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.

Please reference this paper as:

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

Building Intergovernmental Capability Through Secondments: Lessons From Japan for the UK

This policy briefing explores how England’s devolution reforms could work more effectively by using staff secondments as a core part of the delivery system. Drawing on lessons from Japan’s structured, legally grounded approach, it shows how predictable and reciprocal staff movement can strengthen local capability, improve coordination across government tiers,

Policy Fragmentation and Place-Based Opportunity in UK Fashion and Textiles

This report analyses the positioning of the UK fashion and textiles sector within national, devolved and local policy frameworks to assess its capacity to operate as a stable, place-based economic system that supports skills retention, inclusive growth and regional resilience. Using fashion and textiles as a case study for the

AI in Local Government: Adoption, Benefits and Challenges

This report provides a timely stocktake of how artificial intelligence is being adopted in local government, what benefits are emerging, and what barriers still limit its wider deployment. It draws on analysis of 101 published AI case studies and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, from local and central

Skills for the Future: Demand for and Supply of High-Skilled Labour Across England

This study maps employer demand for higher-level qualifications (at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 4 and above), the supply of residents with these qualifications, and the resulting demand-supply gaps across England’s 38 Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) areas (as defined in 2023). It combines online vacancy data and official labour