Image Credit: South Asian Dance, courtesy of Los Angeles County Arts Commission
Paul Owens
Co-Founder and Director
Paul Owens is a leading international advisor and practitioner in cultural policy and creative economy. He is Co-Founder of BOP, and alongside his fellow directors he has pioneered now well-established methods to measure the impact of cultural policy.
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If you are interested to learn more about our work or if you have a project you would like to discuss, get in touch.
LOCATION
Global
CLIENT
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
SECTOR
Projects Sectors
Our World Cities Culture Finance Report was published last week, after an intensive 18-month research process.
The report is the first global comparative study on how culture is financed in world cities.
In all the cities, cultural organisations are close partners with city administrations. So in addition to analysing current funding landscape, the report also provides these organisations with ideas which they can use to take a proactive approach to the future of funding in their cities. Many of these mechanisms are sector-led, and include:
City-wide crowdfunding campaigns. In Stockholm, Sydney and Seoul, crowdfunding platforms are used as match funding from national and city culture budgets. Some cities make donations to cultural organisations tax deductible.
Cooperative models. In Amsterdam, a ‘cooperative’ of professional musicians invests €1,000 each in a building and individually performs several concerts per year for paying members.
Participatory budgeting, as in New York where city residents participate in the allocation of capital funds
Shenzhen has embraced a concept known as ‘Culture +’ which gives organisations the flexibility to access venture funding through combinations such as ‘culture + technology,’ ‘culture + entrepreneurship,’ and ‘culture + finance’.
There are even suggestions for securing direct revenue. For example, in Los Angeles a 2.5% on the gross receipts of some cable operators supports the filming and distribution of performing arts programmes.
The full report can be downloaded below.
ABOUT US
EXPERTISE
A global research and consulting practice for culture and the creative economy
The report outlines the findings from a major study into the international activity of the Arts Council England-supported cultural ecosystem.
International Activity Report
Arts Council England
BOP Consulting was appointed to outline a pilot for a Creative Worker Income Guarantee for Brighton & Hove, working on behalf of the University of Sussex and the ABCD Cultural Recovery Programme.
Cultural, Creative and Collective Recovery: Exploring a Creative Worker Income Guarantee
University of Sussex
The report on how global cities tackle climate change with cultural policies and programmes. Insights from the World Cities Culture Forum's latest report.
The Green World Cities of Tomorrow: Culture and Sustainability – Special Report Prepared for WCCF Global Conversation
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
Unique case guide is co-produced with the participating cities of WCCF, highlighting city examples and a global cities approach to evidenced-based policymaking.
Culture Counts: New Approaches to Evidence Based Cultural Policymaking in World Cities
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
Working alongside CRAIC, a new research and collaboration centre at Loughborough University, we conducted an extensive survey of virtual production assets throughout the United Kingdom to map the country’s growing ecosystem.
Mapping the UK's Virtual Production Ecosystem
Loughborough University
The World Cities Culture Report (WCCR) 2022 builds on the ground-breaking 2018 and 2015 Reports. It gives insights on the major challenges world cities facing.
World Cities Culture Report 2022
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
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BOP's contribution to the 2nd edition of the report UNESCO's Global Creativity Report, examining policies safeguarding the creative and cultural sectors.
UNESCO's Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity Report – Addressing culture as a global public good
UNESCO
Our strategy will guide the creation of a new digital service aiming at supporting and developing the creative scene in Downtown Kingston.
Leveraging the creative potential of Downtown Kingston through technology
Inter-American Development Bank - IDB
Our research into the UK's high streets found that 69% of people think culture on their high street makes their area a better place to live.
Culture: The cornerstone of the UK’s high streets
Arts Council England
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BOP’s updated Handbook for the Inter-American Development Bank sets out strategies for sustainability and urban resilience
Creative and Cultural Industries and Urban Revitalisation in the post-COVID era
Inter-American Development Bank - IDB
We investigated the potential impact of AI for European cultural and creative businesses. Explore the transformative opportunities AI brings to industries.
Opportunities and Challenges of AI for the Cultural and Creative Industries
European Commission
Published today: ‘Design for Good: 90 Years of the RSA Student Design Awards’, a new publication from the RSA, co-authored by BOP
A History of Bright Ideas: 90 Years of the RSA Student Design Awards
The Royal Society for Arts (RSA)
Research in the Gulf Co-operation Council States in collaboration with British Council and BOP Consulting helps identify opportunities for festival development.
An evidence-base for the growing Gulf festivals sector
British Council
Our research into the museum workforce is launched, emphasizing the importance of conscientiousness and advocating for a diverse and well-supported sector.
Conscientiousness, optimism, and curiosity
Museums Galleries Scotland
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BOP’s report on creating a healthy night-time economy for the Nanjing City Government demonstrates the importance of cross-cutting policies.
Creating Healthy Night-time Economies in World Cities
Nanjing Creative Center
Findings from our work at Great Ormond Street Hospital reveals how visual arts enhance the patient, visitor, and staff experience.
Creativity in health settings
GOSH Arts
How is China influencing the future of Cultural Tourism? China's cultural infrastructure projects are redefining the global tourism landscape.
Cultural Infrastructure for the 21st Century
Chengdu Media Group
Our new report for UNESCO sets out the huge global impact of COVID-19 on the cultural sector. We estimate $750 billion lost for the CCI and 10 million job cuts.
Economic impact of COVID-19 on the Cultural and Creative Industries
UNESCO
Our analysis of the strengths and challenges of music in the Midlands report published for Arts Council England.
Hitting the right notes in the Midlands
Arts Council England
