Trevor MacFarlane
Founder CEO of Culture Commons
Former Advisor to senior Labour politicians
Senior Researcher at Labour Together
Fellow of Royal Society of Arts
IVLP Alumnus at US Department of State
- Reposted by Trevor MacFarlaneMajor news in education! #Arts #culture & #creativity will go back into the heart of the national curriculum in England 🙌 The UK Gov’s @departmentforedu.bsky.social has confirmed it will take forward major reforms proposed by Professor Becky Francis review www.culturecommons.uk/news/the-art...
- If we don’t embed culture, creativity and heritage into the DNA of the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill, we risk locking our sectors out of the frameworks that will shape investment, growth and social policy for a generation…👇
- 🧭 The English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill will shape local powers for a generation BUT #culture #creativity & #heritage are barely mentioned! We’ve submitted evidence + amendments to MHCLG to change that Read more 👉 www.culturecommons.uk/news/strengt...
- So sorry to hear of the passing of #PrunellaScales Sending my best wishes to Sam and Joseph West Their parents brought - and will continue to bring through the legacy they leave - a huge amount of joy to the nation
- #NigelFarage needs a civics lesson. Calling for a “parliamentary court” is pure Trump cosplay. In Britain, we don’t do show trials - we do the rule of law. Justice depends on the separation of powers, not on populist stunts.
- Important publication! Wonderful to see culture creative & heritage infrastructures embedded in here in-line with @culturecommons.bsky.social recommendations! Thanks to Diane and the whole Taskforce for the detailed work on this
- Reposted by Trevor MacFarlaneThe UK Gov’s new ‘Pride in Place’ strategy is now a flagship policy £billions for neighbourhood renewal powers for communities #culture + #heritage in scope But will Neighbourhood Boards see our sectors as key enablers or add ons? We dig into the details 👉 www.culturecommons.uk/news/pride-i...
- Reposted by Trevor MacFarlaneLast week, Director @trevormacf.bsky.social was hosted in #Riga by Latvia’s Minister for Culture, Agnese Lāce The discussion explored cultural #data, #devolution, inter-cultural #dialogue, and the future of #culturalrelations between the #UK and #Baltic states at a time of global uncertainty
- Reposted by Trevor MacFarlaneWe’re been working with the UK Government on the emergent Local Government Outcomes Framework @trevormacf.bsky.social has been advocating for the #creative #cultural & #heritage sectors to be well positioned in the key indicators More here👇 www.culturecommons.uk/news/local-g...
- Thank you to First Minister of 🏴 @johnswinney.bsky.social for the invitation to #Edinburgh today for his statement on #culture & the #creative industries Proud @culturecommons.bsky.social helped the National Performing Companies of Scotland secure a significant uplift in a recent gov budget
- Could you be a Trustee of National Museums Liverpool? They run several internationally recognised #museums & #art #galleries Looking for 4 new trustees with a range of skills - details below apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/8886
- Reposted by Trevor MacFarlaneMinister @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social endorses our recommendation to embed ‘cultural infrastructure’ into New Towns masterplanning www.culturecommons.uk/news/minster...
- #devolution news! Major Bill tabled with game-changing provisions for communities and mayors across England @culturecommons.bsky.social
- The UK Government has tabled a new Bill on English #devolution in @ukparliament.parliament.uk We’ve been monitoring devo closely since we launched a four nations open #policy development programme w/ 30 partners Initial headlines w/ analysis to follow👇 www.culturecommons.uk/news/new-dra...
- Sad to say but poor coverage of Macron #StateVisit by BBC tonight No sound, no translation, no relevant commentary following La #BBC peut faire mieux!
- Reposted by Trevor MacFarlaneWe’re still an independent and not for profit think & do tank dedicated to the UK’s #creative #cultural and #heritage ecosystem… …we’ve just had a little refresh! We’ve brightened things up and made our projects, publications and services more accessible. www.culturecommons.uk
- The UK Government have published the Sector Plan today. It sets out actions until 2035 and will play an important role in guiding policy for the coming years. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68586c...
- I remember having to stand in that separate queue…good to see them over
- Can an #economist help me with a Q on the #SpendingReview? Column showing % change “Phase 2 Period” for DEL spend in DCMS (see pic) doesn’t seem to add up. Should be -4% total and I can’t see why that might be…? Thanks in advance, smarter people than I
- Reposted by Trevor MacFarlaneAh this is interesting devo news. London will get an integrated settlement after all from next year. It'll be interesting to see how the model differs in London compared to the combined authorities, and whether it'll require constitutional change in the GLA-Council relationship to make it work
- Game-changing investment in social housing Angela Rayner + Chancellor will have worked v hard to secure this Cultural infrastructure can now empower communities to turn these new houses into homes 👀ing to DCMS & MHCLG to build joint investment progs to make it so! @culturecommons.bsky.social
- Below, the city bristles— All brick heat and bus brakes Above it all, this bloom, this breath Sits atop my windowsill.
- Such wonderful news for my home city of Manchester and the whole of the UK - a huge congratulations to @esmeward.bsky.social and the team at Manchester Museum! www.timeout.com/uk/news/its-...
- “responsible radicalism” …goes the death rattle of an entirely redundant party
- Liz Truss despises the UK so acutely that she ran our economy into the ground and is now running about telling everyone how awful we are Just staggering
- “This century, GDP growth has been no guarantee of rising living standards, especially among lower-income households.” Governments are chasing the wrong rainbows - by Andy Haldane Will be tuning in next week… on.ft.com/43kZiEr
- What a way to spend the bank holiday… ‘Firebird’ by Stravinsky @royalalberthall.bsky.social both filled & hurt my head & heart in equal measure
- Voter movements visualised to May 2025
- Need a pick me up? Heres the best interpretation of a #Rachmaninov Prelude you’ll hear today Most welcome open.spotify.com/track/0cSaAs...
- There is nothing unusual about memos containing policy options moving between senior government figures
- "I'd only worked with one female director until a few years ago. Isn't that kind of amazing? After I've made 60 movies that I've barely ever worked with another woman?" Jodie Foster spotlighting how far we’ve to go on gender equality in the #film industry www.reuters.com/business/med...
- This was inevitable and (in my humble view) could have come well before the recent local elections Sarmer says he wants ‘more pensioners’ to get winter fuel payments in U-turn on.ft.com/4jZmMox
- “A deal…to allow British musicians and artists to tour the EU were in the Labour manifesto, and Brussels is offering to compromise on the latter.” via @FT All behind @Keir_Starmer getting EU touring sorted to boost growth at UK-EU summit 19 May on.ft.com/44zmXSG
- A nice policy briefing here from @natcen.bsky.social team on attitudes to #devolution in Sussex Some of the sentiments chime with findings we made @culturecommons.bsky.social as part of a major 4 nations open policy development programme examining ‘cultural devolution’ devolution.culturecommons.uk
- Not seeing many strong arguments FOR allowing “posh ticket touting” (sic) @royalalberthall.bsky.social Governance and background quite unique, but the workaround to have non-used seats owned by Trustees being routed back through box office for general sale seem eminently sensible
- Graph of the day! Probability of political political parties winning the the upcoming Canadian election @markcarneyforpm.bsky.social has completely turned things around
- Seeing lots of inaccurate reporting on the @supremecourt.uk #SupremeCourt ruling today The ruling is on the Act as written It does not pass judgement on the morality or suitability of that law That’s for lawmakers to determine
- Reposted by Trevor MacFarlaneWe've published a new Discussion Paper. 📘 ’Culture-led capital projects: catalysing local decision making in place' It explores how #re-developing #heritage buildings can boost culture-led #regeneration and bring the public into decision making processes www.culturecommons.uk/publications... 1/2
- A significant day for #Devolution Greater Manchester & the West Midlands now have decision making powers over circa £1bn per year @culturecommons.bsky.social www.gov.uk/government/p...
