11 Culture

Issues and Priorities

  • Culture is both an economic sector and an important dimension of the region’s rich and diverse way of life, contributing to a distinct and recognisable identity.
  • Creative Industries, as an industrial grouping within the cultural sector, is identified by the South West Regional Development Agency as a priority sector for the Regional Economic Strategy (RES). Tourism is a major industry and also prioritised because of its strong contribution to the region’s economic and cultural growth.
  • Sustained development of the region’s cultural assets and facilities, and full participation and enjoyment of them by the region’s citizens and visitors, are important priorities for policy-makers and investors.