Brent Council has launched its Culture Strategy 2026–2031, a borough‑wide plan to embed culture into everyday life by removing barriers to participation, investing in creative skills and supporting culture as a driver of wellbeing, opportunity and local pride.
Residents on lower incomes will also get access to low‑cost tickets for cultural and leisure activities, thanks to a partnership with Ticket Bank which was announced to coincide with the strategy launch. The initiative supports the strategy’s commitment to inclusive cultural access, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to enjoying the borough’s creative life.
Developed in partnership with local artists, cultural organisations and community groups, the strategy sets out practical steps to ensure that every resident can participate in, shape and benefit from Brent’s vibrant cultural identity.
On Wednesday 18 March, partners and Cabinet Members attended an event marking the formal launch of the strategy. The event highlighted the achievements of the ViBrent partnership, the forthcoming Creative Place Partnership supported by Arts Council England, and the programme of activity planned for the coming years.
Central to the strategy is a commitment to expanding access to culture in everyday spaces - including libraries, schools, parks and high streets and delivering new opportunities for children and young people through the Cultural Backpack, youth creative hubs and paid placements in film, TV, music and theatre. The Strategy also strengthens cultural health pathways by embedding arts into social prescribing and invests in local creative spaces such as Harlesden Picture Palace and a new cultural hub in Neasden.
The launch also marks the roll‑out of several new support measures for grassroots talent, including BrentCreates, the borough’s digital cultural platform, and the introduction of a Micro‑Grants Programme, offering small, flexible grants to help residents and freelancers develop ideas, pilot community‑led activity and access creative opportunities close to home.
This renewed focus on local access is matched by growing enthusiasm from cultural and creative organisations who see Brent as a borough of opportunity. Recent years have seen major partners establish a presence here, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Punchdrunk Enrichment, whose work sits alongside Brent’s thriving cultural venues from the Kiln Theatre and the Lexi Cinema to community‑run arts spaces and neighbourhood festivals.
