Cultural Strategy

Peterborough Cultural Strategy 2021–2030 was developed through extensive consultation and research and adopted by Peterborough City Council in November 2021.

Read the Strategy

Developing a Strategy for Peterborough

n 2020 Peterborough’s cultural organisations, Arts Council England and Peterborough City Council came together to commission the development of a Cultural Strategy with the common aim – to celebrate Peterborough for its cultural vibrancy and as somewhere where people are proud to live, study, work and invest.

The first phase of strategy development included consultation, with an online resident survey, meetings and discussion with representatives involved in culture, heritage, education, community development, and open spaces in Peterborough. During this phase, the cultural assets of the City – from music venues to the Cathedral – were considered.   

Talking Creativity and Culture 

The second strategy consultation phase included: 

  • Commissioning Artists – enabling more creative and reflective engagement with specific communities around questions of heritage, celebration and priorities. Five creative practitioners, led by artist Kate Genever, worked with young people, South Asian women, rural communities, and networks in Global Majority and Lithuanian communities. Topics included bereavement, heritage, walking, exclusion, representation, connection, language. The commissions were presented in a window exhibition in the City Centre 
  • Connecting heritage – developing heritage networks to seek a collaborative approach 
  • Talking about Peterborough – collecting the views of young people through workshops and interviews about culture in the area. You can see some of those interviews 
  • Emerging work on tourism and engaging more cultural partners 
  • Business and practitioner networks developed as a steering group for a Street Animation Programme, which informed the recommendations 
  • Further research on other cities and places, including cultural leadership models 

Towards a Vibrant, Inclusive & Connected City

Research and conversations produced a set of emerging recommendations, published in July 2021. With the steering group developing a set of final recommendations published in October 2021.   

A key recommendation within the was to create delivery structure, now Peterborough Cultural Alliance, to take the strategy forward. 

Conversations are still going on, with the founding steering group clear that development and delivery of the strategy is a journey. 

The Creative Drivers behind the Strategy

The development of Peterborough Cultural Strategy was overseen by a small group Cultural Strategy Group including:  

  • Arts Council England 
  • Jumped-Up Theatre 
  • Metal 
  • Nene Park Trust 
  • Peterborough Cultural Partnership for Children and Young People (PHACE) 
  • Peterborough City Council 
  • Peterborough City Culture 

Other organisations, groups and individuals involved include: 

  • 62 Gladstone Street  
  • Anglia Ruskin University  
  • City College Peterborough     
  • Cresset Theatre  
  • Digital People in Peterborough       
  • Disability Peterborough  
  • Djiboart  
  • Eastern Angles 
  • Flag Fen and Must Farm Advisory Board  
  • Heritage Lottery Fund  
  • Hindu Community Association        
  • Historic England 
  • John Clare Countryside Project        
  • Kindred Drama  
  • Living Sport  
  • Met Lounge  
  • New Theatre  
  • Opportunity Peterborough 
  • Peterborough Cathedral  
  • Peterborough Citizens UK  
  • Peterborough Civic Society    
  • Peterborough College  
  • Peterborough Lithuanian Community       
  • Peterborough Music Hub 
  • Peterborough Positive  
  • Peterborough Presents  
  • Peterborough Youth Voice  
  • Queensgate Shopping Centre          
  • Thorpe Hall  
  • Tricolor Associates  
  • UROCK Theatre  
  • Visitor Information Centre (PCC)     
  • YMCA Trinity Group 

Image credit: Peterborough Celebrates Festival 2025. Nene Park Trust.

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