At all levels, culture is at the heart of our lives. In its many different forms, culture plays a fundamental part in achieving Swindon’s more prosperous future. Culture is integral to economic growth and regeneration, helping greatly to attract inward investment and supporting recruitment and retention of staff. Socially it can contribute to Swindon’s aim to improve educational attainment and raise aspirations. It builds community cohesion and social inclusion.

Culture has a very significant impact on Swindon’s sense of identity and image. It is clear from this that cultural development must be integral to all the other aspects of Forward Swindon’s work: business investment, town centre development and promoting Swindon. Our three agreed main priorities are:

• Creating the right environment and infrastructure for cultural activity to grow, develop and be enjoyed by all
• Ensuring culture enhances every aspect of Swindon life, from education and health, to safety and community cohesion
• Harnessing culture to help deliver positive image change for Swindon – internally and externally

Forward Swindon will contribute to the delivery of these priorities by ensuring that our work, in the delivery of economic development and regeneration, embraces all the aspects of a successful place, driving action with a view to achieving early and visible outcomes.

We will:

• Support the successful community capacity building projects initiated by the Swindon Cultural Partnership
• Develop and implement new initiatives that support a diverse range of events and sustainable activities that develop the cultural experience in Swindon
• Ensure Swindon is recognised for its programme of high-profile major events across the Borough and with specific town centre focus
• Ensure that The Great Western Historic Area is linked firmly into the town centre with the Great Western Underpass fully transformed
• Develop models for self-sustaining cultural development that are held up as exemplars; for example, the Richard Jefferies Museum
• Ensure that Swindon is attracting more independent cultural developers and providers
• Ensure that culture and design excellence is embedded in the delivery and management of all major projects

If you are looking for information about things to do in and around Swindon, the following websites may help:

Visit Swindon

Swindon Borough Council Leisure & Culture

Swindon Town Centre

Swindon Web

Swindon Advertiser What's On