Captivating storytelling shines at 2025 Culture Conference

The South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership is delighted to have hosted its second annual Culture Conference on Wednesday 25 June at the South Holland Centre in Spalding.

Organised by the Partnership, which compromises of Boston Borough Council, East Lindsey District Council and South Holland District Council, the conference delved into the vibrant cultural landscape of the sub-region, with the theme of storytelling to mark the recent launch of "Story Tellers", the Partnership's Arts Council England funded National Portfolio Organisation project.

The conference saw over 50 local cultural creatives book on to enjoy a dynamic platform for meeting with diverse voices and sharing insightful discussions and collaborative opportunities.

Rob Pitman, Chair of the NPO culture board said: "The Culture Conference is a key part of our annual offer, uniting our cultural community to reflect on past achievements and help shape future aspirations. It is our key opportunity to empower and connect with talented and passionate individuals, and to ensure we take them on a journey that they feel ownership over".

The conference featured a keynote address focussing on how culture and climate action effort can be linked from Claire Buckley, Programme Lead at Julie's Bicycle, a leading charity working on sustainability in arts and culture. Claire said:

"What really struck me when hearing about Story Tellers is the power of culture and creativity. It's inspiring to witness the remarkable achievements that unfold when culture is properly resourced. This was a focus point during my own talk: by integrating creativity, culture, and heritage into climate action efforts, we can unlock positive change."

The afternoon was dedicated to networking, allowing for better understanding of the sector and exploring contributions to the area's key cultural frameworks: Culture for All, Cultural Infrastructure, Culture for Health and Wellbeing, and Cultural Places.

The Young Journalist Academy were also in attendance to interview delegates and report on the day. The academy, established in 2008, encourages young people to engage with news and current affairs by creating their own School Newsroom and publishing their work to a global audience. To see the work created by The Young Journalist Academy at the conference, head to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQFBZapHQzY

Sam Atkins, Managing Editor for the Young Journalist Academy said: "It is important for our young journalists to understand the work that goes on behind the scenes of large events and how this work contributes to the final product. Today we had two fantastic teams—one of Year 8/9 students from Boston High School and another of 18-year-olds from Boston College, bringing a great cross-section of ages and perspectives who had the invaluable opportunity to interview attendees."

To look back at 2025's Culture Conference, head to https://vimeo.com/1097798328?p=0s.

Story Tellers looks to support arts, culture, heritage and creativity across the whole of South and East Lincolnshire, providing meaningful opportunity and programming for residents, developing the sector and helping to build the local arts, culture and heritage offer. You can find out more about Story Tellers at www.story-tellers.co.uk.