VISION

THE LIDO BELLES, PETERBOROUGH LIDO

An independent community of swimmers whose daily ritual became a collective voice. Their campaign to protect the Lido reflects a vision for Peterborough where heritage, wellbeing and civic leadership align around shared values.

Culture is strongest when it is shaped locally, experienced daily and shared collectively.

Peterborough’s cultural vision is rooted in the belief that culture thrives when it grows from everyday life. Rather than concentrating activity in a small number of venues or moments, the city’s ambition is to enable culture to flourish across neighbourhoods, reflecting the lived experiences, histories and creativity of its communities.

This is a city shaped by movement and making.

From ancient landscapes and waterways to industrial heritage and contemporary patterns of migration, Peterborough has continually been shaped by people arriving, contributing and putting down roots. This has created a cultural life that is often informal and dispersed, yet deeply embedded in everyday places such as community halls, faith spaces, streets, parks, sports facilities and local gathering points.

Recent education-led visioning has reinforced the importance of these informal cultural anchors. Young people in particular identify green spaces, public places and shared social environments as central to how they experience culture, creativity and connection.

This vision has been shaped by learning, not assumption.

Learning from previous UK Cities of Culture has informed Peterborough’s approach. Earlier programmes demonstrated the risk of participation skewing towards those already engaged, and of cultural momentum diminishing once a title year ends. Peterborough’s ambition for 2029 therefore prioritises co-creation, ownership and continuity, particularly in neighbourhoods and communities where cultural participation has historically been lower.

Neighbourhoods are positioned as cultural authors, not simply audiences. Professional arts organisations play a vital role within this model, working as part of a wider cultural ecosystem that values grassroots creativity alongside established practice.

Culture here is something people do, not something that is delivered.

This approach is already being tested through initiatives such as This Is Peterborough. These represent a shift away from one-off events towards a year-round civic cultural platform. By connecting grassroots practice with larger civic moments, confidence, relationships and capacity are able to build steadily over time, rather than peaking and dissipating.

Peterborough’s ambition is not to import culture or impose a single narrative. It is to connect, support and make visible what already exists, while strengthening pathways for participation, skills and creative leadership. Culture is understood in its broadest sense, encompassing the arts and heritage alongside everyday creativity, faith, sport, education, volunteering and civic life.

By 2029, success will be felt as well as seen.

In this context, culture acts as a civic force, shaping belonging, participation and shared responsibility as well as creative expression. By 2029, Peterborough aims to have embedded a cultural model that deepens participation, strengthens pride and belonging, and reflects the city’s global character. Success will be measured not only by scale or profile, but by the extent to which residents feel ownership of their cultural life and see themselves reflected in the city’s story.