CultureStep
Investing in Creative Collaborations
Funded by Hodge Foundation and Moondance Foundation, CultureStep is designed to encourage new sponsorship and develop established business engagement with the arts.
Through CultureStep, A&B Cymru invests cash in innovative partnerships of all kinds between the two sectors, enhancing projects and increasing their long-term effectiveness.
Image: NoFit State Circus – Mark Robson Photographer
Partnering the arts can enable businesses to meet core objectives in creative and far-reaching ways and CultureStep aims to maximise the impact for all involved.
It is designed to help companies communicate directly with their target markets, engage effectively with the communities in which they operate and access focussed, tangible staff development opportunities.
The scheme provides businesses with a direct incentive to partner the arts. Specifically, to:
- demonstrate Return on Investment, maximising profile and enabling an increased level of activity.
- reduce the “risk” of embarking on new partnerships with the reassurance of A&B Cymru’s approval.
- ensure partnerships are monitored and evaluated to measure success against set objectives.
CultureStep investment must be used to strengthen and develop the relationship between the business and arts partners, through arts activity.
All projects must also benefit individuals living in Wales and address at least one of the following priorities:
- Arts & Diversity: working with the arts to promote and celebrate diversity and inclusion, engaging those who face barriers on the grounds of ethnicity, gender, physical abilities, race, religious or political beliefs and sexual orientation.
- Arts & Employees: encouraging partnerships that integrate the arts into employee development and motivation, while stimulating a more creative working environment.
- Arts & the Environment: encouraging partnerships that address the climate emergency, demonstrating a commitment to environmental best practice while having a positive impact on people and communities.
- Arts & Health & Well-being: working with the arts to aid mental, emotional and / or physical well-being.
- Arts & Kids: engaging socially disadvantaged and underrepresented young people with the arts, making a tangible difference to their lives.
- Arts & Older People: engaging vulnerable, disadvantaged and isolated older people with the arts, making a positive difference to their lives.
- Arts & Tackling Poverty: partnering the arts to improve the lives of people who do not have sufficient resources to provide an acceptable living standard which allows them to participate fully in society.
- Arts & the Welsh Language: encouraging partnerships which celebrate and promote the language, maximising opportunities for people and communities to experience the arts through the Welsh language.
Arts partners may apply for up to £1 from CultureStep for every £2 invested by the business partner.
If you have a potential project you would like to discuss, please contact A&B Cymru by filling in the contact form and someone will be in touch.
CultureStep decisions are taken by a panel chaired by A&B Cymru’s Chief Executive. Members have a diverse range of skills and expertise and a thorough understanding of relevant issues. They also have an in-depth knowledge of A&B Cymru and a commitment to its work and strategy.
The panel consists of 8 voting members. The group meets quarterly and operates on the principle of collective responsibility. All members have an equal voice. The panel are:
- Rachel Jones, Chief Executive, A&B Cymru (Chair)
- Kathy Brown, Former Assistant Vice President, Community Investment, Barclays plc
- Robert Lloyd Griffiths, Business Consultant
- Denise Lord, Freelance Fundraiser
- Samantha Maskrey, Chair, Darkley Trust
- Lynne Sheehy, Former CSR Manager, Legal & General
- Richard Tynen, Director, The Funding Centre
Deadline: Wednesday 2 July 2025
Meeting date: Wednesday 16 July 2025
Deadline: Thursday 2 October 2025
Meeting date: Thursday 16 October 2025
Deadline: Thursday 27 November 2025
Meeting date: Thursday 11 December 2025
Deadline: Thursday 5 March 2026
Meeting date: Thursday 19 March 2026
In the 2024/25 financial year, CultureStep invested £112,125 in 40 business/arts partnerships. This levered an additional £527,417 of business support directly into the arts – a return of £4.70: £1.
47 businesses engaged with CultureStep projects and 22 of these were new sponsors.
All eight CultureStep priorities were achieved and activity is taking place in Mid, North, South and West Wales.
Through CultureStep, A&B Cymru invests cash in innovative partnerships of all kinds between business and the arts, enhancing projects and increasing their long-term effectiveness.
Arts partners may apply for up to £1 from CultureStep for every £2 invested by the business partner.
If you have a potential project you would like to discuss, please contact A&B Cymru by filling in the contact form and someone will be in touch.
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