Image taken from original article
This recent BBC profile of Great Yarmouth is really interesting, describing efforts to rejuvenate the area through a range of different channels. In particular, the local authority is putting together a 2025 City of Culture bid, alongside neighbouring council East Suffolk. It’s the first time non-city authorities have applied for the award.
Three towns in particular are mentioned in the area’s City of Culture bid – Yarmouth, Gorleston and Lowestoft. Our 2020 Towns Index report found that each of these places faced a similar range of challenges when it came to community resilience. There were subtle distinctions, too – Great Yarmouth being significantly more diverse than the other two.
As the grid above reveals (darker shades of orange showing the most pronounced issues), the issues faced related to deprivation and economic decline, but also to questions around identity and cultural opportunities.
The latter challenge is especially important to think about, given the City of Culture application. It’s gathered in part by looking at levels of arts participation, according to 2017 data. This shows that the areas in question could really benefit from greater external investment in culture – to help their respective arts sectors to fulfil the potential and to create opportunities for local people.