cultural solutions uk: intelligence for the creative & cultural sectors

an independent arts & cultural organisation

We are an international, not-for-profit organisation offering research, planning and event management services to arts, cultural and economic development organisations, including local authorities and other public and private agencies. We are a think and do tank for the creative & cultural industries.

what
we do

Whether through research, strategic thinking and planning,
evaluation or direct delivery,
our work has helped our clients
to make real and valuable changes.

We work within a framework of 4 main themes

  • Communities
  • Business
  • Learning
  • Living Places

Magna
Carta 2015

Three years in the planning, January 2015 saw the launch of a suite of artistic interventions across Lincolnshire marking the 800th anniversary of the sealing of MAGNA CARTA. The highlight being FESTIVAL800, a ten day contemporary artistic response to the ancient document.

  • FESTIVAL800
  • RADIATING SIGNALS
  • POETS LAUREATE
  • SOCIALLY-ENGAGED COMMUNITIES
  • COMMISSIONS
  • INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS
  • LISTEN TO THE BANNED
  • ALFIE DEYES - RESIDENT VLOGGER
  • ROYAL OPENING OF LINCOLN CASTLE

david
lambert

...innovator

...facilitator

...thinker

...leader

...doer

...creative

...listener

...passionate

...objective

...advisor

...trusting

...fair

...confident speaker

...dedicated

...focused

...sense of humour

...vision

...writer

...confident

...honest

...adaptable

...patient

...reliable

Created by David Lambert in response to a demand by the region's artistic and cultural
sectors for bespoke advice and support,
cultural solutions uk is becoming the consultancy
of choice
for agencies and organisations seeking an objective, bespoke service.

our
associates

Leanne Taylor

Leanne has worked in the creative and cultural industries for over 20 years planning events and festivals and developing participatory programmes with and for a range of culturally-diverse communities.

She has a wide experience of Local Authority cultural development, including developing new creative programmes to address social inclusion, cultural tourism and crime and disorder.

Magdalena Bednarczyk

Magda is the founder of the Lincolnshire Polish Society. Magda is the Society's fundraiser and projects coordinator.

Magda’s dedication to community development and engagement, community cohesion , social action and social justice, is rooted in years of professional experience and involvement in promotion of equality and diversity, empowerment of communities and human rights. Magda’s interests and education background covers political science, social science, community organising, management and accountancy.

Dr. Dominic Symonds

Dr. Dominic Symonds is an academic at the University of Lincoln, specialising in music and theatre. He writes and directs for the stage, and has also written a number of academic publications.

He has worked extensively on music and theatre projects with communities of young people, the elderly and those with disabilities throughout the UK and Europe, and is interested in promoting engagement, access and diversity in the arts. Along with cultural solutions UK, he is currently heading up the project ‘Welcoming Voices’, which explores ways in which music can be used for cultural cohesion between UK and Eastern European populations

Jurate Matulioniene - MSc. BSc

Jurate is a professional and diligent lecturer and interpreter, experienced in dealing with a wide range of education and community development situations with compassion and enthusiasm.

She is passionate in supporting and developing community cohesion. Jurate is a multi-linguist, offering much in creating opportunities for new, innovative partnerships in a post-Brexit landscape. She is Chair of the Boston (Lincolnshire) Lithuanian Community Group; Supplementary School Manager; English as a foreign language teacher (Boston English Academy and before moving to the UK, a lecturer of English and Philology at Kaunas University, Lithuania.

Robert Pitman / Paradigm Arts

Rob has worked in education across Europe and the Far East. His work is characterised by his passionate commitment to developing and resourcing creative and cultural approaches to learning. His passion led him to set up Paradigm Arts - a unique and needs driven collaborative, aimed at improving the lives of children and young people.

Working with artists, cultural practitioners and creative industry specialists, he has been instrumental in developing education resources, programmes and strategies at school, regional and national level. He continues to advocate and champion a more informed understanding of education - one which will be fit for the future and not defined by the past.

Sue North

Sue North is a former associate editor of an award-winning regional daily paper, so has a thorough understanding of what the media wants and needs and knows exactly how to deliver it to them. Sue North is a Senior Lecturer in the School of English and Journalism,University of Lincoln.

Her skills include writing, editing, design and proofreading and she also delivers media training. She particularly enjoys working in the arts and cultural sectors, where she has achieved extensive national and local coverage in print, broadcast and online for the festivals and events she works with.

Heather Maitland

Heather specialises in business planning, marketing and audience development in the cultural sector.

She has delivered training programmes, keynotes and seminars throughout the UK and worldwide, most recently for the British Council in Colombia and Syria. She is an Associate Fellow of the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies at the University of Warwick.

Adroit Economics

Jamie Fotheringham from Adroit offers specialist consultancy advice in economic development and regeneration, with particular expertise in the creative industries and local/regional development.

Clients include local and central government, regeneration partnerships and other public sector bodies, as well as the private sector.

The Lincolnshire Heritage Forum

The Lincolnshire Heritage Forum represents its membership which covers over 60 historic sites and organisations in the county of Lincolnshire. The LHF aims to support, develop and promote museums and heritage, ensuring collaboration and a strong regional voice.

The Forum encourages mutual cooperation between members connecting them with organisations who can improve their access to opportunities for collection development, funding and collaborative projects. The forum represents organisations of all sizes and give the heritage sites of Lincolnshire a shared voice which can be heard both locally and nationally.

Ingo Petz

Ingo Petz is a journalist, author of several books and one of the leading experts on Belarus and its contemporary culture in Germany.  

He is a frequent commentator on current Belarusian political affairs and developments in the German-speaking media. In the past 15 years he also organised concerts and readings of bands and writers from Belarus in Germany in order to promote a culture which is unfortunately very unknown in Europe. He is fluent in German, English, Russian and Belarusian

what
people say

' ...FESTIVAL 800 was the pinnacle of the 8ooth anniversary celebrations... '
—Lydia Rusling - Tourism - Lincolnshire County Council

We'll wait before we go travelling until Darren finishes the learning in June. He'd never had done any of this without you.
—Dawn (Darren's mother, Gypsy family)

A company full of energy, knowledge, commitment and vision. They have a unique overview of the cultural landscape in Lincolnshire and a fantastic capacity for strategic thinking and dynamic delivery.
—Simon Hollingworth - Freelance Arts consultant

The team are a highly professional and enthusiastic team to work with. Feedback from cultural groups who they worked with on the Coastal Cultural Strategy, was that cultural solutions uk were approachable, professional and connected with what was "needed" for culture to develop and be sustainable on the coast.
—Nicola Radford, Principal Development Officer, Economy and Culture, Lincolnshire County Council, (Coastal Communities Alliance)

We have been working with cultural solutions uk since 2008 when we retained them as our cultural advisers. Since then they have successfully secured funding for the past three annual beam! festivals before going on to devise and deliver the festivals. They also researched and implemented a sustainable annual Artists Market programme, now in its fifth year. What we like about them is they understand the needs of our 800 members' and how the arts can assist in realising their predominately economic aspirations.
—Michael Armstrong, Events and Promotions Manager Lincoln Business Improvement Group

The arts are capable of unlocking the potential of so-called marginalized young people who, for various reasons, have lost out, cultural solutions uk enabled this to happen!
—Paul Boucher, Lincolnshire Traveller Initiative

We have enjoyed working with cultural solutions uk and think they make a real difference to the community. They make things happen by giving young individuals a chance to achieve new skills, qualifications and an enjoyable experience.
—Adele Dewell, Director, Streetz Ahead Theatre Arts Lincoln

We have taken part in the East Lindsey Wolds Words Festival for many years. Last year, cultural solutions uk took over the organisation, marketing and promotion of the festival, and immediately raised the bar, with, for instance, a programme which had the look and feel of a trendy, happening event. In short, they brought a touch of va-va-voom to the festival.
—Alan Mumby, Chairman, Far Welter'd (East Lindsey Dialect Society)

Our
successes
+

take a look at what we have done
& how we have done it

Cultural Olympiad 2011-12 programme for Lincolnshire; A bespoke social prescription programme for people recovering from mental illness: nationally-accredited Arts Award for young Gypsies and Travellers; a £900,000 EU/LA funded growth programme for the cultural & creative sectors; a project exploring how immigration influences local cultural activities, and securing millions of pounds of external funding for clients

Case Studies

  1. Gainsborough Traveller Initiative (GTI)More
  2. our world? Multi-Media Project 2008More
  3. Lincolnshire Creative Solutions InitiativeMore
  4. Lincoln Book Festival 2010More

What we have done

  • *AMAZING AVIATION*

    Funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Scheme, this multi-media theatrical production toured to Lincolnshire schools and RAF Waddington, RAF Coningsby and RAF Scampton.
    view www. →
  • BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT

    We worked with Saudi photographer Wasma Mansour on the creation of a business plan for her international photographic archives company.
    view www. →
  • Welcoming Voices - Lincolnshire

    The project explored how immigration has influenced cultural activities for migrant communities and the local population. It explored the ways music is used and consumed by communities directly engaged in migration.
    view www. →
  • Arts on Prescription - 2016-17

    Referred by GPs, the programme offered people recovering from mental ill-health, access to creative workshops. Funded by LPFT
    visit www. →
  • Whose cultural value? Representation, power and creative industries

    International Journal of Cultural Policy/ OUR BIG REAL GYPSY LIVES / Eleonora Belfiore / cultural solutions UK Published 22 August 2018
    view www. →
  • IGNITING AMBITION – CULTURAL OLYMPIAD
    LINCOLNSHIRE SHOWCASE 2011

    Management of the 18 month (May 2010 – November 2011) Igniting Ambition / Lincolnshire County Council / Legacy Trust / ERDF
    view brochure →
  • CURATED AND MANAGED BEAM!
    2009 & 2010

    Lincoln Children’s Festival
    view brochure →
  • DEVISED FUNDING STRATEGIES FOR
    HOMESTART EAST LINDSEY & JUST Lincolnshire

    Secured £1,000.000.00 BIG Lottery funding
    view www. →
  • Curated and managed INSIDER ARTS FESTIVAL - WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2015

    'Insider Arts Festival' took place at public spaces and places across Lincolnshire. The Festival supports and acknowledges the place and role the arts play in people's well-being and resilience programmes.
    view brochure →
  • CURATED AND MANAGED LINCOLNSHIRE SCHOOLS ARTS
    CELEBRATION 5/6 JULY 2008 (LINCOLN CASTLE)

    Lincolnshire County Council / Arts Council England / ERDF
  • Award winning Immigration/Cohesion Film

    Commissioned by Boston Borough Council who won the National Scrutiny Awards 2013
    view Film →
  • CURATED AND MANAGED SHOUT!

    Celebration of Achievement Awards for CiPC and Carers Lincolnshire County Council Children in Public Care Service 2008 / 2009
  • OUR WORLD?
    2008 – 2009

    Lincolnshire County Council multimedia project for Children in Public Care
    view publicity →
  • RESEARCH AND ESTABLISHMENT OF
    LINCOLN ARTISTS MARKET PROGRAMME 2008

    Lincoln Business Improvement Group
    view web →
  • LPAC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MARKETING PROGRAMME
    2008 – 2009

    Lincoln Performing Arts Centre (LPAC)
    visit www. →
  • LINCOLNSHIRE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS INITIATIVE (LCSI)
    2005 – 2008

    Creative and cultural industries growth programme Lincolnshire County Council / Arts Council England / ERDF
    view report →
  • COASTAL COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE CULTURAL REGENERATION PLAN
    2010 – 2015

    Lincolnshire County Council / Arts Council England
    view web →
  • SOUNDLINCS 10 YEAR IMPACT STUDY
    2009


    view study →

latest news
& projects

latest tweets

Latest Projects

  • FESTIVAL800 - Magna Carta 2015

    A year-long programme of artistic interventions. view www. →
  • CREATIVE YOUNG MINDS 2021/2022

    The project worked with young people on their recovery from mental illness. FUNDED BY AWARDS FOR ALL view www. →
  • EMPOWERING VOICES 2022 - 2024

    Working across England with a cohort of partners from a range of religious and non-religious worldviews. view www. →
  • Memory, Migration and Music

    The intangible cultural heritage of 22 Lithuanian and Polish residents and the music that matters to them. view www. →
  • 'OUR BIG REAL GYPSY LIVES' BIGGER. TRUER. HAPPIER

    Young Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers' heritage project. view www.→
  • WINDRUSH LINCOLN 2022 - 2025

    Lincolnshire/Caribbean links. view web →

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