Thanks to you, it went further than we could have hoped!

Close to 400 voices. Across Greater Essex. From freelancers to festivals, educators to arts organisations, musicians to museum professionals. All adding to the picture of what the creative sector truly needs.

And it made some noise along the way, over 2,000 engagements across Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin, reaching more than 23,000 people.

What did people say? Some clear themes emerged including:

→ Sustainable, accessible funding, not just project grants

→ Affordable studios and creative spaces across the county

→ Clearer pathways into the sector for young people

→ Better connection and collaboration across a fragmented sector

Now the real work begins.

All responses will be reviewed, coded and brought together to form the Counting Culture Prospectus - a sector-led evidence base for Greater Essex's key decision makers.

📅 JOIN US: The Counting Culture Sector Gathering

We're hosting a sector gathering at Chelmsford Theatre, July 13th at 6.30pm, where the prospectus will be officially launched and the priorities that have emerged through the campaign will be shared and discussed. This is your chance to be in the room when it happens.

👉 Registrations open this week.

Spaces are limited, so please do register early.