This briefing paper was written at the advent of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill coming into action in the UK. The paper provides an initial provocation as to whether 2026 could provide the strongest mandate yet for valuing community culture and heritage as a necessary precondition for local growth agendas in England.
The paper proposes that these seemingly unrelated policy frameworks have the power to shift governance and decision-making powers to give communities and individuals greater control over local cultural matters. This could present a turning point for a richer, more pluralist understanding of hyperlocal culture and heritage in England.
Used together—and safeguarded against top-down, purely economic interpretations—the two policy frameworks are mutually reinforcing: the Convention supplies the purpose and standards; the Bill supplies the levers to embed living heritage in local growth, planning, property, and participation.
“The Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention and the Community Empowerment Bill create an unprecedented opportunity to place community-owned culture and heritage at the heart of England’s growth and governance model.”
Liam Smyth, Programme Lead, UK National Commission for UNESCO
Strategic and local authorities, Arms-length bodies and funders, as well as cultural and community organisations, have a clear role to leverage these policies to mandate a deep understanding of the unique character of local communities and inform an evidence-based strategy for prosperity and inclusivity that has culture at its heart.
Meet the Author
Liam Smyth
Liam is a Chartered Manager who specialises in place-based cultural development that puts communities in charge of their own destinies.
Since 2023, at the UK National Commission for UNESCO, Liam has led the fundraising, research, development, and delivery of the Local to Global strategic investment programme. The programme aims to build a more resilient and adaptive network of UNESCO-designated sites, which cover 13% of the country’s landmass. Liam has overseen the development of new resources in audience development, stakeholder mapping and inclusion; fundraising and financial sustainability; and digital transformation – and is increasing devolved decision-making through horizon-scanning, open innovation and collaborative futures techniques.
Liam’s previous experience includes establishing the people-centred practice principles for an Arts Council England Creative People and Places project in the Black Country – focused on inspiring more people to choose, create and take part in brilliant art experiences in the places where they live.
He has worked as a consultant for various Arm’s-Length Bodies, combined and local authorities, to develop localised cultural policy. As a lead evaluator for the Birmingham 2022 Festival, Liam authored two public reports on region-specific cultural programmes that support global exchange and decentralised soft power and methods to embed inclusivity into mega events.
Liam is currently a trustee at Birmingham’s internationally renowned Ikon gallery and is one of 2024/25’s Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy’s Senior Fundraising Fellows.