Who are we?
The Cultural Observatory is a resource for all those with an interest in the cultural sector in the West Midlands region.
We provide intelligence and evidence relating to the scope, scale and significance of the cultural and creative industries, highlighting the inter-linkages between culture and the regional economy, people and places.
The Cultural Observatory was launched in response to an options study (PDF, 115 KB) conducted by Birmingham University in 2004. We are a joint initiative between the DCMS Agencies in the West Midlands (DAWM) and Advantage West Midlands, and are located at the West Midlands Regional Observatory.
This arrangement took effect from April 2009. Prior to this, we were an arm of the Regional Cultural Consortium (Culture West Midlands) which has now closed. See this summary of what was achieved by Culture West Midlands (PDF, 43KB) between 1999-2009.
What do we do?
- Contribute to the development of evidence-based policy making in the West Midlands and nationally.
- Champion the benefits of integrated cultural research and data collection in the West Midlands region.
- Develop collaboration in cultural research across the public sector, particularly with the region's higher and further education institutions.
- Improve the dissemination of cultural intelligence, developing effective routes for bottom-up and top-down distribution.
- Work towards the development of a sustainable and appropriate delivery model for cultural research and intelligence in the West Midlands.
More specifically, our work is guided by the Regional Cultural Intelligence Action Plan 2006–2008 (PDF, 1.08mb) devised by the Cultural Research & Intelligence Group (CRAIG).
We welcome engagement with all in the cultural sector and beyond. We seek to widen discussion and participation through the Cultural Research & Intelligence Network.