CIVIC chiefs have committed to ensuring creative talent is 'at the heart of our communities'. 

A question was asked at a recent meeting about how Winchester City Council will make sure creative spaces are part of future regeneration projects. 

The plans for Central Winchester Regeneration include creative, community and cultural spaces and Kings Walk recently had a £300,000 revamp. 

Wendy Wyatt submitted a question to the full meeting of the city council on Tuesday, July 16, but was unable to attend after testing positive for Covid. 

The Mayor of Winchester Russell Gordon-Smith read the question. It said: “The creative industries are a major economic driver, generating one in seven jobs, that's 2.4 million jobs, and contributing £125 billion to the UK economy. They have grown by 50 per cent since 2010.

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Revamped Kings Walk (Image: Contributed)

“Winchester is uniquely positioned to capitalise on this, with over 500 practising architects, a world-leading digital technology campus at IBM, two university campuses and an exceptional sixth-form college which attracts students from across Hampshire and beyond.

“Winchester is home to significant creative talent, especially at the start-up stage. For example, Alice Daggett from Winchester School of Art has just won the prestigious gold medal at Graduate Fashion Week and completed work experience with a local design business. A new film office is planned for Hampshire to attract inward investment, and there is a thriving visual arts and designer-maker sector across the district.

“It is important that we do not lose our talent to other areas, ensuring Winchester District remains an innovative hub for the creative industries.”

It added: “There is a real opportunity to attract and retain the creative talent pipeline through Creative Enterprise Zones, which can act as an important beacon for an area’s creative growth.

“How will the Lib Dem-controlled Winchester Council embed creative enterprise into future regeneration projects from a space, skills, sustainability, and leadership perspective? And will it consider establishing much-needed Creative Enterprise Zones to act as an important beacon for the wider district?”

Cllr Lucille Thompson, cabinet member for business and culture, said: “We recognise the value of people working in the creative space and, going forward, we're going to offer more opportunities for this type of space for example, there are still other floors in Kings Walk that could be put to use. 

“We need to encourage our homegrown creative talent to stay in our district, so being able to offer more facilities is at the top of my agenda. Our plans for central Winchester will include creative spaces together with community and cultural spaces. 

“Our cultural strategy gives us a solid base for us and our partners to build on to make sure arts, culture and the creative industry remains at the heart of our communities.”