Cultural Recovery Evidence Review

This report by James Davies, City-REDI, University of Birmingham brings together academic and policy literature relevant to the theme of cultural recovery, drawing on interdisciplinary research and evidence for cultural policy and offering international case studies. It aims to give policymakers and local partnerships a current ‘state-of-play’, exploring key debates and insights to inform the design of effective interventions for cultural development and infrastructure.

“The UK’s centralised economy disproportionately impacts those areas with weaker cultural infrastructure. Increased competition over fewer resources, in relation to local authority expenditure for non-statutory services, coupled with changes in audience behaviour is providing significant risk to sustainable cultural infrastructure, particularly in places where it is already weak.” Dr James Davies.

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Please reference this paper as:

Davies, J. (2024). Cultural Recovery Evidence Review. The Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub.

Meet the Author

Dr James Davies

James Davies joined City-REDI in November 2021 as a Research Fellow. His work is focused on the regional impacts of creative clusters, with particular interest given to the interactions between the clusters themselves, and higher education institutions both in and around them.

Publications

Putting Place at the Heart of Growth: How Evidence Can Make Multi-Level Governance Work

On 27 September 2026, the Labour Party Conference fringe event, Putting Place at the Heart of Growth: How Evidence Can Make Multilevel Governance Work, brought together policymakers, researchers, local government leaders, universities, colleges and organisations working across communities and regions. Provocation Before the event, attendees were sent a provocation. The

Place-based Business Case and Economic Appraisal: Capacity and Capability

This report, by Alice Pugh, City-REDI, University of Birmingham, examines the capacity and capability of officers working in strategic authorities to develop, commission, scrutinise and use business cases and economic appraisals, while also considering the implications of devolution for place-based investment and assurance. The report draws on a mixed-methods survey

Local Innovations, Shared Lessons: Unpacking HDRC Community Engagement and Partnership Working in London

This research report focuses specifically on public and partner engagement across London’s Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) and comparator boroughs, evaluating how local authorities are reshaping collaborative networks to address health inequalities. The study draws on 18 semi-structured interviews across six London local authorities: Islington, Tower Hamlets, Ealing, Lambeth, Southwark,