City of York Council adopted the York Cultural Strategy at an Executive meeting on Tuesday 3 March 2026.
The strategy, though funded by the Council thanks to a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, was developed independently by arts, heritage and cultural organisations across the city and lays out a clear direction for York’s cultural development over the coming years.
The strategy sets out six key priorities designed to ensure culture is accessible to all, helping people connect with their identity, heritage and community. It was previewed to over 250 local, regional and national organisations at Reignite XII at the Yorkshire Museum in January 2026.
With inclusion and participation at its core, the strategy aims to ensure culture is relevant and accessible to everybody in York, regardless of age, background or postcode.
York’s Cultural Strategy is based on the York Creative Future 2020-2025 strategy which was refreshed by cultural and heritage organisations. Watch a video below, created by local filmmakers Hewitt and Walker, which encapsulates the resilience of York’s cultural industry, despite the challenges of 2020 and the future for the sector in the city.