Planning for culture

The Beacon Scheme is a prestigious award scheme that recognises excellence in local government. This link gives details of two learning exchange events jointly hosted by the four beacon authorities. The events examined how to put planning at the heart of communities.

The Planning Portal is the UK Government's online planning and building regulations resource for England and Wales, offering a single source of information for planning and building services.

Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional town planning advice and support to communities and individuals.

The think tank Demos conducts a wide range of research into a variety of social policy issues. Its website has a section devoted to culture, including blog entries and links to articles.

Demos also have a number of pamphlets and reports around culture and public space which are available for free download, see below:

Seen and Heard: Reclaiming the public realm with children and young people

Equally Spaced? Public space and interaction between diverse communities

Future Planners: Propositions for the next age of planning

Hitting the right note: Learning and participation at the Sage Gateshead

People make places: Growing the public life of cities

The Big Art Project is the UK’s largest ever community-led public art commissioning scheme. The aim of the Big Art Project is to inspire local communities and promote a national debate about the impact of art on ordinary people’s lives, in addition to leaving a lasting physical legacy.

The Big Art Mob is the UK’s first comprehensive survey of Public Art – based entirely on pictures from the camera phones of members of the public. It aims to record for posterity the wealth of artworks in public places right across the country.

The Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) is a grant-giving programme under which the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) supports schemes led by partnerships of local, regional and national interests that aim to regenerate the historic environment in towns and cities across the United Kingdom.

The Theatres Trust, as the National Advisory Public Body for Theatres, champions the importance of theatres and performing arts venues in creating sustainable communities.  Planning authorities are required by law to refer theatre-related applications for planning permission to the Trust which also provides expert advice on planning, regeneration, architecture & design, heritage, and capital developments to theatre operators, local authorities and decision makers.