The Culture Network LCR officially launched this Spring. Forty-five cultural organisations in the Liverpool City Region have joined forces to establish a Community Interest Company to help strengthen the region’s vibrant cultural offer.
What is The Culture Network LCR?
As a paid membership organisation, The Culture Network LCR, welcomes cultural organisations, large and small, that are interested in operating collaboratively to amplify each other and the regional impacts of arts and culture. Our ultimate goal is to help sustain a creative, innovative, collaborative, confident, prosperous and healthy city region open to ideas, constantly learning and globally-connected.
The Culture Network LCR Official Launch Event
The Culture Network LCR launch took place on 25 April 2024 at the Museum of Liverpool with a fun, informative and interactive event. Their plan was to give existing members and potential new members a taste of what the future holds for this new regional organisation. Below you can read a thorough overview of what happened at the event.
The launch event included a brief history of how the Culture Network LCR came into existence as an equitable paid membership CIC. Three of the Board Members opened the event; Nicola Tricott of FACT as the Access Angel, Gillian Miller of Liverpool’s Royal Court welcoming the attendees and Madeline Heneghan of Writing on the Wall talking us through a brief history. Madeline then handed over to the network’s new Executive Director Charlotte Corrie, who curated the launch and highlighted why her skills align with this new regional CIC.
‘It’s easy to make things hard, but hard to make them easy!’ Charlotte used this poignant Jos de Blok quote to remind everyone that if done right, The Culture Network can create a beautiful and incredibly useful CIC, with the caveat that it requires a realistic and steady approach. Especially as they’re at the start of this journey as there is much to set up and achieve. But by recognising and valuing the existing LCR cultural networks, promoting positive mental health and wellbeing, facilitating communication and collaboration, and continually encouraging innovation and leadership, then this is something that can help everyone – like LightNight did – but all year round.
Who are The Culture Network LCR members already?
These 45 cultural organisations have committed to paying their membership fees for at least 2 years. This is a powerful message. Together we are stronger!
Charlotte highlighted this is just the tip of the LCR cultural iceberg though. During this first phase they wanted to see the scale of what they’re dealing with and how The Culture Network LCR sits at the heart of those cultural connections.
Mapping of LCR Cultural Connections
Charlotte talked about how she worked with Patrick Kirk Smith of Art in Liverpool & Independents Biennial to map the hundreds of LCR arts organisations (396 identified at this stage!) and how we all interconnect. That initial diagram was literally mind blowing, plus they’d have missed someone, so working with Leo Soph Welton of I Am Human we opted to create this infographic showcasing the LCR cultural networking system instead, and how it is always running in a continual cycle.
In time they’d like to ideally show how this is specific to LCR, make it interactive and review it annually. But that is all further down the line.
Charlotte reminded everyone of the Culture Network LCR’s Five Core Objectives, as identified through the previous consultation stages and how they will drive forward all the Member Benefits.
1. Joint Promotion 2. Networking 3. Joint Programming 4. Shared Learning 5. One Advocating Voice
During this first phase Charlotte and the Board are focusing on two out of the five, Joint Promotion & Networking, as these quickly foster collaboration, visibility and communication for all the Paying Members.
1. Joint Promotion
Uncoverliverpool.com is a key Member Benefit of the Culture Network LCR. It’s not only the LCR Cultural What’s On, but its USP is its cultural community cohesion as it promotes jobs, callouts, news, opportunities, volunteering, hosts regular features, the weekly Culture Radar plus the Culture Skip (Freecycle for the Arts).
2. Networking
First Friday Socials – To encourage more informal interactions, they’ve launched these relaxed monthly gatherings that take place on the First Friday of the month and are open to all cultural folk.
The next FFS takes place on Friday 7 June 17:00- 19:00 at the Courtyard, next to Liverpool’s Royal Court, Roe Street, L1 1EP. See you all there!
More Networking plans are underway including a Members Only Digital Networking System, Regular and Large Scale Themed Meetings. Charlotte then gave a taster of what’s to come in the second and third phases with plenty more details following in the coming months.
Collaboration and Connection
The 2nd half of the event was deliberately more interactive and offered a chance for attendees to meet potential new friends and colleagues through Quick Culture Connect. This was ably led by Board Members, Emma Smith of Liverpool Irish Festival and Lucy Byrne of dot-art.
Board Member Jay Farley of First Take then took the helm opening the floor to a live digital polling utilising Slido, a system they’ll be regularly using to garner member engagement in person and online. Here’s a taster of the outcomes from some of the polls.
Ashleigh Nugent of Rise Up CIC, writer of Locks and LCR Artist of the Year 2022 brought everyone together further with a rousing high energy collaborative rap centred on the power of collective action.
And finally Board Member, Laura Pye of National Museums Liverpool, had the unenviable task of following Ashleigh to round off the morning. She of course summed it up perfectly, along with encouraging potential new members to join them on this journey and inviting everyone in attendance to freely attend the Ken Dodd Happiness Exhibition that’s currently on display at the Museum of Liverpool.
Join The Culture Network now – Together we’re stronger!
If you’re interested in joining, please complete the Membership Application Form at the link above 👆👆. Your application will be reviewed at the next Monthly Board Meeting. The Culture Network look forward to collaborating with you all on this exciting new journey, along with welcoming new friends!