the local area and beyond.

Mr Rotheram said: “Culture was included in our devolution deal because it is such an important and distinctive aspect of our identity and what unites us a region.

"Culture and creativity are integral to our international profile and brand and integral to achieving the vision for a prosperous, fair and desirable place to live, work and invest.

“We are about to experience a fantastic year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture.

"The commitment of the City, to culture, has been significant and once again will shine the spotlight on our city and city region.

“The strategy will build on that legacy, celebrating culture in all its aspects and reaching into and supporting creative expression in every community and borough.”

Recommendations in the draft strategy include an annual grassroots cultural awards programme and a 'borough' of culture' initiative to make sure each area can host a programme of events and celebrations. 

Leader of Wirral Council Cllr Phil Davies, who holds the Culture portfolio in the City Region Combined Authority, said: “As the Combined Authority Lead for Economic Development and Culture, I have been determined to develop an ambitious and long-term strategy to further enhance the Liverpool City Region’s culture and creative sector.

"This sector is an essential driver in stimulating creative entrepreneurialism and is also instrumental in generating substantial growth for local, regional and national economies.

“Over the last few months we have spoken to hundreds of local people, groups and organisations in the creative sector who told us what they valued about culture, what was important to them, and what their ideas were for improving what we do.

“I am proud that this ambitious draft strategy captures those views and creates an important framework for delivering our exciting plans for growing the culture and creative sector across the Liverpool City Region.

"I encourage everyone to give us their ideas through our consultation over the next couple of weeks.”

Wirral Globe:

Phil Redmond CBE

Formulated by the 'Local Cultural Partnership' and chaired by television producer and screenwriter Phil Redmond CBE, the draft is open for feedback until February 15 and can be viewed on the combined authority website.

Phil said: “The world is forever changing and no one is ever sure that the future will look like, especially the future world of work.

"Currently, change is probably happening at a faster pace than has even been seen before. That is why culture is so important.

"It’s what binds us all together. It’s the sum of all our creativity and the catalyst for change.

“But change needs to be managed and therefore needs a strategy that addresses the world of work.

"In the 21st Century how will the work-life balance shift and how can culture, as the catalyst for change, help us to understand far-reaching and rapid change?

"How will it help us to become flexible and adaptable? This requires a collective act.

"To remember our shared past, present and future - our collective culture. To remember where we came from. Remember what we already have. But above all, remember that the best is yet to come.”

The draft for the Culture and Creative Strategy can be found here http://liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/uploadedfiles/documents/DRAFT_LCR_Culture_Creativity_Strategy.pdf

All feedback and comments must be sent to LCRcultureandcreativity@knowsley.gov.uk by February 15.