Focus of White Paper consultation moves to funding

The second in a series of four online discussions to guide the development of the Government’s White Paper on culture has begun, focusing on ‘the funding challenge’ and how cultural organisations “can develop new or alternative sources of funding to complement existing sources”.

The DCMS-backed website invites visitors to post an idea for others to see, rate, share and comment on, seeking “innovative proposals that spark lively debates and conversations”. Discussions on both the site and the accompanying Twitter hashtag – #ourculture – are to be monitored to inform the White Paper.

The participatory nature of ‘the funding challenge’ follows on from the first online discussion, ‘the places challenge’, and the Twitter-based #artsfunding debate, which allowed the public to speak directly to an MP and for these comments to be heard during the course of live debate in Westminster Hall. Online discussions on how people engage with culture and culture as a tourism tool will follow.

The White Paper, the first of its kind in 50 years, is due to be published at the end of this year or in early 2016.