It’s not every day you watch the law change in front of you.

As part of the Counting Culture campaign, we’re bringing together voices from across the sector to explore how culture is valued, evidenced and championed. In this post, Martin Prendergast, founder of Martin Prendergast Communications (MPC), offers a first-hand account of how collective advocacy helped shape national policy. Drawing on recent experience during the passage of the English Devolution and Empowerment Bill, Martin reflects on the importance of making a clear, coordinated case for culture—not just as something people value, but as something that must be embedded in decision-making at every level of government.

A few weeks ago, my MPC associate and I were sitting in the House of Lords during the report stage of the English Devolution and Empowerment Bill, supporting Mercury Theatre Colchester and its CEO Steve Mannix as part of their preparations for devolution and the creation of the Greater Essex Combined Authority.

At that point, culture was at risk of being overlooked entirely within the legislation.

That might sound technical. It isn’t.

If culture is not explicitly recognised within new devolved structures, there is a genuine danger that investment, policy and decision-making simply flow elsewhere – towards transport, housing, skills and infrastructure – while culture is treated as an afterthought rather than part of the engine of civic and economic life.

That moment crystallised for me exactly why projects like Counting Culture matter.

Because culture does not win arguments simply because people feel warmly towards it. It wins when the sector organises, collaborates, builds alliances, produces evidence and makes a serious, strategic case for its value.

What changed the conversation around the devolution bill was not one organisation acting alone. It was people across the sector working together: Culture Commons especially, Mercury Theatre, Peers, parliamentarians from across parties, journalists, policy specialists, local leaders, ministers and officials, all making the case consistently and credibly that culture belongs at the heart of how places are governed and imagined.

And crucially we backed that case with arguments and evidence.

An article we placed in Arts Professional helped push the issue into wider debate. Earl Clancarty referenced it directly during the Lords debate. Steve Mannix and Mercury Theatre were mentioned by name in Parliament. Constructive engagement followed with Devolution Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh and her team.

Then the legislation changed.

Not perfectly. There is still work to do around guidance and implementation. But culture is now recognised within the devolution framework in a way it was not before.

That happened because people showed up.

Too often, the cultural sector underestimates its own ability to influence systems and shape policy. We can sometimes behave as though decisions happen to us, rather than recognising that we have agency if we work collectively and make the case properly.

And that matters enormously right now.

Devolution is reshaping the political map of England. Power, funding and decision-making are increasingly moving towards regions, mayors and combined authorities. At the same time, public finances remain under pressure and every area of spending is being asked to justify itself in economic and social terms.

In that environment, culture cannot afford to rely on goodwill alone.

Now more than ever we need the extraordinary value of culture and the creative industries to be properly understood, evidenced, protected and invested in, not as a ‘nice to have’, but as essential to economic growth, civic identity, wellbeing, education and the attractiveness of places to live, work and invest.

That is why Counting Culture feels so important at this moment.

Greater Essex is entering a period of huge structural change. Decisions made now will shape funding, priorities, identity and opportunity for years to come. If culture wants to be part of that future, it has to be visible – not just emotionally or creatively, but strategically.

We need robust data. We need participation. We need stories connected to evidence. We need to demonstrate not only that culture enriches lives – though it absolutely does – but that it drives regeneration, belonging, economic growth, education, wellbeing and civic confidence.

Most importantly, we need people to take part.

Because if culture is counted properly, organised properly and argued for properly, it can bring positive change. I’ve seen it happen.

If this resonates, now’s the moment to speak up.
Made in Essex is creating a Prospectus to put the creative sector’s priorities in front of Greater Essex’s new political leaders this July.

‍So — what needs to be counted?
How can we better evidence, advocate for and secure culture’s place in policy, funding and decision-making as Greater Essex’s future takes shape?

‍No idea is too big or too small.
Whether you have 1 idea or 10, tell us what you want to see happen.

There’s no right way to respond.
Send bullet points. Record a quick selfie video. Snap a photo of a scribbled note. However you want to do it, add your voice here: madeinessex.org.uk/take-part

‍Counting Culture is open until 24 May.
If you work in Greater Essex’s creative sector, this is your chance to help ensure culture is visible, valued and embedded in the region’s future.

Martin Prendergast is the founder of Martin Prendergast Communications (MPC), a cultural sector consultancy specialising in strategic communications, public affairs, corporate partners and fundraising.