Culture& is an independent arts and education charity based in London. Formerly known as Cultural Co-operation, we work in partnership with arts and heritage institutions and artists to develop programmes that promote diversity in the workforce and audiences. We aim to open up the arts and heritage workforce through our Strengthening Our Common Life (SOCL) programme, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and 17 partners including: British Museum, British Library, Historic Royal Palaces, the Royal Collection Trust, Southbank Centre, National Army Museum, Norfolk Museums Service and English Heritage. We provide one-year traineeships with accredited training, supporting diverse individuals in arts and heritage careers, leading to a QCF Level 3 Diploma in Cultural Heritage. We are moving in a new artistic direction of working with contemporary artists and curators working with collections in new and dynamic projects, engaging new voices and venues. This year we have commissioned a range of cross arts projects with leading contemporary artists and performers — including a collaboration with composer Jocelyn Pook and the London International Gospel Choir for the 2017 New Music Biennial and Hull City of Culture and a collaboration with Peter Edwards for ‘Thelonious Monk: Modernist Pioneer’ at the British Library. We have also commissioned a new work by Racheal Ofori for 2018. Our well-established programme of public activities encourages high quality engagement with the world’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, whilst promoting intercultural contact, dialogue and understanding.
