Exeter Culture is dedicated to bringing together people from across a broad range of cultural activities to create the right climate in which creative energies can thrive.
Exeter Culture is an initiative that champions the growth, visibility, and vibrancy of culture across the city. Hosted by the University of Exeter through its Creative Industries and Economy team, it was originally established as a time-limited programme but continues to serve as a vital platform for cultural engagement, promotion, and collaboration.
Launched with support from Arts Council England, Exeter City Council, and the University of Exeter, Exeter Culture has played a key role in delivering major cultural milestones for the city. These include the development of the Exeter Cultural Strategy 2019–2024, Exeter’s successful designation as a UNESCO City of Literature, the establishment of the Creative Arc programme, and the joint City of Culture bid with Torbay Council. The initiative also led on a number of high-level placemaking studies, including a strategic project with Charles Landry exploring future opportunities for Exeter.
Although funding from Arts Council England concluded in 2021 and from Exeter City Council in March 2025, Exeter Culture continues to operate as an online resource—promoting cultural events and projects and offering guidance and visibility for artists and cultural practitioners in the city.
Strategic direction for cultural and creative industries now sits within the University of Exeter’s Creative Industries and Economy team, which leads programmes such as Creative Arc (funded until March 2026) and other regionally significant initiatives that connect creative industry development with the University’s wider research, education, and innovation agendas.