Arts and culture

Thurrock is located on the north shore of the River Thames, a short distance from the east of London, and Essex to the north and east. Thurrock’s location includes towns and villages surrounded by acres of parks, countryside and heritage sites. Urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new, young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 176,000 residents.  

Nationally significant cultural organisations and artists coexist with emerging creative practitioners and a vibrant community sector to develop talent and serve diverse audiences. Our heritage assets and maritime industry connect to a global narrative of trade and migration, and we are a nexus for Creative and Cultural Industries within the Thames Estuary Production Corridor, a sector which generates skilled jobs and productivity across the UK. 

In July 2024 Thurrock Council adopted a new Corporate Plan 2024-2029 – called 'A fresh start for Thurrock' – setting out how the council will operate over the next five years as it recovers and rebuilds trust with residents and communities. It sets a new purpose and future direction for the council as it works with its partners and local communities to best serve the people of Thurrock.

The plan highlights 3 priorities:

• to be an enabling council by building strong and impactful partnerships to maximise the benefits for residents and our borough
• to focus on people to ensure Thurrock is a place where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential and access the support they need
• to focus on place to achieve a strong and well-connected place that enables our borough, its diverse communities and businesses to thrive and grow

This new purpose – bringing together and engaging all who can make a contribution to supporting local people with their needs and to release opportunity – is fundamental to the principles of this new plan for culture.

Over the course of researching this plan, stakeholders and cultural sector pressed for a vision and mission to be defined, clearly articulating our ambition and intentions for culture. What is set out below has been tested with people we initially engaged with in 2022 and create a baseline view that can be explored further as the plan is adopted and implemented, to ensure it fully encapsulates where we are now and where we want to be.

As the plan moves towards implementation, its vision, mission, principles and values should be regularly reviewed to ensure they meet the needs of the sector and communities to align with emerging opportunities and challenges.

Cultural vision

• Through culture and creativity we will create a more vibrant, enriched, healthier and inclusive Thurrock for everyone.

Cultural mission statement

Our mission is to deliver a cultural renaissance so everyone here has the opportunity to express their individual creativity and benefit from cultural activities, and Thurrock arts, culture and heritage will mean more to more people based on the principles of:

• Inclusivity: open to everyone
• Transparency: open and honest with everyone
• Sustainability: committed to fulfilling current and future benefits for everyone

This Strategy supports and echoes the new values and behaviours of the council’s Corporate Plan of Accountability, Integrity, Collaborative, Impactful, Responsiveness and Adaptability and has a specific focus on: 

Impactful

• We will work collectively, encouraging communities to share their voice and perspective as we shape the cultural offer together and ensure our actions are co-designed and co-delivered.   

Collaborative

• We will all pull in the same direction, being collaborative and cooperative and in support of each other. We will act as enablers and champions, with shared ambitions and mutual respect.

Adaptability

• We will understand the factors that could hold back our ambitions and be open to creative and innovative ways to overcome them. Our achievements will help us grow in our ambition.