People Power Passion: Setting Luton Alight in 2019
People Power Passion is Luton’s Pilot Year of Culture, an ambitious programme that will bring Luton’s cultures and communities together to celebrate our vibrant town. Over five months, the programme will invite audiences into the worlds of everyday Lutonians, giving a voice to those rarely heard. Through spoken word, site-responsive & promenade theatre, music, dance, circus and gaming, we will commemorate the 1919 Luton Peace Day riots and put our residents at the forefront of excellent arts activity.
2019 Pilot Year of Culture
The strategic vision for the arts, cultural and creative industries in Luton 2017-2027, includes plans to bid for UK City of Culture 2025.
At council Executive on 25 June 2018 councillors gave approval for a pilot programme to demonstrate the potential of a bid for Luton to become UK City of Culture. This follows the approval in 2017 for Luton’s strategic vision for the arts, culture and the creative industries 2017-2027, which included plans for a bid to become the UK City of Culture in 2025.
As well as delivering a series of exciting experiences for local people we will consider how the arts can contribute to community cohesion & civic pride, health & wellbeing, the visitor & night time economies and skills & jobs. The programme will provide more than 12 paid development opportunities for local artists, directly create jobs, contribute directly to the local economy through event infrastructure & staffing and focus on an inclusive volunteering programme which will reduce loneliness, increase confidence and enhance social mobility.
The aim is to demonstrate the benefit of culture and creativity as catalysts for regeneration and to encourage ambition and innovation in cultural and creative activity. This process will generate footfall into the town which will not only benefit local businesses, contributing to the Luton Investment Framework programme attracting £1.5 billion into the town, but will create and celebrate the creativity, vibrancy and diversity of Luton.
Individuals, groups, artists, communities and businesses are invited to get involved: join the ambition to put Luton on the national and international stage and make it an established cultural destination.
