Partnership – Buckinghamshire Culture

artists looking at objects from NDACA — Archive Stories workshop with NDACA

We are inviting organisations and creatives across Buckinghamshire to join an online meeting to explore our proposal for Stories 2, an innovative developmental partnership that explores co-creation as a way to share local stories through creativity. Building on the success of Together We Build but continuing to explore creative approaches to stories and storytelling, this model will see heritage and cultural organisations paired with artists and creative practitioners to explore and share local stories in fresh and engaging ways. This project does not yet have funding, but Bucks Culture is proposing to lead a partnership application for funding.

This project will support innovative collaborations that bring personal stories and community memories to life. Oral histories are a rich source of information and inspiration, and we want to put them at the heart of this project. The Stories 2 project will enable organisations to connect with, and amplify, hidden stories and under-engaged audiences through creative approaches to storytelling, participation, and interpretation. Projects may explore existing oral history collections or generate new recordings, co-creating outputs with communities that could include exhibitions, installations, performances, digital works, workshops, or public events.

Programme Aims

Reveal and celebrate diverse voices and lived experiences within our county through inclusive creative practice.
Engage under-represented or under-engaged audiences in shaping, interpreting, and sharing heritage.
Test creative methods for working with oral histories and community memory.
Foster meaningful collaboration between heritage organisations, artists and communities.
Build skills and confidence in cross-sector partnership working.

Who Can Apply

We are beginning this process by inviting anyone interested to attend an introductory meeting, where you can learn more and explore the idea with us. A formal application process will follow. We welcome applications from arts, heritage, and culture organisations that want to explore stories and oral histories. Each application must outline a collaboration for a heritage partner and a creative/artistic partner working together. Eligible applicants include formally constituted organisations and community-led heritage groups. To apply, groups must have:

A governing document (e.g., constitution)
A committee or Board
A bank account in the organisation’s name with two signatories

Applicants may apply either:

With a creative or heritage partner already confirmed, or
Without a partner, in which case the project team can help broker a suitable collaboration.

All collaborations must work with at least one under-engaged audience group—people who currently have limited access to or participation in heritage activities due to factors such as geography, age, ethnicity, disability, socio-economic background, or cultural relevance.

Support Available

Assuming our funding application is successful, each selected partnership will receive:

Project grant: £2,000-£10,000 tbc (to cover artist fees, materials, production costs, engagement activities, and evaluation) for a 6-12 month delivery period
Overarching Project Co-ordinator to keep everyone on track and assist with troubleshooting and engagement
Training and professional support for both heritage and creative partners – likely to cover co-creation, inclusive practice, oral histories, ethics
Access to a learning network of participating organisations and artists
Opportunities for showcasing and shared dissemination at regional and national level.

What We’re Looking For

Successful proposals will demonstrate:

A clear oral history focus, whether based on existing collections or new recordings.
A compelling idea for creative collaboration with an artist or collective that empowers communities and creates vibrant local storytelling.
Identification of a specific under-engaged audience and a thoughtful plan for reaching and involving them in co-creation.
Evidence of commitment to inclusion, ethical practice, and community voice.
Organisational capacity to host and support the project.

Projects can be of any scale appropriate to your organisation and community and should be achievable within the available budget and timeframe.

Indicative Project Timeline

Information/Exploration Meeting – 9th February 2026

Call-out opens – Spring 2026

Expression of Interest deadline – Late Spring 2026

Funding application submission date – Summer 2026

Decision-making period – 8 weeks

Project delivery period – Autumn 2026-Summer 2028

Find Out More

Join us on 9th February, 11-12.30 on Teams to find out more, RSVP via this link: Stories 2 Discussion – Fill out form

Culture

Seeking a Project Manager

19th August 2025 buckinghamshireculture

We are seeking a highly organised, creative and collaborative Project Manager to lead the emerging High Wycombe Place Partnership Programme – a three-year initiative funded by Arts Council England, The Rothschild Foundation and Bucks Council. Running until March 2028, the programme aims to strengthen the local creative sector by building a more connected, inclusive and sustainable network that nurtures talent, supports creative leaders and increases opportunities for communities to engage with arts and culture in High Wycombe.

Bucks Culture will host this freelance opportunity, supporting the Place Partnership project in our role as project partner.

Deadline for applications: midnight, 17th September 2025.

For more information and details of how to apply, please see our full Job Description below.

Place Partnership PM JD Aug 25 Final Download

Culture, news

Co-Chairs for the Cultural Partnership

24th May 201913th January 2020 buckinghamshireculture

Buckinghamshire Culture, the cultural partnership being set up to energise and harness creative and cultural opportunities in Bucks, is pleased to announce the appointment of two Co-Chairs. Bill Morris LVO and Professor Julius Weinberg will work together to lead the partnership, driving forward the Cultural Strategy and Action Plan, and working closely with the Bucks Cultural Outreach Officer. These two Co-Chairs are eminently skilled and bring a great deal of experience to the partnership.

From 2006-2013 Bill led the team delivering the London 2012 Olympic Ceremonies including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and Torch Relays. Bill created the strategy and architecture for the Cultural Olympiad and was responsible for the Education team producing the “Get Set” education programme and the UK contribution to the “International Inspiration” project. Bill now advises the International Olympic Committee and other worldwide clients in major events and complex cultural projects. He is an Independent Advisor for Government, a Director/Trustee of an annual UK landmark event, a trustee of a national art/educational organisation and an international ambassador for a grant-giving charity from his base in Buckinghamshire.

Julius is the Chair of Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills), the inspector of services that care for children and young people and provide education and skills for learners. Prior to this he was Vice-Chancellor and President of Kingston University, London from 2011-2017. Julius qualified in medicine from the University of Oxford and has completed training as a physician in infectious diseases, general medicine and public health medicine. As a clinician, he worked within the NHS and as a consultant/lecturer in Zimbabwe. He worked for the World Health Organization in Bosnia and was head of epidemiology programmes for the UK Public Health Laboratory Service (now the HPA). He has over 70 papers published and has edited books and book chapters. He throws pots in his spare time and lives in the South of Buckinghamshire.

Over the last two years Buckinghamshire County Council has been working with partners across the county to develop a new cultural strategy for Buckinghamshire. This Buckinghamshire Cultural Strategy has been created in response to consultation exploring the role culture can play in shaping Buckinghamshire and how the sector can work together to support the vibrancy, resilience and ambition of Buckinghamshire’s culture. Together the Co-Chairs will use their skills and experience to support the creative and cultural sector to make the most of the opportunities available; forging new partnerships, developing innovative projects and building a critical mass of activity across Bucks.

“As a supporter of the Bucks Cultural Strategy the Foundation is delighted that this important initiative will gain from the expertise and vision of both Bill and Julius. As a member of the cultural partnership I look forward to working alongside them to ensure that the impact of the Bucks Cultural Strategy is felt far and wide across the county.”
Ellie Stout, Head of Grants, Rothschild Foundation

Everyone involved in development of the Buckinghamshire Cultural Strategy and Buckinghamshire Culture would like to share their thanks to Milly Soames for being a warm and passionate interim Chair.

The Bucks Cultural Outreach Officer post has been funded by Rothschild Foundation, with seed funding from Bucks County Council. Arts Council England are supporting development of the Cultural Strategy and partnership.