Concerns have been raised about the distribution of funding for Brent's Culture Strategy, with councillors seeking greater clarity on how investment is allocated across different wards and its impact on grassroots organisations.
The Brent Creates: A Cultural Strategy for Inclusion, Wellbeing and Growth (2026-31), approved in March 2026, aims to leverage culture to improve community cohesion, health and wellbeing, skills, and economic growth. While significant progress has been reported, including securing £1.5 million in external funding, questions persist about equitable distribution.
During a Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, councillors questioned the strategy's impact on smaller, grassroots cultural organisations. Councillor Angela De Souza highlighted that funding applications often favour organisations with a proven track record, potentially disadvantaging newer or smaller groups.
In response, Councillor Tina Amadi, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Cost-of-Living Support, acknowledged the disparity and outlined available support. This includes existing community grant schemes like 'Love Where You Live' and 'Celebrating Diversity', as well as a new micro-grants pot of up to £500 for artists and grassroots organisations. Councillor Amadi also noted that the strategy aims to secure longer-term funding that could expand these initiatives.
Councillor Amadi further explained that the Cultural Compact, a key component of the strategy, will include capacity-building support for smaller organisations, offering training and assistance with bid writing. To ensure this support is accessible to a diverse range of organisations, including those with limited digital access or language barriers, the council plans to offer personalized support through initial conversations. The Creative Community Brent program is also developing multilingual resources and short videos in different languages, which will be shared in accessible spaces. Furthermore, the council collaborates with faith communities who assist with translations and message dissemination.
Kirsteen Rowe, interim director for resident services, added that the council aims to act as a facilitator, connecting organisations with funding and resources, even if they don't directly fit Brent's criteria.
Councillor Jasbinder Bajwa requested a ward-level breakdown of cultural investment to ensure equitable distribution, a point echoed by Councillor Sapna Chadha, who also sought clarity on how the impact of grassroots organisations would be measured.
In response to questions about the strategy's performance framework, Kirsteen Rowe stated that annual reporting would combine quantitative measures with qualitative evidence, including resident feedback and programme evaluation. The framework aims to track participation, skills development, wellbeing, community leadership, infrastructure investment, and environmental sustainability. However, specific targets for engagement, such as the 57,000 residents and 7,500 school children mentioned in the strategy, were not immediately available, with a commitment to provide further detail in writing.
