A rallying call for arts and culture:
​A 5 point plan for the recovery and renewal of arts and culture across Norfolk & Suffolk

During a period of significant and prolonged uncertainty, we believe that a multi-year, multi-level sector-specific plan for this region is needed if this critical ecology is to survive.

​Working together, a group of venues, organisations and individuals in Norfolk and Suffolk have developed and released this 5 point plan to outline the necessary level of financial support needed and lay out a pathway for short- and medium-term development.

​If you would like your name to be added to support this plan, please sign up here.
​The Norfolk & Suffolk 5 Point Plan for Arts & Culture
1. A £60 million economic investment package
2. A detailed reopening/re-engagement plan
3. A bespoke package of employment support
4. A community and wellbeing awareness programme
​5. A region-wide cultural renewal strategy

1. £60 million economic investment package
The cultural and creative economy turns over more than £200m each year in our region and over 1.5m people visit the major venues and cultural destinations each year in Norfolk and Suffolk. We estimate it would require a range of different models of investment to the level of £60m over the period Sept 2020 – March 2022 to protect this invaluable part of our economy. Delivered in partnership with central government, Arts Council England and the LEP, this would enable ‘parachute payments’ similar to those used in football for the short term and renewal investment for the longer term.

2. Detailed reopening and re-engagement plan
A detailed and realistic plan with ‘in principle’ dates and set of guidelines to reopen the full range of venues and community activities in our cities, towns and villages so that residents and visitors alike can safely enjoy life enhancing and life changing cultural and creative activities.

3. Bespoke package of employment support
A flexible and bespoke furlough scheme to support the 6,000 regional jobs in culture and the arts as we reopen and reengage. This should include a devolved mechanism to organisations to enable furlough payments to freelance and portfolio workers.

4. Community and wellbeing awareness programme
A joint public health awareness programme to restore public confidence in beginning to re-attend cultural events. This would also work to ensure that schools, communities, the health and social care sector have increased understanding of and can all benefit from the life enhancing work that our sector does all year round in permanent and temporary venues, care homes, village halls, day centres, pubs, prisons and education settings of all kinds.

5. A region-wide renewal strategy
A Norfolk and Suffolk cultural recovery plan endorsed and supported by our MPs, local authorities, LEP and private sector partners to cement the longer term survival of cultural assets, pump prime the creation of new work, and avoid the potentially catastrophic loss of an industry that brings over 5m overnight visitors to our region each year and which makes life richer, more connected and more creative for those who live and work here.
The Norfolk & Suffolk 5 Point Plan for Arts & Culture is already endorsed by founder signatories:-
  • Beccles Public Hall & Theatre, John Gallagher, Digital Marketing & IT Manager
  • Capriol Films, Tony Britten, Director
  • Culture Shift, Marion Catlin, Consultant
  • Creative Arts East, Natalie Jode, Executive Director
  • curious directive, Jack Lowe, Chief Executive
  • Dance East, Brendan Keaney, Chief Executive​
  • Eastern Angles, Ivan Cutting, Artistic Director
  • Frozen Light, Jacqui Mackay, General Manager
  • Gecko Theatre, Amit Lahav, Artistic Director
  • Haverhill Arts Centre, Nick Keeble, Arts & Leisure Manager
  • Hightide Theatre, Suba Das, Artistic Director & Chief Executive
  • Holt Festival, Anwen Hurt, Artistic Director
  • Lost in Translation Circus & The Oak Circus Centre , Massimiliano Rossetti & Annabel Carberry, Founding Artistic Directors 
  • Marina Theatre, Lowestoft, Emma Butler Smith, Chief Executive
  • National Centre for Writing, Chris Gribble, Chief Executive
  • New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, Sarah Holmes, Chief Executive
  • NORCA & Sistema, Marcus Patteson, Executive Director
  • Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Daniel Brine, Artistic Director & Chief Executive
  • Norwich Arts Centre, Pasco-Q Kevlin, Director
  • Norwich Puppet Theatre, Ian Woods, General Manager
  • Norwich Theatre, Stephen Crocker, Chief Executive
  • Pacitti Company & SPILL Festival, Andy Brumwell, Chief Executive
  • Scenic Projects, Nicholas Garrod, Managing Director
  • SeaChange Arts & Out There Festival. Joe Mackintosh, Chief Executive 
  • Sheringham Little Theatre, Debbie Thompson, Theatre Director
  • Snape Maltings, Roger Wright, Chief Executive, Britten Pears Arts
  • St. George’s Theatre, Great Yarmouth, Debbie Thompson, Theatre Director
  • The Arts Channel, Tony Britten, Artistic Director
  • The Corn Hall Diss, Lee Johnson, Operations Manager
  • The Garage, Norwich, Adam Taylor, Executive Director
  • The Maddermarket Theatre, Jez Pike, Artistic Director
  • ​The Seagull, Lowestoft, Karen Read, Theatre Manager
  • Wells Maltings, Simon Daykin, Director
  • The Workshop, King's Lynn, Adam Taylor, Executive Director
  • Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, Adrian Grady, General Manager
  • Young Norfolk Arts Trust, Lucy Farrant, Director​