Culture Matters - Thanet District Council’s Cultural Strategy

Cultural aspirations

1. By 2011, Thanet will be recognised nationally as a coastal area that has changed its fortunes, largely on the back of having re-established a thriving and sustainable cultural and visitor economy. Perception of the area has changed from one of faded seaside resorts to an attractive and appealing coastal environment with beautiful bays and beaches and strong cultural appeal.
   
   
2. Core to the turnaround is the new Turner Contemporary, which has been a major success in its first year and attracted tens of thousands of new visitors to see the building itself, along with its collections and displays.
   
   
3. The success of the Turner Centre has had a ripple effect, with new, high quality accommodation providers and artists studios opening for business in Margate. The Old Town is a ‘must see’ for any visitor to the town and a cultural hub of galleries, quality retail, cafes and restaurants.
   
   
4. Along with Turner Contemporary and the Old Town, the emerging Dreamland Heritage Park will form a triumvirate of attractions to supplement the town’s focal point of the beach and bay.
   
   
5. Leisure and cultural facilities have come on stream, the new Ramsgate Leisure Centre has opened, Margate Football Club is attracting new supporters, the extension to the Theatre Royal is well received by patrons and Dane Park retains its Green Flag award for the third year running.
   
   
6. Ramsgate’s nautical attractions have been enhanced through the addition of a fish landing area and associated market. These have led to the opening of a handful of new eateries, which have helped to put Ramsgate on the culinary map and brought extra liveliness and vitality to the Marina and Harbour.
   
   
7. Broadstairs continues to feature prominently in national polls of the most popular seaside towns. A number of new, high quality places to stay and eat have opened, providing more visitor business for the town throughout the year. Selective development of the Harbour has added further vitality to town and increased its acknowledged visitor appeal.
   
   
8. The renaissance of Thanet’s visitor economy has been underpinned by improvements in support infrastructure. The core visitor areas are well signed, as are car parks and directions from other points of arrival such as the main rail stations. Visitor information services have been modernised and streamlined, utilising ICT. New events have been introduced to broaden further the visitor offer, with a strong emphasis on local culture.
   
   
9. More residents than ever are accessing local cultural and leisure facilities and participating in activities, particularly the young and old who are being helped to improve their health and fitness; the annual festival programme continues to attract national interest.
   
   
10. Destination development has been matched by enhanced destination marketing, resulting in more visitors spending more money and supporting more jobs. The visitor economy’s contribution to Thanet’s well-being continues to grow in importance.
    
    
11. Thanet’s renaissance is mirrored elsewhere in coastal Kent, with the Kent coastal towns working in harmony to develop their individual identity and collective cultural and visitor appeal. This has been underlined through the success across the area of the second Folkestone Triennial and the British Open Golf Championship. Both events have paved the way for cooperation aimed at ensuring that the potential benefits of the forthcoming London 2012 Olympics are fully realised.         

Funding for some of these aspirations will need to be identified, as not all are set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan, which defines the Council’s work plan between 2007-11. Options that can be considered include sponsorship and grants from external bodies.

Local business will also have a role to play in supporting the delivery of these aspirations.

Next: Developing the strategy

Back: Evaluating delivery of Cultural Strategy

• What is culture?
• Why is culture important?
• Why produce a cultural strategy?
• Main consultation findings

Context:

• Local context
• Cultural context

Vision:

• Vision and Overarching Themes
• Underlying Principles
• Action Plan
• Evaluating delivery of the Cultural Strategy
• Cultural aspirations

Appendix 1: Developing the strategy

Appendix 2: Key Stakeholders - consultees