Torbay's Great Place Scheme - evaluation report
During 2017-20 Torbay was one of 16 areas that participated in the Great Place Scheme in England. The Scheme, initiated by the government in its Culture White Paper in 2016, was co-sponsored by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England, and supported by Historic England.
The Torbay Great Place Scheme reached tens of thousands of people here in Brixham, Paignton and Torquay, and many more through social media. It provided a chance to support areas of work that mean so much to people in this place, our home:
Testing ideas to improve wellbeing and health through cultural participation, and robust analysis of the benefits and pathways
Enabling residents to shape the places in which they live, informing town improvements
Celebrating the fascinating cultural heritage of Brixham, Paignton and Torquay through innovative creative programming
Supporting greater resilience in our creative and heritage organisations and people
These four areas - Changing Lives, Shaping Place, Engaging Audiences, and Building Resilience - are the pillars of Torbay’s Scheme. It is on this body of work that we can continue to build. The aim of the Scheme was to pilot new approaches to local investment in arts and culture. As well as supporting increased cultural engagement, it aimed to nurture long-term impact in places, encouraging cross sector partnerships, ensuring culture and heritage were made more visible to policy-makers and local citizens alike. The Scheme has since been extended across the devolved nations of the United Kingdom.
In addition to national evidence and data gathering which has been taking place on behalf of the Arts Council and Heritage Fund, Torbay commissioned independent evaluation of the Scheme here, so we can learn from the experience. Claire Gulliver an experienced project manager and programme evaluator, spent almost six months reviewing the material, talking with partners, and analysing the Scheme’s impact. As part of the evaluation she produced ripple effect maps, which illustrate the way that culture, creativity, and heritage has impacted different areas of life. Click the image below to download the report. (In the knowledge share area of the website you can access a lower resolution copy - smaller file size)
Click the image above to access the evaluation
We are currently finalising a film by Paul Brierley, who also designed the report, which brings together some of the headlines from the evaluation. Combining existing images and films that Torbay Culture has commissioned, alongside new graphics, and narration written by Claire and voiced by Becky Nuttall, it will provide a snapshot of three years work in just over four minutes. That film will be shared in the coming weeks; along with a film of case study interviews, and creative commissioning diagram.
What people said about the Torbay Scheme:
‘It has been a privilege to work with the Great Place Scheme partners in embedding heritage, arts and culture into a wide range of activity across Torbay, as part of the project itself and in planning for the future... The impact…will continue to contribute to the development of Torbay into the future, celebrating the identity and significance of the area and enabling a prosperous future for everyone in Torbay to be delivered’.
Stuart McLeod, Director - England, London & South, National Lottery Heritage Fund
‘The Great Place Scheme has delivered a number of enriching creative and cultural experiences for local communities. We applaud Torbay Culture on the conclusion of the scheme, and wish them well with their future ambitions.’
Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England
‘The Great Place Scheme has provided Torbay with an opportunity to get more people involved and enjoying culture, creativity and heritage. We want to express our thanks to everyone who has participated in whatever way, and to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England for investing in Torbay. Over the duration of the Scheme people have worked together to test ideas that improve the quality of life as part of the ten year cultural strategy ‘Enjoy, Talk, Do, Be’. Torbay’s civic motto is ‘health and happiness’. Torbay’s Scheme has demonstrated how culture and heritage can bring us both’.
Councillor Swithin Long, Cabinet Member - Economic Regeneration, Tourism & Housing, and Councillor Mike Morey, Cabinet Member - Infrastructure, Environment & Culture
Information about the Torbay Great Place Scheme:
Torbay’s Scheme (2017-20) was programme managed by Anna Matthews, with project leads developing strands of activity with local communities and partners. You can read a list of who was involved in our FAQ section
The Torbay Scheme’s Working Party maintained oversight, and comprised representation from the Torbay Community Development Trust, the English Riviera BID, Torbay Council, TDA and the board of Torbay Culture, among others.
The Torbay Scheme was managed by Torbay Culture at TDA, and was part of the Great Place Scheme (England), supported with investment from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England, and reporting to both arms-length bodies.
National evaluation by BOP covering all 16 Great Place Schemes in England will follow later this year.
Image: ‘Murmuration’ at Wavelength (2019) with Suzie West and Sound Communities (photo: M Kesseler) part of the cultural programme of Torbay’s Great Place Scheme, commissioned by Torbay Culture
