National cultural leaders to headline Barrow Arts Dividend Summit at University of Cumbria
Barrow-in-Furness will take centre stage this June as two influential cultural figures, Darren Henley and Wayne Hemingway, lead a landmark summit focused on the transformative power of arts and culture.
Taking place on 8 June at the University of Cumbria’s Barrow campus, the Barrow Arts Dividend Summit will bring together civic leaders, creatives and community partners in recognition of the reality that regeneration does not happen without culture.
Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England and author of The Arts Dividend, has been a leading national voice on how investment in culture drives happier lives, stronger communities and economic growth. His presence signals the national significance of Barrow’s ambitions and its growing role within the UK’s cultural landscape.
Joining him is Wayne Hemingway MBE, one of the UK’s most respected designers and place makers. As co-founder of HemingwayDesign and the iconic Red or Dead fashion label, Hemingway has spent decades transforming towns and cities through creative, people-centred design. His work spans regeneration, festivals and community-led cultural development, and as an Honorary Fellow of the university, he is a key figure in helping the university contribute to shaping Barrow’s next chapter.
The summit will explore how creativity can power Barrow’s transformation, aligning with major regeneration plans. With Henley and Hemingway at the forefront, discussions will bridge national policy and local lived experience – ensuring artist-led approaches are ambitious, collaborative and grounded.
Hands-on ideas-labs will reframe Barrow’s story and uncover bold, place-specific opportunities, reinforcing how Barrow’s approach could become a model for towns across England.
The summit is designed to move beyond discussion, producing clear outcomes including:
- A shared cultural vision for Barrow
- A set of prioritised opportunities for investment and action
- The foundations of a long-term artist-led Arts Dividend Roadmap
Delivered in partnership with the University of Cumbria, Westmorland and Furness Council, Arts Council England, Team Barrow, and a newly formed creative collective of artists delivering in Barrow, the summit takes a claim for the importance of culture.
Claire Aindow, Pro Vice Chancellor in Growth & Development, University of Cumbria said: “We are delighted to host the Barrow Arts Dividend Summit at our Barrow campus and to welcome influential cultural leaders such as Darren Henley and Wayne Hemingway to the town. At a time of major change and opportunity for Barrow, this summit highlights the vital role that arts and culture play in shaping a creative and connected future.”
With national leaders like Henley and Hemingway actively shaping the conversation, Barrow is positioning itself within an established movement recognising culture as the heart regeneration.